Technically S (stitch) I (in the) D (ditch) is just that - a stitch that is almost invisible just off the fold of the seam between two blocks or pieces in the block. In quilts being judged, the judge will look at the precision of the stitch such as the evenness and invisibiity with thread that matches the base. Stitching on the fold can be done but technically it is not in the ditch, neither is quilting 1/8" or 1/4" away from the seam. The stitch can be done on the fold but should be carefully aligned and not weave on and off the edge of the fold. A quilter can quilt any of these three methods but should remember the stitch can contribute to the overall design and if wobbly can detract. There have been some statements made indicating one can't keep the stitch either in the ditch or straight. Probably the best advice for correcting this is to slow down and keep control of the piece being quilted. I find that when I go fast then the stitch appears to have a mind of it's own and goes where I don't want it to go.

No Quilt Police here do what is better for you

I'm a hand quilter and I sometimes stitch in the shadow (1/4" from seam).

LOL this sounds like me. It is not the easy thing folks think buyt for many years after I started quilting on the machine that is all I did and some of those quilts are still around. I have learned to meander a bit now.

There is a stitch-in-the-ditch foot for my Pfaff Creative Vision. It has a guide that you keep in the groove of the seam and it stitches right in the ditch, perfectly. And being as the Pfaff has the built in walking foot, it works great. Some other machines might have these feet, too.

One of the famous quilting experts who was on Sewing with Nancy, can't remember which one, says she uses a small zig zag stitch so that she catches both sides of the ditch. I've tried that and I like it. I've also used one of the decorative stitches on my machine, set for a wide stitch to sitd. I like that way too. I just bought a sitd foot but i haven't used it yet. Not sure how that would work since you wouldn't be using a walking foot. Anybody have experience with this foot and your backing "creeping?"

Are you kidding? If I hit the ditch only occasionally I send up a rousing shout of success! I think SID is really hard and even though I'm doing a quilt now that would really be great done in SID (if it was done right), it won't be - it will be done with meandering.

I have fallen back in the habit of stitching in the ditch, and find it much simpler than the beautiful patterns I see other people stitch.

Someone very clever needs to supply the acronym!

Thanks for a precise explanation!

QAYG ... Quilt As You Go ... You layer backing, batting and top sections or blocks together and quilt as you are assembling instead of doing the entire top, then laying, then quilting. Type Quilt As You Go into google ... lots of great videos out there!

Recently, someone mentioned a stitch in the ditch foot for the Bernina walking foot. Yesterday, I purchased one and can't wait to try it out. I love to stitch in the ditch; but have to finish the FMQ on this quilt before I can try out my new presser foot. Hope you'll soon learn to love stitching in the ditch as much as I do. Now if I could just learn to love FMQ...

:lol: :thumbup:

It's called a stitch around the ditch!!! :)

If you press all of your seam allowences to the side (as opposed to open) you will technically be stitching a hair to the side of the seam. This is the best way, because you will be stitching on fabric. If you press your seams open and stitch on the seam, you will be stitching on stiching, which is not as strong as the fabric.

I find SID is the easiest way to go. I try to stay in the seam,
if I can.
For the give aways (most of mine are) it doesn't matter, they are made for warmth and softness.
For a prize winner quilt, well I haven't mastered that one yet. ;)

I have read if you go beyond the ditch it is easier to sew, the weight of the quilt seams. practice to see what you prefer.

I do to and , I don't need the wine to do that.lol

Interesting response to that question... I have wondered that many times myself, thanks for all your input...

Great information from all. Thank you!

If it's for a rag quilt...that I would do right next to the seam. The SID on pieced quilts, as others have mentioned...is put into the seam, as your seam allowance is pressed to one side, causing one side of the seam to be higher than the other. If I were to press the seams open (like in clothing construction...I'd choose to SID beside the seam, as stitching in the seam may break threads in the stitched seam.
Marge C

I watching Sewing w/Nancy this morning showing the layering of the quilt before quilting. Her suggestion was using small strips of fusible web, placing them on the back of the top and the backing, then removing the backing paper and pressing the 3 layers (done is sections to keep things taut and even). It went really fast and looked much easier on the hands and possible the knees than using pins or basting.

I've also used blue tape when I quilt straight lines of any type -- following the edge is much easier on my eyes and disposition. I stitch next to the ditch on the "low" side because I got into the habit when I only did hand quilting.

The biggest thing about quilting is enjoying it. Don't get too stressed out about the 'quilt patrol' unless they'll be receiving the quilt!

IN the ditch means just that - IN THE SEAM, RIGHT OVER THE SEAM'S STITCHES. My answer is from several quilt judges over the course of several years' worth of shows.

The acronym is QUI "quilting under the influence" :)

I have also heard that using your sepentine stitch (if you machine has one) along the ditch looks nice.

I like this idea since my SID is not always as straight as it should be. :)

SID is one of my preferred machine quilting stitch - along side cross hatching. I really never thought about quilting on the seam, beside the seam, etc. However, having watched Georgia Bonesteel on cable, she uses a narrow zig-zag stitch when she does SID. So, if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for the rest of us, as she's a nationally known quilter, although she usually hand quilts everything. Take your pick with the options and remember - THERE ARE NO QUILT POLICE, only other quilters who will oooh and aaah over your beautiful quilt.

I just finished my first quilt class teacher said, zig-zag
small stich and use invisable thread works great.

No acronym, but there should be.

One of the ladies at my LQS told me she meanders when she SID and that way if she makes a mistake and slips outside of the seam it is intentional. Hey it works for me.

IMHO I feel Stitch in the Ditch should be in the ditch, not on top of it. I place my stitches right next to the seam on the side with 2 layers of fabric. This creates a nice shadowed effect to the quilting. If I stitch on top of the ditch, I'm going thru 4 layers of fabric and seam allowances, and it gets all flattened.
Whatever you do though, I think it looks better if you stick to one side or the other so that it looks the same. To my eye it looks sloppy when the stitches switch around from IN the ditch to the TOP of the ditch. IMHO of course :-)

ROFLWTIME!!!!!! :D :D :D

I love SID because it accents the piecing!! However it is hard on the machine. I still try very hard to stay on the low side.:) I was so stupid that when I first started piecing I would hand quilt on top of the ditch. We are always learning!! I've been hand quilting on "cheater" clothes for years!

MAD is a acronym for meandering around the ditch. LOL

Boy am I glad to know I am not alone ...

And my poor SITD has a tendency to be both places when I use my HQ16. So I avoid it like crazy. I just can't do it without a lot more practice and I always want to do other stuff first so don't practice.

So I just tell myself that I like whatever I do and my g-kids are ALWAYS happy with it.

Kathy

OMG :| Were you caught SUI? What was the fine?

SUI - "Stitching Under the Influence"

I guess we can all say our SID is our own little Drunkard's Path???

Kathy

:roll: Just keep your needle in control--no speeding