Originally Posted by
mmb195152
Has it occurred to anyone else that perhaps pattern makers and quilter's products, as well as sewing machine makers started directing us to use "scant" quarter inches as a way to generate income? Or a way for pattern makers to not have to take responsibility for their patterns being accurate? "Scant" is not an accurate measurement, and what is "scant" to one person may not be "scant" to another person. Imagine going to a carpet store and telling them you only want to be charged for xxxx "scant" yards of carpet.
I personally will not purchase a pattern that uses the term "scant" in the directions. We as a group could let manufacturers know that we want accurate instructions, using the traditional accurate 1/4th inch, or we will not use their products. We are the customers, we have the power to have the sellers adjust to us, rather than us having to adjust to them, to give them our money. Just look at all the recent threads caused by this confusing term. If we are vocal as a group, perhaps they will get back to accurate measurements. It would help the newbies, those who have made beautiful quilts for years because they learned to be as accurate as possible, those who do the best they can with their physical or mental limitations, those like me want to sew for fun,and will never be able to make award winning quilts, those who don't have machines with the adjustable needles, and the many vintage machine enthusiasts in our group? Is anyone willing to join me in being vocal about accurate measurements, instead of the "scant" measurements we are being directed to use? Off my soap box now. m
Do as you like, but your theory is all wet. The need to adjust the seam allowance came about when rotary cutters became THE way to cut fabric pieces. Prior to that, we used templates, marked a line and cut on that line. Pieces are always slightly bigger when you cut that way...you mark outside the template and usually leave part of the line when you cut.
Rotary cutting makes the pieces smaller, especially if you measure using the inside of the line instead of the outside. It's a plain and simple reason with numerous easy ways to adjust for accuracy with any limitations, physical or mechanical, you may encounter.
It's your choice whether to adapt or not, but even patterns that don't SAY 'scant' actually intend you to use one. I want my work to be the very best it can be even if it's for my cat, and so I sew with the finished measurements in mind at all times. The seam width makes absolutely no difference at all
as long as the finished block measurements are accurate...never has, never will.