Any trick for a great SITD quilt?

[quiltingterry]

Hi - newbie here and I would like to do SITD on my first quilt. I have already ripped two rows trying to do it without the compuquilter DAH!!! I have since looked in the book and is the "outline page" the best way to do it? Would I start from the middle and work backwards? What should my speed be? It is a flannel backing.......Stitch length?? Sorry for all the questions - just want to get it right....Thanks Terry

[juliagraves]

Do you have a channel lock? That's the easiest thing to use. - it will keep your lines very straight, but you can adjust it slightly as you're going along.

Make sure you remember to turn one on and turn the other off when you change directions (you can lock vertically and horizontally)! If you find your machine very sluggish, check to make sure you've turned off what you've wanted off. I've often thought I turned one off and the other on, but it would turn out I had them both on - very confusing for the machine and it doesn't want to do anything....

Use 10 stitches per inch.

Consider using monofilament thread in case you get off a little - it won't show as much.

Start at the side you've loaded (top or side - most people use side so you don't have to advance as often). If you're floating the top, put your stabilizing stitch line down to keep the top in place. Use your channel lock on this. I start in the center and go towards each side.

Then just work your way down the quilt. Don't forget to baste your sides. You can do this for what's exposed and do the remaining quilting on what's exposed, or do the whole quilt and then rewind it back onto the backing roller, and not use the top roller, and do your other quilting (if you have additional quilting you're going to do).

Think about a pattern that won't require a lot of stops and starts. A good one is like the edge of a castle - across, up, across, down, across, up, across, down.

Press your seams very well, trying to have them all to one side. Stitch towards the side without the seam allowance.

Others may have good ideas as well, but this works for me.

Good luck!

Julia Graves

[lizziesgirl]

I just purchased the neatest tool, called "Itty Bitty" by Off the Edge Quilting Supplies. I use to dread doing SITD but with that it isn't to bad.

[ramona-quilter]

I don't have the CQ. As difficult as SID is, there is nothing

that can replace the crisp look that outlining gives. It is

difficult for several reasons, some of which are out of our control:

--If the quilt is not square or was not pieced well, then your

SID will start to drop or raise as it travels across the quilt top.

You also get that if your canvas is stretched or you pinned

the top even a little bit higher in places. The SID just wanders off the line.

-- Pressing the seams. You can be going along with a perfect

SID and hit an area of the quilt where the seams were not

pressed or were pressed to the wrong side. It's like hitting

a pot-hole. If the thread is similar in color, a small pot-hole

is OK. But a light or dark thread on the opposite color fabric

seems to come with a neon sign "Look at this mistake!"

There's a ruler called Larry's Liner that surrounds your

hopping foot that I have heard a lot about. Of course, you

have to use your expanded base like with any ruler. I hear

that this ruler works well even with diagonal lines.

I applaud your courage for wanting to put SID in your first quilt. It took me months to do SID on my LA. Go for it.:cool:

[quiltingterry]

Thanks for the suggestions - I really want to bop myself in the head for starting this. I guess I'm doing it the long way - by outlining each line and then quilting it...........will let you know how it comes out.............Thanks again, Terry

[Lisa Thiesssen]

The best thing I can recommend is lots and lots of practice and an extended base. Oh, and a short straight ruler about 8"long. If you have a new machine it will be much easier. I had an old style foot with snap on adapter and have only been able to do really good SID since I upgraded to the new foot.

[pfrost]

Lisa, what kind of "old style foot" are you talking about? I have a 2001 Mille & am having great difficulty in working the foot around templates, especially on the backside of the foot. It almost seems that the foot isn't deep enough on the back side to not ride up onto the templates. Then you mention a "new" foot. Could you post a photo of the "new" foot? Thanks.

Pat

AZ:cool:

Mille