Question for hand quilters
#1
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stanley NC
Posts: 981
Question for hand quilters
There has been a lot of discussion here about pressing seams open or toward the side. My only problem with pressing to the side is the bulk when I try to stitch in the ditch. Have any of you pressed the seam open and then stitched. With the batting being flat (I use Hobbs 80/20, it seems that the material would adhere to the batting more easily than using a poly batting with a loft. Any ideas?
#2
Do whatever you want. I don't do stitch in the ditch because i don't like stitching thru all those seams and i think it's harder to get a good looking straight line. I come away from the seam anywhere from a smidge to a 1/4". I am currently working on a disappearing 9-patch and opened those seams when i pressed to maintain the accuracy. (That and the fabrics are all darker, so you don't see the seams)
I know when i use whites/creams, i always press the seams to the darker side i don't see the seam fabric.
I know when i use whites/creams, i always press the seams to the darker side i don't see the seam fabric.
#4
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Location: Stanley NC
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If I'm STID, I would be stitching through the pressed to the side fabric and and the batting or am I wrong?
#5
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
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When I hand quilt I never STID. I want all my work to show. So I will echo the seam stitching 1/4" away from the seam on both sides. Because I am 1/4" away if I maintainted my 1/4" seam allowance I am not quilting through extra layers of fabric. Some people don't like to do this echo quilt due to it kind of raising up the area where the seam is a bit between the two lines of quilting. Personally, I like that look, it reminds me of the antique quilts I have seen when the practice was very common because it reinforced hand peicing.
Last edited by feline fanatic; 06-28-2012 at 04:49 AM.
#6
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stanley NC
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I looked at my grandmother's quilts and her stitches were maybe l/8 inch from seam. I guess this is my version of STID. If I stitch 1/8 inch from seam I would be stitching through fabric and batting. Would that work?
#7
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: IN
Posts: 1,153
I never SITD when I hand quilt either, but I have stitched 1/4"away. If you are pressing your seams open, I, personally, wouldn't stitch on the seam line (the "ditch"). Handquilting is a very individual process. Every handquilter has their own preferences and techniques. It's all up to the individual.
#8
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
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I'm a hand quilter and press my seams open all the time. Just like the accuracy and flatness I get to my quilt top. I have done SITD but even with open pressed seams it's HARD if you quilt in the actual 'ditch'. I use W&N batting all the time. Because I want my quilting to show, I usually do 1/4" away from any seams as well when I do that type of quilting vs. an all-over or design-specific quilting pattern. I've never had issues with SITD with open-pressed seams though.
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