SITD - do you get puckers?

[coffeebreak]

Yes I have had that happen. I think in your case...start in the middle and work your way to the borders. That allows for you to easy the fabric and the backing flat as opposed to always pushing it one way and that making it off and causing puckers. I also learned that the long stitch does help...it gives the fabric more "room" to wiggle around in for a proper fitting. I don't use the walking foot, although it is just cause I haven'tdone STID in a bit... but my machine came with a STID foot...it has a little prong inthe front that you line up with the ditch..keep that prong in the ditch and the needle follows. It works really well so that is what I have been doing. And or course..practice. I just finished STID a quilt and the way I layed the layers and section by section smoothed it all out... not a single pucker on the back...and the puckers on the front were cause I am not proficient yet...and because of a few seams I didn't have matched in the first place and it looks like a pucker.

[DCM]

I would definitely start in the middle and work your way out. If you start on the border and then move inward if the fabric stretches a bit on the back it has no where to go and will pucker. I have also had problems with puckers occasionally if I either stretched the back fabric too much when taping it down to make my quilt sandwich, or if I haven't smoothed it out enough. Good luck!

[Jean Sewing Machine]

When I start in the middle I have very little puckering, maybe a little 1/8" Fold at the end of a queen quilt once i go around the whole border once I've quilted the middle. When I do the border first,I end up with a mess. Walking foot/Accufeed foot helps immensely. I only pin, no spray for me, it has made things work out so much better for me.

[auntiemern]

No matter what I do I always start in the middle. I have only FMQ one, but still started in the middle. I was just always told to start in the middle to avoid those kind of problems, cuz if t isn't already sewn gooing outward you can adjust it.

[JessicaP]

I always start in the middle, my mentor made sure that I knew that and repeated it constantly. Good luck with yours.

[KatiesQuiltingCorner]

What basting spray did you use? Sulky spray dissipates after a short time. Some other sprays also lose their binding properties when exposed to air and they work more as a temporary adhesive.

I haven't had good luck spray basting anything larger than a wallhanging. Pin basting or thread basting really eliminates the puckers. Combining that with a good walking foot, flat surface area and starting out in the middle of the quilt usually you can avoid puckers.

[lilmouse]

when I stitch my borders...no matter what stitch I am using I go up one side and move over and down the other....turn and repeat...reduces the puckering alot....as well as using a walking foot...won't do it any other way...ask how I know!

[Jean Sewing Machine]

I just did that exact style quilt tonight. I started in the middle, worked outward, did the borders last, no puckers. I knew I would have trouble with my perimeter, because it was wavy to begin with. This was a quick practice project, so I didn't rip, i can live with it as it is. Used a waLking foot and pins, I swear by pins.

[rebeccas-sewing]

Starting in the middle is really important. Besides helping you avoid puckers, you never have the whole quilt inside the harp of the machine at the same time.

[HelenL]

I have puckers in an area that started when I spray basted my double. Its my first quilt and am disappointed that it did that, It was already wrinkled after I sprayed it but hoped that the quilting would take care of it. I am using a walking foot, but stitches are too small, so I have read here. I was at the local quilt show this past weekend and someone indicated that the more its quilted, the flatter it will lie, so maybe it won't show so much. I am going to swallow my pride and bring it in to the guild mtg for advise.