OKLAHOMA PEACH

tried a 1/4" foot, too large, went back to my regular straight foot, its a scant 1/4", quilted for years before I found quilting sites with my regular foot, if you sew the quilt with the same foot from start to finish it comes out equal.

Bluphrog

I didn't know that! Thanks for the info.

Elizabeth

Jan in VA

Try this trick.

Jan in VA

Use a full sticky note pad because the depth of it keeps the fabric from crossing the seam allowance. Be sure to place the pad with the clued edged against the presser foot.

Prism99

I create my own physical seam guide similar to Jan in VA. However, instead of a sticky note pad, I use moleskin. This is a furry type thick bandage sold in the foot section of the pharmacy, Target, Walmart, etc. It comes rolled up inside a small box.

Are you understanding the meaning of a scant 1/4" seam? It's scant because "turn-of-the-cloth" in the seam plus thread thickness eats up a little of your seam. If you sew the seam "scant", the end result after pressing is a piece that measures an accurate 1/4" less than it did before seaming.

Anyway, here's my method for using moleskin. (1) Cut narrow strips from the moleskin using rotary cutter and a ruler. (2) Get a favorite quilting ruler -- or quarter-inch graph paper works too -- and place under needle of machine so the edge is 1/4" to the right. (3) Lower needle until it touches the ruler just slightly to the right of the 1/4" mark. (4) Lower the presser foot to hold the ruler in place. (5) Check that the ruler is running straight forwards and back. I eyeball it against the throat plate. (6) Remove adhesive from the back of one of the moleskin strips. (7) Carefully place moleskin so it is butting up against the edge of the ruler, and secure it to the throat plate. (8) I like the moleskin to extend both in front of and behind the presser foot; helps guide the fabric into the needle and keep it straight while sewing.

On my machine, I have to move the needle one position to the right; otherwise the moleskin would be covering up part of the feed dogs!

To test that this placement guide is correct, sew three 2.5" strips of fabric together, iron, then measure. You are looking for an exact width of 6.5" after you have sewn those two seams. If it's not 6.5", go back through the process again and adjust in the direction needed. I have done this so many times and know my machine so well, that I never have to re-adjust. (Of course, it helps that my moleskin lines up exactly with the edge of the feed dog hole!)

If I want an extra-high guide, I layer another strip of moleskin on top of the existing one before removing the ruler.

With this physical guide in place, I can sew very fast and still have very accurate 1/4" seams. Plus my eyes don't get tired from constantly staring at a line on the throat plate. I have found a physical guide like this to be *much* more accurate than the specialized feet that are sold for 1/4" seams.

The adhesive on the moleskin is strong, but easily removed later without leaving residue on the throat.

Edit: Sorry, didn't realize I was writing an essay here! One more thing I wanted to mention is that your sewing machine feed dogs may be making it difficult to sew even seams. Watch it and see if the feed dogs are pulling the fabric to the left or right. An easy way to do this is to take a couple of large scraps of fabric and just let the machine sew without guiding the fabric. If the machine sews in a straight line, the machine is okay. If it sews a curved line, the feed dogs are not in alignment.

Dolphyngyrl

Are you going really fast. I agree with gauging your machine and placing a line of tape as a guide, that really helped me in the beginning until I got better with my foot. I find that most inaccuracies are due to a lot of impatience, wanting to get things done fast . Believe me slowing down does make for a better product

pinkberrykay

Much agreed, I learned that the faster I sew the farther off my sew line is. I have been slowing down and am getting a precise 1/4 inch seam allows.

I also noticed that I was holding my fabric too far to the right and it was not feeing in to my foot straight. I learned this by accident when I forgot to remove my "The Angler 2". It has a 1/4 inch seam allowance line, I started placing my fabric next to the line and sewing slow. My lines are much straighter now

If you need a visual I can post a picture for you.

Michellesews

I have had the same problem. Didn't realize it until I had sewn many blocks and in squaring them up, they weren't the right size, were too small. I was using a new sewing machine with a 1/4" foot with flange. I stupidly assumed that it would be the proper 1/4", not so! I used the method mentioned my someone else here, with the index card, and then I took it a step further and moved the needle one thread more to the left for the SCANT 1/4" which makes up for the "turn of the cloth" taken up when the seam is pressed. You would not believe how far off I was, I had to move my needle WAY over, in fact all the way it would go! I use a Janome Horizon and now use the Accufeed foot when I piece. I was amazed how far off I was....and of course, as you probably know, even if you are off use one needle's width, it compounds according to how many seams are involved, and in the end you are missing 1/8 - 1/4" all the way around the block. Very frustrating! I thought I was crazy! Even using the SCANT 1/4" seam, I barely come out with the right size block, but it is a big improvement. Who would have imagined sewing a perfect 1/4" could be so complicated??? Once you get it though, you've got it! Best of luck to you, really play with the index card and the sewing of strips and measuring...the strips will help you determine how much you need to move the needle further to accommodate the turn of the cloth, which is also very important as it does take up space. Let us know how it goes.