Should I ditch the stitch-in-the-ditch?
03-26-2013, 03:01 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Queen of California Baby
Posts: 509
Do you stitch in the ditch around square or rectangular blocks when you start quilting? I always thought this was good for "anchoring" the quilt down before doing other stitching like FMQ. But now as I look at my latest quilt, it seems like overkill so after I am done with all the FMQ I have decided to pull all of these early stitches by hand (yes a very tedious process) because they seem to make the quilt look worse otherwise.Should i reconsider my strategy or ditch the stitch in the ditch?
03-26-2013, 03:21 PM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Mid Michigan
Posts: 1,015
Using Water Soluble Thread
Question: If I were to baste a quilt with water soluble thread every 6-8 inches in each direction, would I then be able to do machine quilting from edge to edge rather than from center to edge? Please say yes!
I really dislike having to bury all those threads in my quilts. I'm already anxious to hear from you.
Marilynsue
I really dislike having to bury all those threads in my quilts. I'm already anxious to hear from you.
Marilynsue
03-26-2013, 04:12 PM
#13
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 10,703
This is certainly a personal decision. I have always SID on sashing and blocks when I feel the quilt needs it.
I find that seams stay straight and sashing doesn't wobble and get crooked looking if I SID first. Sometimes it isn't needed though. For me it depends on the quilt.
peace
I find that seams stay straight and sashing doesn't wobble and get crooked looking if I SID first. Sometimes it isn't needed though. For me it depends on the quilt.
peace
03-27-2013, 07:42 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: North Fork Ca
Posts: 8,234
If you are going to remove the stitces later, I would hand baste to anchor the block, then just pull the threads out. Otherwise you have to remember that you SITD is going to show as part of your quilting. Its really a matter of choice
03-27-2013, 08:23 AM
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chapel Hill
Posts: 1,086
A recent quilt I finished featured a lot of diagonal lines. I did not want the verticals and horizontals in the final pattern, but knew that I needed to stabilize the quilt prior to the diagonal lines in hopes of keeping it somewhat square. Water soluble thread was definitely helpful for that - allowing me to stitch near the ditch first, and then I could focus on the other long seams without issue. Same for the smaller in-block designs.
Cheers, K
Cheers, K
03-27-2013, 03:06 PM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Posts: 1,653
I too took Cindy's class and will do ESS from now on. It really does make a difference in holding everything in place.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
AngelinaMaria
Main
26
12-06-2012 12:02 PM
