How do they machine quilt those tiny spaces?

[Kathryn S.]

When I look at applique quilts, I see that some have heavily quilted backgrounds. They have quilting lines even in the tiniest of places. It looks like the quilting pattern just continues under the applique. I can see how it would be easy to stipple in those tiny spaces, but when the background is a stitched pattern, it seems impossible to me. If the quilting stitches are done after the applique is done, it seem that there'd be a lot of jump stitches or reverse stitching over previous lines. If the quilting is done before the applique, it seems that it'd be hard to stitch the applique on top of what has already been quilted. When there are spaces that are a quarter of an inch or so, and the stitching is part of the background pattern, how do they do that on a machine?

[Renata L.]

I don't know how to do that either and would be very interested in knowing. All I can figure is to lay down painter's tape as a guide and then bury a lot of knots! On the other hand, I would not be adverse to "eye-balling where the line should go and free motion quilting it while stitching-in-the-ditch the appliques. That said, I would love to know how those who have done a lot of it and beautifully, do it, especially on a domestic sewing machine. Good question, pennyhal!