gramma8

Would someone please tell me how to keep my seams straight. No one told me, but I found that I shouldn't look at my needle, but at the width of the seam. BUT, I still have wavy seams. I try very hard to concentrate on keeping everything in line. Help!

quiltingcandy

Do you have a 1/4 inch foot for your machine? Also, there are guards you can put on your machine so your fabric go along it and help keep it straight. Some people use several layers of painters tape or sticky notes on the machine to help guide the fabric.

Dena789

It is a bit like driving a car... you don't look right in front of the hood of the car you are driving but you look where you are going, farther down the road.

I line up my seam, then watch for my seam width a good 2 or even 3 inches in front of the needle. Extend your guide if you need to by using a piece of tape.

Hope this helps a bit.

quiltsRfun

Does your machine have seam markings? If not,put a piece of tape or a stack of post-it notes at the 1/4 inch mark. Then line up your fabric as far ahead of the needle as you can.

I see quiltingcandy and Dena beat me to it. What they said. . .

grammyp

I started with a stack of sticky notes stuck at 1/4 inch for a seam guide.

carolaug

I highly recommend the 1/4 foot. I also love the idea of using a stack of sticky notes.

watterstide

what i have found with one of the ladies i quilt with..

she started out the seam,tight against the 1/4" foot bar..by the time she got to the end of the seam, it was wide..like she relaxed and just let it go.

i don't watch the needle, i watch where the seam is or the right edge of what i am sewing..

what kind of machine do you have? and are you using the 1/4" foot? are you able to move your needle to the left or right to find the 1/4"?

quilticing

I watch the 1/4" mark where the machine is stitching.

cjomomma

I used masking tape to mark the 1/4 in on my machine. I layer the tape from front to back and it really helped me. You can use painters tape too. I can't afford to purchase extra feet so I do what have too.

hobbykat1955

1/4 inch foot