Tips for Stitching in the Ditch and Walking Foot Quilting
I have a lot of tips for you today on walking foot quilting and stitching in the ditch. Ditching may not be loads of fun, but it’s an important quilting skill to build. Learn how I get started walking foot quilting and stitch in the ditch in this video:
Click Here to find the pattern for the Crown of Scraps Quilt Block. Remember my tutorials and videos will remain online indefinitely so you can begin any time! The best part about this quilt along is you can make a sampler quilt exactly the size you need. Choose from crib, throw, twin, queen, or king!
Walking Foot Quilting Tips
One thing to remember about walking foot quilting – you use the feed dogs on your machine! This means you shouldn’t cover them up or drop your feed dogs when quilting with this style. I set my stitch length to 1.5 mm because I like small quilting stitches. Feel free to adjust this setting as needed to make the perfect stitch for you!
I’m using the new Grid Glider to help my quilt blocks slide over the machine bed. This polyester sheet sticks to your table and has a big opening around the needle plate. You can leave the Grid Glider in place for walking foot quilting, piecing, applique, free motion quilting, and ruler foot quilting!
Stitching in the Ditch Tips
The biggest key when stitching in the ditch is to S. L. O. W. D. O. W. N! You have got to slow down the speed you’re quilting so you have more control over where you’re stitching. I used the speed slider on my Eversewn Sparrow 20 to slow the speed down dramatically. The result is better looking stitches exactly in the ditch!
The purpose of stitching in the ditch is to outline your patchwork shapes and secure the quilt. The only downside to stitching in the ditch is you can’t see it. However, ditching is a terrific choice if you just can’t figure out a good quilting design AND there aren’t that many seams in your quilt to stitch.
That’s it for this quilting our Crown of Scraps block with straight lines. I have another idea for quilting this block that I’ll tackle on my longarm next week.
Let’s go quilt,
Leah Day
More Videos for the Crown of Scraps Block
How to Piece the Crown of Scraps Block
Thank you
Great video
Thank you!
What was the name of video where I can learn more basic stitching in the ditch etc, totally beginner quilter using walking foot etc
Leah has several of those! Here’s one of her best with the most basic on stitching in the ditch with the walking foot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rpUXIhBYUA
And here’s a link with search results for more beginner stitching in the ditch: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=leah+day+beginner+stitch+in+ditch+walking+foot