katier825

Another thought...if you want to stabilize the quilt for FMQ, but do not want the design to include stitch in the ditch, you can machine baste it with water soluble thread. Once you are done with the quilt, the basting will come out in the wash.

Do not be deterred by the cost...a little goes a long way! I've basted several quilts with a small spool of the thread. It's a quick and easy way to securely hold the quilt together. I also spray baste, but this assures me that it will not shift when quilting. Especially important on larger quilts for me because my quilts get handled a lot while I'm working on them. I don't have a "sewing room" and have to move my stuff out of the dining room constantly.

http://www.redrockthreads.com/misc-t...ble-thread.asp

vivientan

I'm new to machine quilting, and for a start tried out SID. As many have mentioned, it's not easy to follow the ditch. What I did was to buy a ditch footer for my Janome which made things easier. Doing SID around your blocks do a great job in stabilizing your quilts.

COTOCOTI

Thanks everyone, I think I am going to try the echo first and then do all my unique designs. I was pretty worried about movement even with all the pins because at my house, two crazy kids I worry I would have to get up and the quilt would shift.

LivelyLady

I always STD first and then I can take out all my pins and FMQ designs. It makes it so much easier for me without extra weight of pins and having to stop to take them out.

Jingle

I don't do SITD, impossible for me to stay in the ditch, ends up looking sloppy. I stitch about 1/4" away from the seamline. Usually I do FMQ, it is my favorite, just do a large stipple or meandering.