I use mine all the time. Love it.(: :thumbup:

For me it's the best foot for my machine ever made!

TreeFrog

I have the bladed one with my Janome and it improved my sewing so much. I love it.

What is the "bladed one"?

TreeFrog

There is a 1/4" foot that looks kind of like a regular sewing foot you just use the edge of the foot for a guide. The bladed foot has a blade down the right side that sticks out in front of the foot to help guide the fabric to keep it to a perfect 1/4" seam (once you've figured out your needle adjustment).

I love my 1/4" foot. Also recently bought 1/4" with guide that works great for most piecting. I get consistent seam widths.

"raising hand" in agreement :)

[quote=watterstide]Just a heads up, to the new piecers/quilters, just because you have a 1/4" foot on your machine, does NOT mean you get the 1/4" seam allowance!
your machine needle needs to be moved to the left or right, to get the proper seam allowance.

When I started quilting, I bought the 1/4 foot with my machine. Watterstide is right. For three years, I assumed that my quarter inch seams were right because I was using the proper foot. There was a lot of unsewing and 'fudging' things to make my blocks line up. Then I learned that my needle could be moved in two tiny increments to the right. Along with the 1/4 inch foot, everything is spot on.

Yes love my 1/4" foot for my B630, and love it. Would love to have a walking foot, but $'s are short now. Does anyone have one they would like to sell?

So someone see if they can answer this: I have a Baby Lok Quilter's Pro with a 1/4" foot, and the guide on the machine - of course they don't match each other so I said 'ahHA' i will use my Omnigrid and measure from the neeedle out to see which I should use - the foor or the guide - and it matched NEITHER. I moved the needle postion - still no luck!I grabbed a pattern with the 1/4 allowance marked and guess what? It didn't match either the foot OR the guide? So same as Jennie - I have had to do a lot of fudging over the years! SO - any ideas? Should I just commit to using one or the other as a measurement? The foot falls just short of the 1/4" and the guide falls to the outside! Which one?? ARRRRGGGGHHH..........

love my 1/4 ft with the guide. always has a staight seam. don't know how i survived for so long without it

Maybe your foot is set for a scant 1/4 inch? I move my needle and check the seams by sewing a test strip whenever I start something new. Some fabrics are a little thicker, thread weight makes a difference, etc. Even the way you press may be a consideration. I find this is what has worked best for me.

See here is where I get confused. How do you know what is a 1/4"????? If I am doing a test strip, what am I measuring against? I always figured if the pattern called for a 1/4" seam and if I was consistent by using either the foot or the guide, I would be OK - but that totally doesn't work - I somehow always end up with seams that will not match! I am so glad someone brought this subject up - I have been dying to ask......

Try this. Take two 1.5 inch squares. Make sure that they are cut precisely at 1.5 inches. Sew them together and press the seam to one side - carefully - so the finished unit does not get distorted. Then measure this unit (take away from your machine and measure with your best ruler). It should be 2.5 inches wide. If it is smaller, your seam is too big. Move your needle one position to the right and try again. If your finished unit is larger than 2.5", your seam is too small. Move the needle position one click to the left and try again.

When your finished unit is exactly 2.5 inches by 1.5 inches, make note of what needle setting it took to make it happen. Then use this setting all the time when you are piecing.

I have the 1/4 inch foot also and could not get along without it.

Good for you I know you will love it.
:P

The more seams you have in a block, the less likely they will match up in the end



i posted a video above, on getting your 1/4" seam.


you can use your tape measure to check it also.
i check mine every time i start my machine up....

May have already been mentioned but index card lines are printed at exactly 1/4 inch apart. You can use this to test to see if you are sewing an actual 1/4 inch.

Good answer..i had forgotten about that..

I too use the index card to check my 1/4" seam. Then if I need a scant, I just move my needle over.

What a cool idea!!!! Swiping my daughter's index cards (hahaha she won't miss one) and checking out the video. Loved the comment about 'more seams, less likely to match'.....is that why a quilter is a person who easily comes apart at the seams????? LOL!!!!!!!!

I love mine - have 3 with the side blade for my different machines. I even bought an adapter for my Bernina so I could attach it. Recently I bought the Bernina version from a board member.

Graph paper also works well if you don't have index cards on hand.

I don't use the index card anymore because although the marked lines are 1/4 inch apart on the card that doesn't apply to my pressed seam. You loose a little in the pressing. This isn't really a big deal if you are using the same foot, etc on a quilt you make yourself. I gets more critical if you are trying to do something with a lot points and matched seams.

Getting a good 1/4 inch seam can be a big deal if you are swapping with someone and your pattern says it will make a 12.5 inch block and your only comes out to 12 3/8. That is just frustrating.

yes I love it never knew there was such a thing until I join a Quilters Guild. I learned alot

Couldn't be without my little foot either! :D

I use it all the time, not only for quilting, but for other sewing. I also love it.

I have one for all my machines. I have the IDT (dual feed dogs)on my Janome which I love. I prefer the foot with the blade, but not all machines sell that style.

can someone describe what a walking foot is & what it looks like please?

I have the 1/4 inch foot with the blade and absolutly love that little foot. My seams are so accurate now.

Firstly, I almost gave up quilting before I got my 1/4" foot. I was going through post-its and wads of tape like crazy. Saw one somewhere and saved forever to get one. I have one with the little blade. I don't sew without it. I am getting into regular sewing now and the seams are bigger. Will be difficult to get used to. Measuring to make sure your foot matches the actual 1/4" from your needle is vitally important....don't ask me why I say that.

Regarding a walking foot. They are, of course, different for different machines, but the premise is the same. It's this big bulky box, usually white, that you attach to the machine. It has a little presser on it that you put onto the screw that holds your needle in. It has another set of feed dogs that go over the top of the fabric to "walk" all 3 layers evenly through the machine. This way, you have feed dogs on the top and bottom of your fabric. I use it whenever I machine quilt that is not free motion, which isn't too often. I also use it to apply my binding on every quilt. Also, I use the birthing method on most baby quilts instead of binding them, I always use my walking foot for that.

If you do a search at the top of this board and type in walking foot, there will be pages and pages of threads to go through, some with pictures too. I'm sorry that my cell phone doesn't do pictures or I would have posted one of mine.

Thank you ladies for the info on the 1/4" foot. I am going to get me one. Thanks again. Glenn

I put a regular foot on or sometimes the wide applique foot

Couldn't be without mine.

i bought one and use it all the time love it

Love it for piecing.

Absolutely my best machine foot. A friend got it for my birthday and I would totally be lost without it. Especially trying to learn on my own.I couldn't sew straight for diddle!!! Every sewer should have one!!

What is the birthing method? I've never heard of that.

Have always had one, and actually own 6 different designs of them. I like all of them as the have measurement marks on them for different sewing purposes.

I would'nt be without mine

The 1/4" ("bladed") foot is one of my favorite and most used! The walking foot comes in a close second. I recently purchased the stitch in the ditch foot (for my Husqvarna Diamond) and I'm going to like it too.