Excellent, easy to follow video explaining the importance of finding the "sweet spot 1/4 inch" on your own machine. And the explanation of the fold and thread issue is excellent. Thank you!
I was a log cabin block(s) and i discovered a scant" 1/4 " measure than i realize when I sewed the logs together, made such a difference in exact seams
Dont know if you guys cares but if you are stoned like me during the covid times then you can stream all of the latest movies and series on InstaFlixxer. I've been watching with my brother for the last months xD
My machine will allow you to move the needle as you suggest, but every time the machine is powered off, then turned back on next time I sew, it resets all the stitch width, needle position and such adjustments to default. I am afraid I would forget to rest that needle position and sew a whole day worth of quilting without the scant and REALLY mess things up royally.... i think putting tape at the right place would be much easier
Jayne Kucewicz Keep a pad of post-a-notes. You can set the top of the pad 1/4" (or tiny bit less for scant) from the needle. Take the back off the notes so they will stick to your machine bed. Now you have a ridge to sew against that wont move. The real note (no generics!) pad wont gum up your machine, is easy to remove for cleaning, and requires no brain work. You are right about forgetting to reset. I screwed up the top stitching on a gorgeous vogue suit using fabric from the ralph lauren studio. It was a new machine, but still . . . Good luck to you!
Have you discovered there are magnetic gauges you can place on the machine bed. Or Mark with a sharpie ? I have a dead iPad mini cover with magnets in. I stripped the innards out and now have a plastic strip with several magnets along its length that I can place where I like as a guide, and it will give me a slight step to nudge up to. I can build up the thickness if necessary. Sorted!
I hate to sound dense, but why does the SCANT matter? If all the seams are the same size, won't the block still go together....just a tad smaller? I bought a 1/4" foot and it does not give the SCANT, nor does it allow me to shift my needle. I really dislike the tape idea because that tape has to be moved every time I clean the machine; in your case, with every bobbin change, I assume. HELP!
Pamela and Janet: Seam allowance width will not matter if your quilt pattern uses only square or rectangle components in the patchwork ... the important thing in that case is to be consistent throughout the entire construction. Where the "scant quarter inch" becomes critical is when the quilt pattern components involves triangles, half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, hexagons, etc. - anything involving angles that are not square (90 degrees). The little bit extra in the width of the seam allowance in those cases can cause points to not match up or get cropped off. It also adds up across the width and length of the finished quilt top altering the finished dimensions of the quilt top. Hope that helps.
Some machines do NOT allow the needle to shift positions. My 30 year old computerized machine does allow shifting...left/center/right...but yours may not. Yes, if your needle does shift, it will not accomodate the hole in the presser foot (your needle will hit outside the hole and break). You will need to trail and error and find the correct placement of 1/4 inch on the throat plate and then I suggest marking it with masking tape to provide accuracy as you sew your pieces through the area. Hope this helps!!
Thank you for such an easy-to-understand tutorial about scant 1/4" seams & why they're so important to keep the fabric measurements the same.
Excellent, easy to follow video explaining the importance of finding the "sweet spot 1/4 inch" on your own machine. And the explanation of the fold and thread issue is excellent. Thank you!
Thank you for explaining this so well and showing how to fix it!
Beginner and this was very easy to understand! Thank you for taking the time to explain the little things ;)
I like your test method. Its much more accurate than some advice that says move your seam over a couple of thread widths. Thank you.
Thanks a lot for this very helpful tutorial! 🌸🌸
Thank you! I’m a newbie to quilting and this video was just what I needed!! 😁
I was a log cabin block(s) and i discovered a scant" 1/4 " measure than i realize when I sewed the logs together, made such a difference in exact seams
Dont know if you guys cares but if you are stoned like me during the covid times then you can stream all of the latest movies and series on InstaFlixxer. I've been watching with my brother for the last months xD
@Muhammad Chandler yea, been watching on InstaFlixxer for years myself :)
Excellent, thank you!
Thank You-First example that I have fully understood in contrast with my machine!
My machine will allow you to move the needle as you suggest, but every time the machine is powered off, then turned back on next time I sew, it resets all the stitch width, needle position and such adjustments to default. I am afraid I would forget to rest that needle position and sew a whole day worth of quilting without the scant and REALLY mess things up royally.... i think putting tape at the right place would be much easier
Put a sticker on your machine with the setting written on it
Jayne Kucewicz Keep a pad of post-a-notes. You can set the top of the pad 1/4" (or tiny bit less for scant) from the needle. Take the back off the notes so they will stick to your machine bed. Now you have a ridge to sew against that wont move. The real note (no generics!) pad wont gum up your machine, is easy to remove for cleaning, and requires no brain work.
You are right about forgetting to reset. I screwed up the top stitching on a gorgeous vogue suit using fabric from the ralph lauren studio. It was a new machine, but still . . . Good luck to you!
I couldn’t see if you sewed with the black guide off the edge of the fabric or right on the edge of the fabric.
You could have said to what setting you shifted your needle.
Have you discovered there are magnetic gauges you can place on the machine bed. Or Mark with a sharpie ?
I have a dead iPad mini cover with magnets in. I stripped the innards out and now have a plastic strip with several magnets along its length that I can place where I like as a guide, and it will give me a slight step to nudge up to. I can build up the thickness if necessary. Sorted!
Bella Bee How did you get those innards- wow- what a great idea! Thanks💕
So long as your machine is NOT computerized, you may use a magnetic strip. Computerized...no.
I hate to sound dense, but why does the SCANT matter? If all the seams are the same size, won't the block still go together....just a tad smaller? I bought a 1/4" foot and it does not give the SCANT, nor does it allow me to shift my needle. I really dislike the tape idea because that tape has to be moved every time I clean the machine; in your case, with every bobbin change, I assume. HELP!
Hi Pamela, did you get this figured out, find an answer to your questions?
Pamela and Janet: Seam allowance width will not matter if your quilt pattern uses only square or rectangle components in the patchwork ... the important thing in that case is to be consistent throughout the entire construction. Where the "scant quarter inch" becomes critical is when the quilt pattern components involves triangles, half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, hexagons, etc. - anything involving angles that are not square (90 degrees). The little bit extra in the width of the seam allowance in those cases can cause points to not match up or get cropped off. It also adds up across the width and length of the finished quilt top altering the finished dimensions of the quilt top. Hope that helps.
Thank you so much for fabulous instructions 👍
How do,you,shift your needle position and still have it line up in the hole on your foot?
Some machines do NOT allow the needle to shift positions. My 30 year old computerized machine does allow shifting...left/center/right...but yours may not. Yes, if your needle does shift, it will not accomodate the hole in the presser foot (your needle will hit outside the hole and break). You will need to trail and error and find the correct placement of 1/4 inch on the throat plate and then I suggest marking it with masking tape to provide accuracy as you sew your pieces through the area. Hope this helps!!
Thank you so much
Thanks for this.👌