Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
1/4 foot >

1/4 foot

1/4 foot

Thread Tools
 
Old 02-26-2013, 09:14 AM
  #41  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SW TN
Posts: 592
Default

I recently bought a 1/4" pressure foot. Love love love it! I have a Singer Pro and a Brothers 1/4" pressure foot fit my machine and was $16.00 at local Shappley's store.

I did try the methods of mole skin, post it note strips, etc to mark a 1/4" line. My seam(s) still varied just enough to cause the piecing to be 'off'.

Accurate cutting and accurate seam allowance will make your experience much more enjoyable. Good luck with your first quilt. Beware: quilting is addictive

Something else I learned: the ending portion of my seams were vearing to the right....I learned to keep my free hand on the material until all of it passed under the needle. Amazing what a difference this made in the seams.

Last edited by linda faye; 02-26-2013 at 09:18 AM. Reason: additional thoughts
linda faye is offline  
Old 02-26-2013, 09:49 AM
  #42  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Owensboro, KY
Posts: 1,420
Default

I always use the 1/4 inch foot with a guide. I've thought about buying the "Little Foot" but paying over $20 for a little piece of plastic is rather expensive.
KyKaren1949 is offline  
Old 02-26-2013, 10:07 AM
  #43  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chapel Hill
Posts: 1,086
Default

Originally Posted by charsuewilson View Post
You don't really need a 1/4" foot. You just need to know where the 1/4" seam allowance. You can mark your machine with a piece of tape or something else, including a pen. I do have a 1/4" foot for one machine, but not the other.
Agree - I have a tape stack that I use in front of the foot to help guide my fabric. I quickly found out that if I relied on a guide attached to the foot the fabric could slip under the guide. The physical barrier (like a moleskin stack or Bonnie Hunter's hotel key or my 1/4 inch tape) helps especially when I use my walking foot - which is definitely wider than 1/4 inch.

I use the Perkins Perfect Quarter Inch Seam Guide (a short yellow ruler) to set the measurement for the scant quarter inch on my machine.

Cheers, K
CorgiNole is offline  
Old 02-26-2013, 02:31 PM
  #44  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: middle TN
Posts: 1,112
Default

I still use blue painters tape
tenngal is offline  
Old 02-26-2013, 03:41 PM
  #45  
Senior Member
 
Tulip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Western New York
Posts: 524
Default

I also have purchased the 1/4" foot, while it can be helpful, it can cause a train wreck at the end of your seems. Not enough foot to hold the material, when I use the 1/4 I have to use my seam ripper or chop stick to make sure it feeds at a 1/4 inch at the end of the seam. Lots of good ideas here!
Tulip is offline  
Old 02-26-2013, 04:04 PM
  #46  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 421
Default

I love the 1/4 inch foot with guide. I have one for all of my machines. I make perfect seams, no problem. I would recommend one highly. Welcome to the quilting world. Have fun. Another thing I would highly recommend is June Tailor's Shape Cut rulers. The Shape Cut rulers make cutting strips so easy and very accurate.
quilter2090 is offline  
Old 02-27-2013, 05:32 AM
  #47  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Georgia
Posts: 65
Default

Happy to see this question and will try some of the suggestions.
MaryL is offline  
Old 02-27-2013, 06:16 AM
  #48  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
mimmy96's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Illinois
Posts: 246
Default

Thanks everyone.. I think I will go ahead and buy the one wit a guide and go from there.. They are both the same price with or without the guide so wanted to order the better one! .. I realize everyone is different, but I will try!. Thank you for all the ideas.. I am sure I will use them all along the way!
mimmy96 is offline  
Old 02-27-2013, 09:31 AM
  #49  
Super Member
 
fireworkslover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Posts: 1,653
Default

Originally Posted by stchenfool View Post
I believe your best foot is the regular foot on your machine. Marci Baker uses Qtools, Corner Cut 60 and Sewing Edge - this product is amazing. More accurate and much less expensive than 1/4" foot. Good luck!
I agree with this. Whenever anyone says to sew with a 1/4" seam allowance, I think they really mean a scant 1/4" seam allowance. If you test sew 3 - 2" wide strips together , press seams and measure the width of your strip set when done, you can easily test to see what your seam allowance really is. Your strip set should be 5" wide. Also moving your needle over is not the best thing to do to achieve a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Libby Lehman showed a tutorial on, The Quilt Show about this, and your stitches become a bit crooked, since the bobbin thread is being pulled a bit to the side when you move your needle off from the exact center.
fireworkslover is offline  
Old 02-27-2013, 09:38 AM
  #50  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,669
Default

Originally Posted by mcfay View Post
I have sewn garments and interior decorating for years. I got use to making the wider seams and even using a regular foot with the 1/4 markings I found I was still making the seams too wide for quilting. I bought the 1/4" foot with the guide from Amazon and I LOVE it. I don't sew too much with pins but when I have to use a pin I try and put it in from the left, that way I can pull it out closer to the foot than when I put it in from the right.

The only thing I don't like about the foot is I have a top loading bobbin and I have to raise the pressure foot to take the plastic cover off the bobbin case. I have no problems going over seams because I turn one, one way and the other one the other way. That keeps the seams from being too thick and lets them match more.
I bought my 1/4 inch feet with guides (can't keep up with them, so always have a spare) from Amazon and love them. Trying such a foot is certainly an inexpensive experiment. froggyintexas
FroggyinTexas is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
trrmite
Main
21
10-20-2011 05:11 PM
quiltwhisperer
Main
15
11-22-2010 10:29 AM
StitchnFind
Main
11
07-12-2010 07:59 PM
Debbie B
Main
17
06-03-2010 06:31 AM
scrapcollector
Main
12
11-02-2009 07:33 PM

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