Sample Stitch in the Ditch Quilting
Today’s Topic: Sample Stitch in the Ditch Quilting
Welcome to Week Nineteen of The Better Machine Quilt-a-long based on my book 25 Days to Better Machine Quilting.
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Good Morning, Quilters!
Yesterday we discussed the when, why and how of stitching in the ditch. It is an important technique to have in your “workbasket” of skills and it is equally important to know when to use the different methods of stitching in the ditch. The BEST way to decide which method is the best method for your quilt is to create samples for close comparison.
This week, make samples of these five techniques:
NOTE–The weight and loft of the batting will effect the outcomes. These samples are stitched on low loft cotton batting where the stitch in the ditch is less obvious than higher loft battings.
Machine Guided Stitch in the Ditch
Free Motion Stitch in the Ditch (not shown here)
Free Motion Stitch Over the Ditch
Decorative Motif without Stitch in the Ditch Quilting First
Stitch in the Ditch Quilting with Decorative Motif Over
Ideas for Samples
Piece Mini Quilts:
To make each mini quilts, Cut 36 squares: 2-1/2 by 2-1/2. Piece them in a 6 x6 checkerboard. Add a 3/4 inch small border (cut size + 1 1/4 inch) and a 2 inch border (cut size 2-1/2 inches. (Page 98 of 25 Days to Better Machine Quilting).
Use leftover or “orphan” blocks from your collection.
Stitch a larger quilt and sample the five methods within the quilt
Label the blocks with the methods!
Evaluation
Which of the methods looks the best?
Do YOU prefer free motion or machine guided stitching in the ditch?
Is it worth the time to stitch “Every Stinking Seam–the Cindy Needham Way” before adding decorative motifs?
For each method, when would YOU consider using it?
Did you try a variety of threads? Which worked best?
What batting loft and fiber did you sample? Would a different batting create a different effect?
Ready for a Little Fun?
Tomorrow–let’s get out of the ditch! We will take a pause from this technical stuff with a little trick or treating!
Friday: stabilization–an important, but somewhat less exciting topic!
Your Straight and Narrow (emphasis on the narrow-as in front to back–not mindset) quilter,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ. For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com. Thank you!
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Machine Guided Stitch in the Ditch
Free Motion Stitch in the Ditch
Free Motion Stitch Over the Ditch
Stitch in the Ditch Quilting with Decorative Motif Over
Decorative Motif without Stitch in the Ditch Quilting First
Woohoo, my books arrived in South Australia today – very excited (bought one for my friend too). Thanks for your inspiration, encouragement and great information. Ann
Re log cabin quilts and the ESS approach – not this little black duck! (Apologies to Daffy Duck). In the log cabin blocks shown above there are 21 pieces of fabric. That is (if I have had enough coffee) 20 seams to ditch PER BLOCK, plus ditching between each row of blocks. In a quilt lay-out of 6 x 5 blocks that is 617 seams to ditch, if one includes the border and binding. If one does machine-guided SID that means turning the quilt 617 times (I think; pass the coffee). Plus the fact that one must reposition the needle and pull up the bottom thread 161 times. I just finished making a Storm at Sea quilt top, and am about halfway through quilting it; it’s a wedding gift for my youngest stepdaughter. I chose to do 5 parallel lines serpentining through the sashing between the 8″ squares, top to bottom and side to side, then I will do curved diamonds inside the 4″ and 2″ squares. I am also ditching HSS (Half the Stinking Seams) on this quilt wherever the parallel lines do not cross a seam. This has achieved a level of boredom I never thought to experience doing quilting. I think I will take a pass on ESS for the majority of my quilts.
Arvilla, your post made me laugh out loud! I’m having my morning coffee and you got my day off to a smiling start.
Who says quilting isn’t funny? Note that I also refer to SID as BID. Still rhymes….
each of us has to pick our own cup’a’tea or cup’a’joe, whatever the case may be-different methods, different mind set
Me too, and I don’t LOL very often! I love the BID, too (assuming I chose the correct word for the “B”).
This is why when my friend asked me to make her sister a quilt in August for her October birthday, I nearly had a nervous breakdown….On does not complete a work of art from first cut to label in 2 and a half months. Needless to say, I told her that since I love her sister, it MIGHT be done for her next birthday. Eating this elephant one bite at a time…on my own terms! Keep chewing Arvilla…you’ll get it done.
I could not agree more. I admire people with the patience and perseverance to SID every stinking seam. Alas, I am not one of them.
I am thinking it is going to really depend on the design and what I want to emphasize, especially how I want the back to look. Doing a modern look or where you want the front piecing to show on the back would push me toward SID (Stitch In the Ditch) focused on block piecing, but not necessarily ESS (Every Stinking Seam). If getting a beautiful design all over the back, it seems like it might be difficult for the design to flow with SID ESS. So many decisions. I’m learning so much with this. Thanks for sharing your process.
The quilt l am working on has 12 16″ appliqued blocks,is a large one.l SID every block,free motion around every bit of applique piece + smaller objects in blocks.My expirierance shows me,the more quilting,the longer the quilt works + lasts.
Thank you for all the good techniques + advice,morals for me!
Hi Lori,
What about ” machine guided stitch OVER the ditch” (versus FMQ over the ditch) by setting a long, narrow wave stitch on your machine and aiming the seam toward the needle as you sew.
L-O-V-E your books and tutorials. Simply the best.
What do you mean by “machine guided”?
Feed dogs engaged with a regular foot. Like normal sewing but in the ditch. I recommend a walking foot.
Yes!!! That’s a great idea too!
That is brilliant! I love that idea! My machine has a lot of decorative stitches; one is of a leafy vine that has “s” curves. I have just the project to use that on!
I tried a simple decorative stitch once. Talk about boring. It takes forever. Much slower than any other stitch in the ditch.
I think because I am not accurate with SID, I can fake it with the walking foot, feed dogs engaged, serpentine/wave stitch.
Talk about boredom – parallel lines on 75% of the surface of a queen size quilt. I saw this on another Storm at Sea and thought it looked good as well as simple. I’d rather chew my toes.
I agree! I don’t think it’s necessary to stitch in every ditch for all quilts. Just another technique…
Smuza83 – your assumption is correct! 😈