asimplelife

I don't back stitch as I'm a chain piecer. I use a shorter stitch length (2.0) and that works for me. Now that I am doing more machine quilting, I'm going to start back stitching any seam that will touch the edge of the quilt. A lot of my Project Linus quilts don't have borders and I've had to fix a few of the seams between blocks before sandwiching. I'd hate for one to come apart after donating it!

Jingle

I very seldom back stitch, except at the miter corners on binding and when I overlap the end of binding. I use a smaller stitch and seams never come apart.

Sunnie

I do the same, especially on the binding corners before turning. Before I shortened my stitch length I did have loose endings, but it was solved with the shorter stitches.

QuiltingByCourtney

Thanks so much everyone, it seams like its a 50-50 on who back stitches and who doesn't ok, now I will have to decide which one to do since both ways seem to work Thanks again everyone it makes me feel better either way I do it will be ok so long as I watch to make sure each seam line is crossed so there will no be any unraveling

Deborahlees

I back stitch a lot, anything that is going to be handled......because they always seems to start to unravel as soon as I touch them. I especially do the seams in my borders, sashing and bindings, yes I know they will be intersected by other stitching.....but I am so old school....and would rather be safe than sorry....and with todays machines it only takes a second to push the button and go back a couple stitches...

feline fanatic

ditto what Candace said. I never backstitch except maybe the very outer border and that is only to reinforce it for putting it on the rack. Sometimes I remember to do it, more often I don't. I don't have a problem with seams unraveling ever.

batikmystique

When chain piecing, I don't backstitch. For other instances, especially if the intersection involves lots of pieces (as in the center of a design with more than 4 pieces intersecting), I don't necessarily backstitch the traditional way on the seam but I take a few stitches backwards into the seam allowance to help secure the thread. It seems to help cut down on the bulk that way on the seam lines.

icon17

I never Back stitch when piecing But I do leave a Small Tail of about 1/8 in !! If I can't leave this little Tail I take care to NOT pull at the Seams. Thats all I do.

Jan in VA

To my way of thinking, even there on the border a back stitch isn't needed as the binding will be applied to create a cross stitch.

But because many of my quilts are handled, used in workshops, stored and refolded, while they are still just tops, I usually run a line of smaller stitches all the way around the perimeter of the completed top about 1/8" in.

Jan in VA

snipforfun

It depends on the thread. Cotton will not unravel, poly will. I use poly 99% of the time and I leave about 1/4" at the end of a seam. I dont think it matters if it unravels once the quilt is finished but I dont want it unraveling while Im still working on the quilt. Leaving the 1/4" insures that it wont unravel beyond at least until Im finished piecing. Also when Im finished piecing I sew all the way around the edge with about 1/8". This keeps outside edges from popping during the quilting process.