What size stitch should i use for machine quilting

But with machine quilting , every single stitch is obvious. The average machine quilting stitch length chosen is between 10 and 11 stitches per inch. This length complements both delicate designs as well as bolder quilting motifs. However, your stitch length may need to change as you increase both your batting thickness as well as your thread thickness.

Heavy cotton thread will look more pleasing with longer stitches, around per inch. Thick batting will quilt better with longer stitches as well. Heirloom quilting is very dense and compact. For this style of quilting, increase your stitch length to 13 or so to create tiny, dainty stitches.

Choose fine thread to avoid looking frumpy and overworked in your detail quilting. Use a short stitch and it'll look like the stitches are forced into your quilt.

For a monofilament thread, I like a shorter stitch length to help hide the thread. The light has less area to create any shine. In my opinion, the shorter length also makes these stitches more flexible.

When using an even finer thread, I'll reduce the stitch to something less than 2. Normal to long stitches with fine thread look like basting to me and so I adjust my stitch length to satisfy me. Learn to trust your own eye, it's as good as anyone else's. You will know when you like how the quilting looks.

Mock Hand Quilting There is a technique using your sewing machine's walking foot that creates a 'mock' hand quilting stitch. It requires a triple straight stitch not all machines will have this stitch and increased needle tension to create the look. Stitch length is increased a bit. The increased tension on the monofilament literally pulls the cotton bobbin thread to the top in the '3 stitch' portion which is followed by a single monofilament stitch.

For this quilting technique, the walking foot moves forward and back several times to create each stitch. While I believe there is, at most, only minimal damage to the foot for small projects, if you consistently used this machine quilting trick to mimic hand quilting, it is my opinion that this action would wear out your foot faster.

From up close you can tell it's done by machine, but from a ways away it fools the eye. Readers, what do you think? Please use the 'Click here to post comments' link below to add your own helpful suggestions and experiences. Thank you! Piecefully, Julie Baird Editor. Click here to add your own comments. About Privacy. Standard Quilt Sizes Chart. Setting Triangles Chart. See Privacy Policy. Stitch length for quilting by: Di from Down Under Thank you so much, having my first go at quilting a rainbow bargello.

Following the line of the pattern I thought would be the easiest. Very grateful for your advice on the stitch length. Have done one row so far and it is just right. Again thank you. From the Editor: Glad to have been of some help! Rock your quilting, Di!!! Piecefully, Julie. If you don't have a little table to use, try the back of a chair. Currently trying to get to grips with machine quilting, so far have stuck to hand quilting which I love but I'm very slow!

A little terrified of machine quilting but I am going to try! From the Editor: Something I learned on the way to building this website and I'm not a techy person , all the little steps stay done. Same way with quilting. Every time you quilt, you get a little better. Think about it. In the moment you might not be able to see the improvement.

But over time Thank you for writing. Piecefully, Julie Baird. Stitch length by: Anonymous Using my walking foot I choose a 3. However, when quilting [at the lowest speed] the length of the stitches appears to vary.

I would appreciate any comments as to what is happening with my walking foot. From the Editor: Without seeing it first hand I'm afraid I can't offer much of a diagnosis. Try stitching a bit faster. Does that cure the problem? Remember to let the feed dogs do the work, you are merely the 'guide' when you're quilting with a walking foot. If you would push or pull on the quilt sandwich that could possibly account of the difference in stitch length. Again, without seeing it, I can't offer much more than that advice.

I wish I was more help. Walking foot help! From the Editor: You are very welcome. Thank you for writing to share! Quilting with walking foot by: Julie My Pfaff has a built-in walking foot. The setting of 12, 15 or 20 tells you how many stitches are in one inch.

For example, if you set the machine to 16, it will sew 16 stitches in one inch of the seam. The default stitch length what the machine automatically sets to is usually longer than 2. I recommend that quilters reset it to 2. If you have been using a longer stitch length for piecing, you will see an immediate improvement in your piecing.

Changing the stitch length causes the feed dogs to pull more or less fabric under the machine between each drop of the needle. With a long stitch setting, the feed dogs must feed more fabric under the needle between each stitch. With a shorter stitch setting, the feed dogs pull just a short bit of fabric under the needle between each stitch. How to convert from metric to stitches-per-inch. Comments are welcome on my social channels, which is where all the interaction takes place.

I was looking up ideas for using the little windmill 4 inch blocks I am making from 1.