Stitching in the Ditch with BERNINA Q 24 Longarm

I love how a quilt looks so crisp and clean when it is stitched in the ditch (SID). Now, granted, not all quilts need to be stitched in the ditch but custom quilts sure look amazing when they are.

A few tips for Stitching in the Ditch

Do not use a ruler that is really long, you won’t have good control over it especially if you try and use the full length.

Chose a thread that will blend. I love Aurifil’s monopoly thread. It blends right in!

There is a high side and a low side to the ditch, depending on the side that seam is pressed to. You will want to stitch on the low side. This is a good reason to make sure you press your tops well. See the video below on what to do when your seam flips.

If possible, hold your ruler on the high side for the ditch… this way if you bobble a bit, it will be on the low side and won’t be as noticeable as the if you did on the high side.

If your finger tips are turning white while holding the ruler, you are pressing too hard and your hand will fatigue quickly. So loosen the grip a bit.

Ruler work is never fast but it is so worth it! Give it a try but start simple.