Quilting In The DitchQuilting in the ditch is simple and fast and provides dimension to the quilt. It also enhances the main patchwork design in a block. You do not have to quilt every seam in the design. Only the ones you want to enhance. Quilting in the ditch means that you are quilting right next to the seam line, or as close to the seam without stitching in the seam line on the side of the seam with the fewest fabric layers. If your quilt top design is complicated, too much quilting can actually interfere with the design. In the ditch quilting can work very well in this situation. Stitching in the ditch is great for enhancing the main patchwork design in a block. The Ohio Star is a good example.
If you gently spread the fabric away from the seam as you stitch, your stitches will be hidden when the fabric relaxes. If the seam allowances of the adjacent blocks are pressed in opposite directions the line of the stitching will move from one side of the seam to the other.
If the seams are pressed open to eliminate bulk, you do not want to do any in the ditch stitching because the quilting stitches will pierce and weaken the pieced stitches. If you plan to do free motion quilting in any sections of the quilt, you may first want to stabilize the quilt by stitching in the ditch along major seam lines. This stabilizing prevents any major shifting of the batting and fabric as you are free motion quilting. You can also use any combination of many different styles of quilting. You may want to do your quilting in the ditch and combine this with a background grid quilting. Go to Basic Quilting Instructions from Quilting In The Ditch
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