Stitch in the Ditch Question
 

When you Stitch in the Ditch...are you sewing on the seams that join the blocks together or is Stitch in the Ditch done 1/4 inch away from the seams on either side of the seam?

Thanks in advance!

My definition is that SITD is very close to the seam, close enough that you won't see the quilting stitches when the fabric relaxes. The ditch is only formed when you press your seam allowance to one side. The side without the seam allowance is lower, therefore "the ditch". Sewing a little on either side of the seam is a different design/construction choice.

I press my seams open and when I stitch in the ditch, I am stitching on the stitching. The needle and stitch sizes are different and I haven't had issues with thread breaking. For most of my quilting career I've used Dual Duty thread for piecing and quilting both. I call the to the side or 1/4" off "echo quilting".

For the last couple of years I've been doing a test with So Fine as my bobbin thread -- but I haven't gotten any of these tops quilted down yet so no experience with modern threads. I am, however, about to do some quilting down -- but mostly as free motion all over designs and not in the ditch.

There are still times when I want minimal quilting and a simple grid in the ditch is my deliberate choice, even with other options available. For "functional" quilting and now that I have a machine that does it, I'm finding the serpentine stitch to be my preferred option in similar circumstances. I like how that S shape stiching gets the seams on both sides of the line, I feel it holds up to machine washing well too.

As I evaluate the quilts I made in the 70s, my issue was that I did not quilt together closely enough and the fabric in the unquilted areas wore/rotted away faster than the fabric or seams in the quilted areas. The seams have lasted together strong and proud!

I don't stitch in the ditch but a few threads to the side of the ditch. Preferably on the side that the seam allowance is pressed. But it doesn't always work out that way. It's funny, when I try to stitch in the ditch, it bothers me when I sway outside the ditch. When I stitch just outside, it doesn't bother me at all when it disappears into the ditch.

I almost always press the seams to one side.

Well - that was interesting - I just "looked closely" at some of "ditch" quilting from several years ago. Most of my stitching is not visible from three feet away. However, when looking at it from about 10 inches away, I was wandering all over the place.

I consider "ditch stitching" to be as close to or on the seam line as possible.

I press to the side...when you do that there is a "high" side and a "low" side. The "high" side is the side where you are stitching over three layers of fabric...Anyway, I was told to stitch in the ditch on the "low" side but keeping the needle against the "high" side. Sort of like just letting your tire of a car ride along just against a curb. This way you really can not see the seam...OK, got to admitt....I occasionally will ride right up on the curve...but I try

I also do the stitching on or as close as possible to the seam.

You sew a needle’s width or two away from the seam. Not directly into the seam.

I try to stitch right in the ditch of the seams. Now mind you I don't always get it perfect.