QuiltingByCourtney

Hi,
Can I have some opinions on back stitching? For example if I am piecing a pinwheel block, I see all these videos where people do not back stitch on the ends...will this unravel after washing and wear and tear? Or am I just crazy for thinking I should back stitch on each end of each piece? Maybe I am making wayyy too much work for myself...please help to ease my mind and tell me that not back stitching will hold for years so long as you cross over the thread from your other seam allowance...Thanks

Tropical

I backstitch both ends of every seam no matter what I am sewing. I find that easier than trying to work with seams that come apart at the ends when I am trying to join them together. It only takes a second to do and I don't have to worry about it later. Whatever you decide, enjoy your quilting.

Bataplai

When I first started quilting I didn't backstitch my seams since they would all be intersecting another at some point, but then I noticed they would start to unravel at the ends (like Tropical mentioned) as I worked with them. Now I backstitch every seam to prevent that, and to keep in the habit of doing it when I make non-quilted stuff.

Scissor Queen

The only place I ever back stitch is the last seams on the outer border. Everything else is crossed by another line of stitching plus I strip piece and chain piece and you don't back stitch when you do that. If you leave just a teeny bit of the chain between pieces it won't come apart.

auntpiggylpn

I don't back stitch when I am piecing. Don't know if this is right or wrong but I haven't had any issues with the seams coming apart when piecing the pieces together. My thinking is that there is always an interconnecting seam when blocks are pieced together so there isn't any need for it.

Veronica

I do the same thing, plus it's easy to rip out when needed.
Not that you would ever need to rip out any stitches. lol

Tartan

I don't back stitch inside a pieced block but I do back stitch on the last outer pieces. Sometimes my blocks lay around for a while before I put them into a top. The edges backstitched keeps them from unravelling before I can sash them.

Candace

Backstitching only creates bulk and is no needed. If the stitching is coming undone the stitch length is probably too long. Quilting will secure the seams. I've NEVER backstitched and my quilts are washed frequently and used.

knlsmith

I also do the same. ↓

misskira

I don't back stitch while quilting at all.