stitch in ditch I'm not getting it right
 

Oh my! Breathing to just get this done! Sort of a split rail with pinwheel accents. Only 8 inch long ditches then the rails switch. 62 inch x 62 inch...I' m freaking out on this one... Even bought the foot....back to clear normal foot.
Just getting through it at this point. :(

Good luck!
: )

I love my SITD foot, makes it much easier for me to follow the line. That being said, I have used the 1/4 inch foot a few times to SITD because I was too lazy to switch the feet. Good luck. Sometimes slowing down helps too.

SITD is too hard! I stay away from it if all possible. Good luck! hope you have better success than me.

Question - when you use the SITD foot, do you put the guide right in the ditch? I have a hard time with that. Or, can you move the needle and use the guide to quilt along side the ditch? That seems a little easier for me. But, I don't use the SITD foot for that.

Why i have forgotten my walking foot i only think because of the 8 inch rails. Will try that. Stitchnripper, love you name, yes..put it in the ditch but wow..guide is flexable...i have pressed on one side..should not be that...maybe speed..need s l o w maybe. Thank you all for posting.

I do a 1/4" line from the seam if I do a straight stitch at all. Looks much neater to me. I usually just do a large stipple or meander.

When you SID, the seam is supposed to be just in the "lower" side of the seam. I put my hands on either side of the seam and slightly tug to see which part is the lower side (side away from seam allowance). Keep the needle close to the ridge of the seam allowance. IF the seam allowance switches (that happens to me a lot), starting a few stitches BEFORE the switch (and still tugging the seam a bit) maneuver the line so the needle slowly moves over to the other low seam and continue sewing until the seam allowance switches again. When the quilt is washed, all will be well. Don't give up.

Good Luck!!! SID is not my favorite type of quilting to do. I know I need to practice, but I definitely prefer fmq.

I found traditional machine SID too nerve-wracking. I use a serpentine stitch now. This makes a wavy line so that I only have to stay approximately in the seam line when I am using it. Small deviations do not show. I just use a regular metal zigzag foot for this (not an open-toe embroidery foot, as that allows too much fabric to gather near the needle). The end look is different, but I like it.

Here is a link to some samples of serpentine stitch. The one I am using on my Bernina is closest to #19 in the photo. I adjusted the stitch width and length to make mine a little tighter wave:
http://restisnotidleness.blogspot.co...-stitches.html

I can FMQ just about anything, but the stitch in the ditch has me beaten. I usually end up with those flop over pieces of fabric everytime I hit another stitching line.

I have much better luck with an open toed foot than the 'joiner' or 'SID' foot. I can see where I am going and it is easier to 'pull' the seam apart.

My SID foot makes it really easy. I prefer SID because of it. Guess I got lucky with my foot. I just follow the ditch, but I know what works for one person doesn't always work for another. I find FMQ difficult.

Dina

I find if I needle over just a bit it helps with stitching in the ditch. I like mine right in the ditch. If my eyes get fatigued ... a use the seperptine stitch on alot of quilts.... it is the most forgiving stitch you can use! Sometimes my eyes just can not take alot of Stitching in the Ditch.
FYI there are walking feet that have a Stitch in the ditch attachment.... its a beautiful thing to have .. makes a lot of difference.

I was having trouble with the SID and talked to the lady at the Bernina store and she showed me the store samples using the serpintine stitch beautiful work so now I use my walking foot and the serpintine stitch no problem and looks nice everytime

I SID quite often but do a better job without the specialized foot. Just use my walking foot. I occasionally go out of the ditch but only by a couple of stitches. I have learned to let it go and once the quilt is on the bed I don't notice it. We all make the mistake of examining our quilt up close when we should lay them out on a bed, even during piecing, because that's the way the quilt will be seen. If you are looking for perfection you will never be happy with what you do. Think of the small imperfections as what makes your quilt or any project unique and one of a kind.

Another option to try is SND, which is Stitch NEAR the Ditch -- or Stitch NEXT to the Ditch. I do this frequently, because it is done on the "high" side of the ditch, and makes everything lay nice and flat. I'm doing it on a longarm these days, but when I did it on my regular machine, I used an edge foot because it would help me to travel right along the edges. Maybe you could check your box and see if you have one of those feet for your machine...

This is what I do. I love my SID foot; it allows me to secure much or all of the quilt so that I can remove most of the safety pins used for basting before I do any other quilting.

Stitch In The Ditch.
 

I have found that having a pair of Rubber Gloves on help, also Rubber Fingers. There is also special gloves that you can buy in the Quit Store that are fantastic. Better then Rubber Gloves because they are partly cotton and breath.

SID can be very challenging for the challenged (like me!)

I avoid STID, too much turning of the quilt, I usually manage to miss the ditch. I prefer FMQ or grid quilting done with a walking foot.

karen
 

I learned from one of my quilting books that you don't stitch right on the seam, you go right along the seam line, so I just figured it ment along side of not right on top. It seems useless sewing right on top of the seams. but ladies this is just my take on the directions. I am just a beginner.

Madquilter is right, when Eleanor Burns of Quilt In A Day does Stitch in the ditch, she pulls with both hands on either side of the seam an the stitch goes on the lower side, right next to the seam. that way when you let go, the fabric relaxes and the stitch doesn't show. no direct stitching over the threads in the seam at all.
if that doesn't work for you, just stitch 1/4 or 1/8 away from the seams. make it easy on yourself. quilting is supposed to be fun!

I agree this is much easier, and usuallly looks better.

Thank you for the link! Been beating myself up over SID ~ this is exactly what I've been needing!!

SID can be quite a challenge for sure! I usually do a little SID or preferably, stitch near the ditch, on large quilts to secure my quilt sandwich before I get down to all the FMQ details. I use my walking foot and a closely matching thread and just do the best I can.

Just keep sewing. Many of us want perfection 100% of the time. Unless it will be in a big Quilt show it will just be loved by the person receiving it.
I wanted everything to be perfect 50 years ago. Now I just try to keep it enjoyable.

Hang in there!

When I do sitd I use a decorative stitch.....very forgiving of small mistakes. And these hold the quilt together better too.

I was going to also going to suggest pulling the seam a part with your hands ang put that open toe foot back on.. Also if you can set your machine to a slower speed do that.

Interesting helps - thanks

Thank you all, of all suggestions...i do this. Slow going, less ripping out stitches.

I LOVE the light weight gloves with only rubber tips! Thank you.

SID takes practice too, just like FMQ. I recently discovered that if I don't look at the needle, but look at the center of the walking foot, that's right in front of the needle, and make sure that the ditch stays centered in that place, the needle then sews in the ditch. It's hard to not look at the needle, but I'm trying not to, and then it really works well.

I don't like SITD stitching either so I used a serpentine stitch and it was SOOOO much better. Even if it varies a little it isn't noticable.

Thank you for this tip--I did SID and wasn't always in the ditch and wish I had thought of the serpentine stitch before doing the entire quilt.

I have done quite a few quilts with the sitd, slow was the name of the game for me and then when my eyes would start getting tired of staring at the ditch, I would get up and take a break for a short time, then go back to it.

have you tried a line tanner ruler? I love mine. It keeps me where I need to be.

Wow I have learned something here. I thought when you SITD you just sewed where they joined together. You all have shown me that it is a little more complicated then that. The idea is not to see the stitching?????? I have failed on this one big time. I will have to practice a lot more.

Barb