Quilting...stitch in the ditch...which way for seams?
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
September 5, 2011 10:48am CST
I am doing a machine quilted quilt.
When dealing with the seams of the blocks, they are 1/4" seams...it is common to press them to the darker side of the the block. However, you can press them open if together, they bulk to much. And then with machine quilting, you can "stitch in the ditch" to the quilting on the top.
But...when you turn the quilt over to do the machine stitching quilting...and if the seams are pressed open, you are stitching only over the threads that hold the blocks together...hardly any fabric. But if you press the seams to one site...then again when you "stitch in the ditch"...you are only stitching over the threads that sewed the blocks together and have more bulk on the side the seams were pressed to.
So...what is the best way to fold seams and still "stitch in the ditch"?
I know the weight of fabric is an issue. Just plain cotton is not that thick and probably won't matter, but I am using a thin flannel backing, thin layer of batting and the front is T-shirt fronts appliqued on to cotton that has iron on interfacting on the back of it for stability when appliquing down the double knit of the t-shirt. The middle attaching blocks are a thin flannel.
I am also doing the "quilt as you go" because I just have a regular sewing machine, and I can't finish to size and then go back and quilt..my machine opening won't take that much fabric.
So what say you....."stitch in the ditch"...with seams pressed open or pressed to one side? I know I can always do the quilting 1/8 or so to the side of the actual stitch, and press seams open or closed, but still... if open, then I have stitched one side and not the other, and if closed...do I stitch on the side without the seams or the side with the seams pressed to?
Thanks for your help!
1 person likes this
1 response
@JoyfulOne (6231)
• United States
7 Sep 11
Don't know if this will help or not. When I stitch in the ditch, I press the seamed fabric towards the center of the project. The part of the pressed seam that will be on the underside I trim just a little bit (so it's not so thick under there.) My Mom used to say when trimming the other layers, to stagger them in how short you make them so that the machine can still grab it. (Also, if you look in your machine book, it might tell you to lower the feed dog to accept thicker amounts of fabric.) It does make sense too that if it's meeting up with a lighter colored fabric (where it'd show through) to press it in the opposite direction. I think the pressing all to one side works better than pressing the seams so that they're open to either side of the seam line. When pressing them all to one side and then sewing, you are (in my opinion) making a much stronger seam that will last a long time. When doing it with the seams pressed to either side of the seam you sewed, you won't be catching that additional fabric on the underside. Geez, I really hope I'm explaining this so it's understandable lol. I can picture what I'm meaning, but getting it into words...
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6231)
• United States
7 Sep 11
Forgot to add: I would stitch to one side and that would be the side that got that got the stitching (if I was doing the stitch 1/8" to the side of the seam-line.)
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
8 Sep 11
Joyfulone...Thanks so much. Yes, I understand what you say. I have heard that pressing to one side and then stitching on that side is the usual way for quilters, but I just couldn't get all that bulk issue! I had forgotten about staggering the seams... I do that with interfacing when I have three layers of fabric when doing a dress or something...should have thought of that for quilt blocks!
I thought to about pressing open and hten stitching in the ditch....and all you are stitching to is the thread and no fabric at least on the top and that didn't sound very structurally wise.
But what I didn't know, and thanks alot...about lowering the feed dog to accept thickers amounts of fabric.. I didn't know that and will check my manual to learn about that. THat might be the answer to my problem of sewing much thickness and it puckering and looking so thick when done. Will let you know how it works! Thanks!
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
26 Dec 11
JoyfulOne...Have you ever used Fat quarters, jelly rolls or charm paks for quilting squares? Any thoughts or advice on using them? I don't post in this category anymore as I dont' get many responses...but have one going in "crafts"...but you seem to have the low-down on the seams part of the quilt. I finished the t-shirt quilt I was working on and it turned out great...now I am starting one with the squares and want as much input as I can get before starting it. I just got the fabric and now have to cut the squares...which are then cut down into triangles with a diagonal cut.
I bought the yardage, but was wondering about the other options. Fabric is so expensive, but looking at these other options...they are even more expensive! For instance, a fat quarter that is 18x22 is the same size as one side of a half yard cut from the bolt...and will give 20, 4" squares...and they are around $4 a quarter! THat's $8 a half yard! So I am just asking for your experience and advise...I bought the yardage and will be cutting the squares myself this time, do you have any tips on cutting the squares evenly and all? I have templates and rotary cutter. I watch Quilt in a Day and she just rolls them out and they always are perfect..then when I do it, no matter how hard I try ... they don't come out even! Thanks for anything you can offer!
