mommabear62

Mommabear62, I have found that you have to sew a scant 1/4 inch seam. Put your tape slightly left of the 1/4 inch line. This may help for future work. You can always add an extra border to your square to make it the size you need, rather than redo it. Hope this helps. Dont give up.

Thank you very much for the words of encouragement!

When sewing on one of my machines I have this problem. Get you manual out and set your needle to the right one position. Try a seam, this may work for you. Then you will have to remember to set your needle position everytime you sew, but this will end LOADS of frustration!

Even with my quarter inch foot on I have to set my needle position to 4 to get the right measurement. The default is 3.5. With the ordinary open toe foot it's up to 5 so, as each machine and each foot it different, it pays to do the usual test - take three one-and-a-half-inch strips, sew them together and then measure the center one. it should be 1inch exactly. If it isn't move the needle to make it wider or skinnier until you get the right position for your machine. If you haven't got a variable needle position you have to move the fabric guide until you get the right position and then make a note of where it is for each of the feet you regularly use. That's what I do anyway. Do you have the metal guide that screws to your needle plate? I re-discovered mine recently and was amazed at how much it can help.

Even with my quarter inch foot on I have to set my needle position to 4 to get the right measurement. The default is 3.5. With the ordinary open toe foot it's up to 5 so, as each machine and each foot it different, it pays to do the usual test - take three one-and-a-half-inch strips, sew them together and then measure the center one. it should be 1inch exactly. If it isn't move the needle to make it wider or skinnier until you get the right position for your machine. If you haven't got a variable needle position you have to move the fabric guide until you get the right position and then make a note of where it is for each of the feet you regularly use. That's what I do anyway. Do you have the metal guide that screws to your needle plate? I re-discovered mine recently and was amazed at how much it can help.

If all else fails - cheat - and use the starch and stretch tip to coax the block into the right size.

Have you used the 1/4 inch ruler? Don't give up. Maybe you could try a few mini-quilts. Although it seems slow at first, stop and measure as you go- way easier to fix one seam than a whole block.

Don't give up - I have a basic Brother sewing machine - 2 needle positions and a 1/4 foot. My trick is to tape a piece of cardboard next to the 1/4 foot (with the presser foot down) and needle in the far right position. This gives me something to sew next to thicker than just a piece of tape. Have seen magnetic guides in sewing catalog for $20+ but my "guide" works great - have made over 18 quilts and counting! Practice a few seams and ck it out.