Your order when stitching in the ditch?

[quiltermidwife]

Hi Everyone

 

Hope you had a good Christmas and looking forward to New Year celebrations:)

 

I have a Stitch in the Ditch Question.  When doing this, say on a quilt made up of blocks, do you do all the SID for the entire quilt then go back to fill the blocks or do you do it as you advance the quilt?

 

I have always done it as I advance the quilt.  This can present problems lining up the stop start points.  However lately I have read that some people SID the entire quilt first and I'm wondering the pros and cons of each method.

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[ffq-lar]

I've done both ways and it depends on how large the unquilted areas will be and how many thread color changes I'll have.

 

If the unquilted areas are large, I quilt it all as I go. Unquilted areas, even when they're pin-basted, will crease badly when rolled onto the take-up roller as you advance, especially with puffy batting like wool or poly.

If the unquilted blocks aren't huge, stitching all the SID at once is fine and gives a great structure to the quilt that allows you to give all your attention to the block and sashing quilting and gives a nice flow to the stitching.

 

With multiple thread color changes, it's a toss-up as to which is more efficient. With one technique you spend lots of time changing thread colors. With the other you spend lots of time rolling the quilt back and forth.

[Bonnie H]

Don't you so love those quilts that you can quilt an entire row before advancing?

I dream of them!!!

[Mercedes]

Just wondering, what is considered a large unquilted area - this may mean something different to different quilters.   Thanks!

[quiltermidwife]

Thanks for your responses.

 

Yes, I was thinking the same as Mercedes.  What is considered a large unquilted area.  Also how do others manage the lining up of lines if they SID as they go?

 

Chris

[ffq-lar]

 If your concern is about starts and stops, I stop and secure the line of stitching. Then when I advance and begin again at the same place, I bring up the thread three or four stitches before the end of the last line, take a few securing stitches, and continue the SID. Since it should be in the ditch, the over-stitching won't show.

 

One thing I read years ago is to stagger your starts and stops if you're SID-ing or filling an area with crosshatching. Any build-up of stitches will be more noticeable if they are in a straight line.

[ffq-lar]

Forgot about the other question! I figured any unquilted area longer than my hand in both directions will need some pin-basting or be quilted before it rolls onto the take-up roller. It's not a "rule", just a preference and whatever works for you is great.

[quiltermidwife]

Thanks Linda, that's helpful.

 

Chris