Old 11-24-2009, 09:28 AM
  #11  
Prism99
Power Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Default

What I use for myself is simply exra-thick moleskin that I buy in the foot section of the pharmacy. (Have also used regular moleskin doubled, but prefer the thicker moleskin.) This is adhesive padding you can cut and put on a foot to prevent a blister from forming when walking. I rotary cut strips about 1/4" wide and as long as I want (usually about 3 inches, as extra guide to the front and rear of the needle works best).

To attach the moleskin, I place a ruler underneath the presser foot and lower the needle to a scant 1/4" inch, not quite touching the ruler line, then lower the presser foot to hold the ruler in place. I also check to make sure the ruler is not skewed but running straight from front to back. I remove the paper backing from a 3-inch strip of moleskin and lay it down on the bed of my Bernina right next to the ruler edge.

I have left this on my machine for long periods of time; it has always removed easily. The moleskin provides an edge for me to butt my pieces against and make my piecing very accurate. I love that I don't have to keep my eyes glued to a line on the bed of my machine!

Before coming across the moleskin idea I had tried a magnetic guide and didn't like it. For one thing, it was too short. As I recall, the fabric would sometimes curl next to it also, making the seam too wide. Moleskin all the way for me! :lol: Oh, and I have been quilting on and off for about 30 years now. I would *hate* to have to piece without my moleskin guide!

Edit: I went back and clicked on your link to see what this guide is. I have used that type of guide also (especially for sewing half-square triangles). It's okay, but honestly the moleskin guide works better because you don't have to keep your eyes glued to a line. With the flat guides like the one in your link, I never had a problem removing them, but I don't know about this one specifically.

Also, I have fixed up many vintage machines over the years. The adhesives that are impossible to get off have always been masking tape and transparent tape. Granted, these were probably all baked on for decades, but I still wouldn't use them on my machine for longer than a few days at a time. Today's machine finishes are much stronger than the vintage finishes too. Today I could use Goo-Gone on my machine without a twinge, whereas it would damage the finish on a vintage machine.
Prism99 is offline