1/4 foot
02-26-2013, 09:14 AM
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SW TN
Posts: 592
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.
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
02-26-2013, 10:07 AM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chapel Hill
Posts: 1,086
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
02-26-2013, 03:41 PM
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Western New York
Posts: 524
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!
02-26-2013, 04:04 PM
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 421
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.
02-27-2013, 06:16 AM
#48
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Illinois
Posts: 246
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!
.. 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!
02-27-2013, 09:31 AM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Posts: 1,653
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.
02-27-2013, 09:38 AM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,669
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.
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.
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