Isn't this a wow idea?

[cindyg]

With no tone of voice it is difficult sometimes. I'm never mean or ugly to folks on purpose and 99% of the time I'm in a good mood but when I go back and read my posts, they seem flat and stilted. I wish we had happy face icons. Oh...I think I'll go tell Andy.

[Pilot2b]

Sewbug...excuse my ignorance about the twin needle. I will have to see if my machine takes a twin needle. What a great idea!

[desertquilter]

I have often wondered if the stress of quilting directly in the seam might damage the seam stitches. Just a thought.

[Cathy32078]

Desertquilter I have wondered that same thing. I have never stitched in the ditch for fear of that. Hope we can get an answer.

[Leetec]

Hi ladies,
I stitch in the ditch most of the quilts I quilt myself. Doing complicated quilting is too hard on my hands, esp the biger quilts. Anyway, I've done this for years with dozens of quilts and I've never had a problem with the seams tearing. Even after several years of hard use. The only times I've had problems with quilts tearing where they've been quilted is when I've used the invisable thread. I'll never use that stuff on a quilt I'm doing again.

You're all right, we do need simily icons on here. It's hard to know sometimes if your written word is being inturparted (sp, sorry) in the way you intended without expressions.

[Quiltcreator]

If those of you that are worried that sewing directly in the seam will damage the seam stitches will think about this: Those are threads in there; your fabric is made up of all those threads woven together. Sewing on your fabric doesn't damage it. Why would sewing over other thread damage the thread? And you sew across other lines of stitching all the time when sewing pieces together, right? I don't think that would be an issue.

[sewbug]

Thanks Cindyg for posting what you found online. I learned something about sitching in the ditch. I guess every quilt instructor has a different way of teaching it. The twin needle does do a great job of having a straight line and if I do wobble, it sure is easier to rip out the stitches outside the seam line then right on top of the other stitches. I think I'll put SF for smiley face here! SF SF SF

[zfatcat]

Quiltcreator the queen says you're the master, so I'll take your word for it. I've only been quilting for about 6 years self taught, so any advise is good.

[Cathy32078]

Quiltcreator you have some valid points on this topic. Have not thought about it that way. Thanks. Cleared my fuzzy thinking. lol

[Quiltcreator]

Whoa - the Queen says I'm the master? I feel very honored! I don't know if you can call me a master, but I do lots of reading & studying. I like to learn about all kinds of different ways to do a process (like half square triangles, for instance) and then find the one that works the best for me. I always show my classes how I do it but make sure I tell them there are other ways, too, and mine isn't necessarily the best. I got a new book on paper piecing recently and was amazed to find out all the different ways you can do it! And I thought there was only one. Thanks, GP, for the ego boost!