Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
OK What's the deal with the 1_4 inch seams?? Or Scant 1-4 in seams I'M CONFUSED?? >

OK What's the deal with the 1_4 inch seams?? Or Scant 1-4 in seams I'M CONFUSED??

OK What's the deal with the 1_4 inch seams?? Or Scant 1-4 in seams I'M CONFUSED??

Old 09-17-2007, 07:21 PM
  #1  
Banned
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: TEXAS,Everything is BIGGERinTexas!!!!!!!!
Posts: 67
Default

:? :?: :?: :?: OK Why do you use 1-4 or 1-4 scant seams and WHY?? What does it all stand for?? Makes me wonder??
ArtquilterNEWWAYtoQUILT is offline  
Old 09-17-2007, 09:31 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
k_jupiter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Bay area CA
Posts: 887
Default

Originally Posted by ArtquilterNEWWAYtoQUILT
:? :?: :?: :?: OK Why do you use 1-4 or 1-4 scant seams and WHY?? What does it all stand for?? Makes me wonder??
I'll take a stab at this one...

Long time ago when the earth was green... wait, wrong story...

A long time ago, someone figured out if you used seams less than 1/4 inch there wasn't enough fabric on the wrong side of the thread to keep a joint from pulling apart under the stresses of daily quilt life. If you used more than 1/4 inch the quilt wasted fabric and got too bulky.

SO a standard was made. 1/4 inch. Confused the heck out of the Europeans who had newly adapted the metric system.

BUT, so it was. Now maybe 1/4 inch isn't strictly necessary, fabric being so much better made... but all patterns build that seam allowance in in this country.

A scant 1/4 means you move the needle over about 3 threads so when you press your seams over, the resulting finished dimension of a piece will be the desired finished dimension.

tim in san jose
k_jupiter is offline  
Old 09-17-2007, 10:03 PM
  #3  
Super Member
 
Country Quilter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,018
Default

Well done Tim!! WOO WOO WOO!!!!! :lol:

I use my 1/4 inch foot on my machine and press my seams open.... scant isn't in my vocabulary! LOL

to each their own! whatever works for you
Country Quilter is offline  
Old 09-17-2007, 10:15 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Steve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 707
Default

My knowledge is limited, but after my first attempt at a one, I can tell you that when multiplied by eight a 'scant' seam can mean the difference between a cone and a mariner's compass. :(
Steve is offline  
Old 09-18-2007, 12:18 AM
  #5  
Administrator
 
patricej's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southeast Georgia, USA
Posts: 9,088
Default

they call it a "scant" quarter inch because instructions calling for a "3/16ths of an inch" or "7/32ds of an inch" seam would scare the crackers out of most people. and the rulers would cost a FORTUNE!!

:shock: :mrgreen: :lol:
patricej is offline  
Old 09-18-2007, 05:16 AM
  #6  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,097
Default

Of course you can make your seam allowances whatever size you want if you aren't going to wash or handle your quilt (if they are too narrow) or if you don't mind bulky bumps behind the pieces (if they are too wide) and if you draft your own patterns. If you use a commercial pattern, you will need to use a 1/4" seam.
Cathe is offline  
Old 09-18-2007, 08:27 AM
  #7  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: northern New England
Posts: 459
Default

And if you are truly making art quilts, it matters not in the least! You are not using someone else's patterns, square blocks, or traditional methods (though I fully agree that you should know and understand the 'why' of every single one of them!). Entire pieces are made with no seams at all, only water-soluble fusibles, collaged, embellished, thread-painted and stitched to your hearts desire! In art quilting, the rules of art take precedence over the rules of quilting. :wink:
nor'easter is offline  
Old 09-18-2007, 06:07 PM
  #8  
Super Member
 
mpeters1200's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 1,618
Default

I look really carefully, learning from experience, at a pattern before I start. If it calls for a 1/4" seam, then it's okay. However, if it says scant 1/4", I don't do it. It's just too much of a bother.
mpeters1200 is offline  
Old 09-26-2007, 06:16 PM
  #9  
Member
 
O WHO?HookEMWe'rebetternU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: TEXAS TEXAS TEXAS
Posts: 12
Default

:lol: I agree those tiny seams are just not mE soooo I go with the Patchwork stitch or straight st. and make it comfortable for me don't worry about it, You'll get old before your time!!!! Isn't it suppose to be FUN???
O WHO?HookEMWe'rebetternU is offline  
Old 09-27-2007, 05:03 AM
  #10  
Suz
Super Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Central PA
Posts: 1,920
Default

Also, if you are hand quilting following the shapes of pieces in the block, the quilting is usually done at 1/4". If the seams are wider, this produces more thicknesses to quilt through. And proportionally to all of the small pieces in a block, I don't think more than the 1/4" would look too good.

Suzanne
Suz is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
okie2tx
Main
8
04-29-2013 10:02 AM
Peckish
Main
12
10-20-2011 07:45 AM
JEM65
Main
24
09-13-2010 09:43 PM
ShirlR
Main
18
09-07-2010 07:52 AM
ProquiltLongarmARTQUILTER
Main
25
02-20-2008 07:09 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter