sewhat540

Thank you, thank you. I will start to sew with a scant 1/4 inch and then will not have to worry about something not measuring the correct width. Thank you so much for everyone ones in put. I will try to do as you say and then have to remind myself not to go so fast, am always in a hurry, for what I don't know. Again, thanks.

Ginny

romanojg

I just took a class last month and the teacher said this happened to him. His blocks were good then all of a sudden they were off. It was the bobbin thread. I always make sure to use the same top and bottom; your machine will also thank you for doing this, no tension problems. I have a 1/4in foot but I move my needle over to a certain # when I'm piecing to make sure I have the scant 1/4 in. I need the foot because it has the bar that keeps my fabric straight so I use it and then just adjust my needle to the same spot each time.

117becca

I try to be consistent in my sewing. I use the same thread, use the same marking spot for my seam allowance, pressing and not ironing ......My blocks will come out consistent.

nativetexan

first relax! you can always undermine your foot. even a 1/4 inch foot. by that I mean you could be pushing your fabric toward the right of the foot or letting the feed dogs move the fabric away to the left. Either way, the seam wont' be straight.
I've seen quilters on t.v. let go of their piece before it's gone completely under the needle. that allows the fabric to move off kilter. so, keep your fingers on the fabric piece all the way through. you can follow the piece to the left of the foot with your hand, or if it's skinny, just up to the foot.
good luck. try again please. dont give up.

MadQuilter

I have a 1/4" foot with the edge guide and color me surprised when I realized that the seam was bigger than 1/4" if I use the edge guide. So I noted where the 1/4" ACTUALLY falls and now I do much better.

Deborahlees

I had a 1/4" foot with a little springey front tab on it.....and merryly made several squares....until they started coming up 'too small'....spent an entire day on my problem. Ended up that my little front tab was bent out of shape and giviing me an almost 3/8" seam .....put the foot in a bottom drawer, got out my regular foot and started measuring from the middle of the needle to 1/4"...adjusted the needle to the right until I got a "SCANT" 1/4" and marked my machine.....As others have said would rather trim down a square than ripe out the block......That is one principle that I like about Eleanor Burns, everything is oversized, and she trims after sewing her seams....Yes another step, but sure is easier to trim down than ripe out.....And that is just my humble opinion on the subject....

ube quilting

The combination of all these things can make a wonky pattern. As far as cutting goes which is where slight mistakes start, I have one little tip that helps me. After I have my fabric laid out ready to cut into whatever width strips, lay the ruler on the fabric at your mark and do a small pre cut, about 1/2" long at the far end of your strip. Then do the whole cut. This little cut actually stops the fabric from shifting at the end of the cut where little shifts can mean big oops when sewing.

I do this for folded fabric as well as single pieces being trimed to size. It works!


peace

EDIT: I also use a stiletto to feed the fabric and hold the last bit right into the needle so it doesn't shift off the sewing line and SEW SLOWER.

sweetana3

And it all can depend on how you feel on a day while sewing. Are you sewing fast or slow, are you concentrating or distracted?

I did an entire Lori Smith quilt with 6 inch blocks some with over 70 peices and had zero issues. Then I tried to do a really simple top and had all kinds of measurement issues with the finished blocks. Sometimes I am just more interested in accuracy.

margecam52

What are you watching when sewing the seams? If you are watching the needle, then you probably will not get a perfectly even 1/4" seam. I have marked my machine bed...I use blue painter's tape (comes off easily), and I have made a fine point mark on my clear plastic foot (on one machine, the mark is there already...at the center..but I put a mark for just shy of 1/4" from the center of the needle out).

My eye is at the front of the foot (about 1/2 to 1 inch in front of the needle)..my tape is bright enough and that tiny bit of a difference in height off the bed of the machine is also a reminder...that I find watching the needle throws me off a bit...so I just keep an eye on keeping the fabric against the edge of the tape (used to use 2 layers, but one works) but mostly keep looking just in front of the needle...it's like driving a car...you tend to drift to where you are looking, not where you need to be.

Latrinka

Mine are never perfect, but I just don't sweat the small stuff.