Stitch in the Ditch
 

Good Morning All
I just found out there is a foot for stitching in the ditch. I am wondering if they really help< My SID looks like it was done by a child- a very small child!
Any advice?
Thanks Bj

I bought one that is a foot plate for my walking foot. It is supposed to help you stitch in the ditch but I have not used it. Since it is hard to "stitch in the ditch" I like to use a meandering or wavy stitch across the ditch. then if I am not straight it doesn't matter. There will come a time that I will have to use it.

I have both the regular type and the one for the walking foot. LOVE them! One of my favorite feet to use. If you cann afford it get the walking foot type ( if avaiable for your machine) ... its one of the quilting expenses I do not regret.
Just a comment consider using a fancy stitch.. I use the large S or serpentine stitch alot , it never looks like you went off course. T

I too have the regular SITD as well as the one for the Janome AccuFeed/

They are well worth the $, and I love the job they do.

The foot has a little "plough" on it, that sits into the "ditch" and then you just sew along.
Once I have the needle position set so the stitches "are" in the ditch, then it's easy peasy to SITD!

Thanks so much. Wish I had thought about the decorative way to do it before I started this quilt! In the mean time I will save my prnnies I mean dollars to get the SID walking foot.
Well back to it--I have broken two needles so far! But a little over 1/2 done now. (Can you see I am smiling1111)

I have one of these feet, but I don't use it anymore because I'm too much of a perfectionist for SITD. What I am doing instead now is using a "serptentine" stitch, which is basically a wavy stitch to left and right. It goes right over the seam allowance but I no longer have to worry about deviations from the seam (they basically don't show up) plus I can sew faster this way.

I have a STD foot and I really like it and I have never had any problem with my stitching looking nice

Stitch in the Ditch
 

Yes the stitch in the ditch foot is very necessary. I use a Bernina 440 and use this foot all the time for quilting.

I use an open toe foot for sitd . I find that I can see where I'm going much better than using the sitd foot.

I love the SID foot, the little guide sits on the seam, looks good!!!!

I love mine. The little guide pushes the fabric back so the ditch is exposed. I do find I have to trust it to do it's thing - I need to watch the guilde, not the needle. If I start watching the needle, I slip out of the ditch.

I just went around the first border on a quilt with really thick batting and there's not a missed stitch or any tucks on the back. It's a Prayers and Squares quilt so it will be tied. I just wanted to hold it together.

I bought the STID foot for the Janome 7700. I haven't had the need to use it YET. The day I bought the machine the salesman showed it to me and I said not right now. Well...a few weeks later when I went to my instruction class I decided I would buy it. The project that I am working on now is Sun Bonnet Sue...the month of June wallhanging. I will be doing machine applique for the first time...except the test piece I did in the instruction class. The wallhanging has a narrow and then a wide border so when I get to quilting those I will be using the STID foot. I'm anxious to try it now that I hear how great it works.

I bought a Janome STID foot, and I was sure that I was really going to love it. I do like how it works with the guide, but I find I really need the walking foot to quilt smoothly. Do they make a STID walking foot for Janome?

Same here. I was not as accurate with the sitd foot, so I use the serpentine or similar stitch to sitd.

If you have a Janome with the Accufeed system, then yes there is a SITD foot for the Accufeed. I have this and really like it.

On my old machine (non-accufeed) I just used the regular SITD, and quilted without any problems, without the walking foot. However, this was just for smaller items, eg. table runners, mug rugs, wall hangings.

I don't believe there is a SITD for a regular walking foot attachment.

I use a walking foot for SID and never had a problem. Sewing slowly seems to help keep my stitching straight.

Feet are usually brand specific ... you'd be best to ask your dealer what options might be available for you.

Personally I like my walking foot better than the SID foot. I'll try the Serpentine stitch. Sounds good.

What a great idea! I will have to try that next time I do SID as my S is practially never in the D LOL

... or just phone them and ask!
Of course ... it's a good excuse to make it to the store to let some fabric follow you home!! :)

I started using a 'wobbly' stitch that is on the machine when I stitch in the ditch. Some stitches are on one side, some on the other. It looks like it is supposed to look like that, even though I would have preferred a nice straight stitch.

Anita in Northfield, MN

They are ok, but if you go slow and pull the sides apart as they go under the presser foot you can stay on track without one.

Stitch in the ditch with decorative threads make it very pretty on the back side also. This is the only machine quilting I know how to do that I am happy with the outcome.

The serpentine stitch is a type of stitch offered on a lot of the newer sewing machines. It is a wavy stitch, waving from side to side. It is not free-motion quilting, so you leave the feed dogs up. It would probably be classified as a type of decorative stitch.

On my Bernina 1230, the serpentine is stitch #3 on the main panel. It basically does 3 straight stitches towards one side, 2 smaller stitches forward, then 3 straight stitches towards the other side. This creates a wave pattern. Both stitch length and width of the wave are adjustable.

Older vintage machines may not have the serpentine stitch unless perhaps it is offered on a cam.

I don't use a walking foot with this stitch, although it might be possible. I just rummaged in my foot drawer and used a foot that has a zigzag opening but is closed in front. (Tried an open-toed embroidery foot first, but found that top fabric tended to bunch up in it.) This foot has a mark in the middle so I can more or less just aim to keep the seam at that mark. Small variations from the mark really do not matter at all, so I find I can sew quite fast with this stitch. Also, because there are more stitches per inch, this is actually more secure than straight SID.

if you get the foot, it also works well for applying bias binding to garments etc.

Good question.

As I age I lean away from perfection...lol I don't SID very often. I now use the #4 stitch on my Bernina 440 - stitch length 2.50. It lays down a gentle wavy line that reaches over both sides of the seam. I get LOTS of compliments on the look, and I've saved myself the eye strain of TRYING to hit the "ditch" spot on.

bj, what do you think is causing the needle to break?

I did not know this, thanks for all the tips and suggestions, i will have to try.

I don't have the option of decorative stitches, so the SITD foot has been very helpful. Much easier for me than pulling the fabric back by hand as I try to stay in the ditch.

Oh how I know what you mean ... or other "operator errors"!!!! :)

I'd never used the regular SID foot either until recently, I used to drive myself insane trying to, as you said, have it not look like a 2yr old had sewn it. When I got my new machine a few months ago it came with a free quilting kit including the SID foot, what a difference it makes, I love it, makes life so much easier and a whole lot quicker.

Could someone post a photo of this special Stitch in the ditch foot? Maybe I have one and don't know it...hahaha

Google works!!! ...... the black "plough" is like the edger you get on a 1/4" foot, except this one puts it in the centre to run in the seam line so you can SITD!

Keep in mind that every plough may look slightly different, but this will give you the general idea of what to look for!
http://www.april1930s.com/assets/ima...he-Ditch02.gif

Copied from http://www.april1930s.com/html/stitc...ttachment.html

I use invisible thread on top for my SID and coordinating thread on the bottom. You can not see the top SID and the thread on the bottom add interesting pattern to the backing. Also I have been using my REGULAR sewing machine foot. Not the walking foot. Either I am gtetting really good or am lucky but I have less puckering with the regular foot and it seems to sew faster. Maybe it is the batting I use which is Hobbs 80/20. This is a thinner batting so maybe that is why it it easier with this foot. Also I use 505 spray basting which holds the sandwich really good so fabric does not mover. It also lets you smooth the pieces out very nice. Good Luck!!!!!l

I love, love, love mine. It is a wonderful took I wouldn't be without. Well worth the money is right!!!!!