Cross Hatch Difficulties
 

This was my first quilt which I finished several years ago. My unofficial name for this quilt is “Warts and All”. Even though it is riddled with mistakes and “didn’t knows”, I have an enduring fondness for it.

My question concerns cross hatch quilting, which was my original plan for this quilt. That idea went out the window when I discovered that no matter how many pins I put in it, my top fabric wanted to wiggle out of place. I wound up quilting parallel lines instead of crossed lines, and even the single lines had issues.

On a trial block using cross hatch, the fabric would bunch up where seams crossed, either on the front side or back side. You can see in the photo how I got a lot of ripples from all the pulled-on fabric (I think).

I have read some people use featherweight interfacing to stabilize the background fabric. Have any of you tried this? If so, what type of interfacing did you use?

Thanks for any and all advice!

I glue baste the quilt layers together with Elmer's School glue. Nothing moves. I use this to roll on the glue which I dilute with water just a tad. I press to dry or if you leave it to dry the water evaporation will make the quilt look wrinkly, just steam press it. You can use intefacing but the top will still have to be basted somehow to the batting and backing.If you use fusible interfacing you have a mess in the making, I sure did. Fusible batting works well for smaller size quilts.
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What a great idea! I will definitely try this!

This is the way I sew cross hatching. First, I spray with Spray and Bond basting spray (purple and white can) on both sides between the flimsy, batting and backing. Pin about 8" apart. I use a walking foot and sew diagonal lines far apart first. Then I sew wide lines the opposite diagonal. Then I go back and sew the lines in-between. It helps to control the "creep" of diagonal sewing.

I just have to say, your quilt is absolutely beautiful! I love it!

It's a lovely quilt! I had a slippy quilt and found that starching the back helped keep it taut as I layered and basted. I also sometimes use wash-away thread to do some preliminary quilting in the ditch between blocks to hold everything in place.

I do exactly what Toverly does. I do adjust my stitch length just a wee bit larger. It seems to work for me. I find that if I stop and hand smooth my sandwich frequently, that I don't get the little bunch up at the cross points of my stitching.

This is a first quilt? Seriously?

hugs,
charlotte

"first quilt finished years ago" but it is lovely. So far it looks good to me. hand work moving the quilt along and helping just a tad with fabric on either side of the needle helps too. So far it looks very nice to me, so onward you go!

It looks beautiful! If you ever get tired of it, you could send it too me...but I see that quilt becoming a treasured family heirloom!