gale

It's beautiful! I am strictly a straight-line quilter and I would probably do a diagonal grid on that one. Another option would be to sew right in the middle of each row (and extending it to the opposite blocks) and quilt a grid that way. I don't like stitching in the ditch, personally. I have too much trouble keeping it in the ditch.

gale

Oh and also, I have started using a serpentine stitch and I really love the look.

sewbizgirl

It depends on whether you want to see the stitching or not... STID is a stitch you don't really see (you aren't supposed to, anyway!) so I don't use it much. I'd rather see the quilting stitch and use it to add beauty to the quilt.

You can do curved lines with a walking foot too and lots of neat designs. You don't have to stick to just STID. Check out this website for more ideas with a walking foot:
http://blog.petitdesignco.com/2012/1...-quilting.html

DogHouseMom

If it's straight line quilting you are after ... I would use straight diagonal lines. Use a walking foot to make it easier.

The easiest way would be to use the corners of each rail as a diagonal, you may not even have to mark it. Start in one corner and go clear to the other corner. Then do the same for the opposite corner making a big X in the quilt. Then jump down to the next line of rails and do a straight diagonal line from end to end ... and so on .. working your way from the middle outward. You will then have a bunch of X's in each of the set of rails. I think that would look pretty, it's easy, fairly quick, and I suspect it should be within the recommended quilting distance of your batting (but check first).

Personally I would use a light weight neutral thread. Let the design in the quilt be the star.

pattypurple

That is what I was going to suggest. I almost always use the serpentine stitch when doing lines. Much more forgiving for those of us who can't sew straight

Chooklady

Thank you for your replies.... I am not sure if I asked the right questions though from what you have all said. Should I stitch in the ditch BEFORE I sew my lines as a design.... my bad

Nilla

I would not do both SID and lines as a design. To me, it would look to chaotic on the back since your pieces change directions so frequently. You wouldn't easily see the design because it would be interrupted with SID lines. I'd do one or the other. Well, personally, I'd do just lines because I think that will bring out the piecing nicely. I'm definitely not the expert around here though.

If you feel like you need to anchor the quilt before doing your design, maybe you could just SID straight down and straight across to frame the blocks rather than each piece. That would interrupt your design a bit, but depending on what you do with your straight lines, it might look quite nice.

luana

One of the FMQ classes from Crafty recommends that your SID first on every seam. In fact, she refers to it as "every stinking seam" because it is so much work. The instructor would also agree with QuiltE, and use a finer tread to SID. She used "Bottom Line". Just from my experience, I have gone full circle from pin basting, to spray basting, and now back to pin basting, because I start each quilt by SID. When I get that done, everything stay put. On your quilt I would SID on the major seams across and down. Then I would do diagonals across the whole quilt. It will be beautiful. I love the placement of your colors.

Nilla

On your quilt I would SID on the major seams across and down. Then I would do diagonals across the whole quilt. It will be beautiful./QUOTE]

Believe it or not, that's what I was trying to say only luana said it in a much more coherent way!

Neesie

Okay, I feel I must say this . . . ELMER'S SCHOOL GLUE! I use Elmer's School Glue, for basting. Nothing slips and after the sandwich is quilted and finished, the Elmer's School Glue washes out completely. Type Elmer's School Glue in the Search box. You'll find many explanations, of how it's used.