stitch in the ditch

[maddie]

when I start to stitch in the ditch I reach a point where the block starts to bunch up. What am I doing wrong? I am brand new at quilting and have only been able to learn by watching You Tube. Thanks for you help in advance.
maddie

[janbee]

Are you using a walking foot? What stitch length are you using? Be sure that your block is not hanging on the side of the sewing machine or sewing surface.

[Marebear]

Welcome to the forum maddie!

Yep, you need a walking foot - that should solve most of the bunching up. Also use your hands to smooth the area you will be quilting.
Good luck!

[Susann]

I agree on the walking foot and stitch length-what little bit I know. I just wanted to say "Hi!" and welcome to the board

[maddie]

Thank you all for your help. I will try them all. I am an ex-pat living in the country of Panama. The woman who is a quilter turned me on to quilting which I love, but she moved back to the US before I reached this point. There is a guild in the town called Volcan, which is in the mountains of Panama and about an hour and a half from where I live , which is much hotter. I will try to get to the quilt soon, where I can learn more. Until then I am sure your will have more questions from me. Thanks again.
Maddie

[Midge]

Hello Maddie and welcome to the forum. I'm a novice quilter who experienced the same problem using a SITD foot. Before I bought a walking foot, which definitely solved the problem, I did a couple things to try to overcome the problem. First, I trained myself to keep my eyes focused in front of the foot as I smoothed and LIFTED the quilt sandwich. As others have mentioned, the weight of the quilt if it's in your lap is contributing to your problem. It must move freely. Third, I wore my kevlar gloves that I use when I slice vegetables with my mandoline. They have a grippy surface, and they provide just enough pressure to keep the fabric in motion at the correct speed. Fourth, slow down. You have to train yourself to coordinate all these concerns/movements. I hope this helps!

Edit: BTW the Machinger's gloves are a lot cooler in hot weather and far cheaper to purchase! I just used what I had at hand at first.

[kmerfeld]

My first thought was also if you are using a walking foot.

[Angelia]

Lessening the pressure of your presser foot can sometimes help.

[sassygranny]

Walking foot, for sure! Another trick I used before I had a walking foot was to pull on the seam from both directions, stretching it a bit, and sewing it while stretched. That eliminates uneven feeding, but it requires a steady hand.

[JCY]

In addition to using a walking foot, it helps to use the Machingers (the quilting gloves) to steady the quilt sandwich. JCY