1/4 foot
 

I am new to quilting... I have read that I need a 1/4 foot for my machine for piecing. I looked online.. Am I just needing the basic one, or the one with guide? My machine already came with a walking foot, so I am good there! Getting ready to start working on my very first quilt! Yay!

I have both, and I realy like the one with the guide. I get more consistant seam size. If you can move your needle position over 1 click to the right, you have a perfect scant 1/4". Have fun with your first quilt!

Hmm, well I was using my 1/4" foot with the guide recently and remembered why I don't like it. I can't seem to pull my pins out quickly enough for it and they pull the seam out of alignment. It also doesn't let me sew over seams very well.

My all time favorite 1/4" foot is the Little Foot. It's clear plastic with bright red markings all around. Best $22 I ever spent for these aging eyes.

I don't like using a 1/4 foot for machine piecing. I use an adhesive guide on the bed of my machine to create a physical barrier for my fabric to butt up against. I can sew even seams much, much faster this way. I have cut and used moleskin for the barrier (available in the foot section of any pharmacy), sometimes layering it two levels. Currently am using a Dritz adhesive guide, as they are precut and have a nice height:
http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Quilting...dp/B0085L2Y2I/

I do not recommend the associated red ruler Dritz sells for establishing the 1/4". I measured it, and it creates an exact 1/4" seam rather than the scant 1/4" that we quilters prefer.

I use one of my shorter rulers to establish the seam allowance. I place the ruler on the bed of the machine, lower my needle so it is at a scant 1/4", lower the presser foot to keep the ruler in place, check that the ruler is running straight from front to back, then place the adhesive guide butted up next to the ruler. Instead of a ruler, a lined index card would work too, or graph paper marked in 1/4" squares.

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.

Well, you really don't have to have a special 1/4 foot - just measure from your needle to the edge of your fabric and adjust your needle position if you can. Follow those ideas above about measuring and marking your bed of your machine and you will do fine.

If you are going to buy one I would go with the one with the guide. I have both and rarely use the one without the guide.

Kat

I have both. I use the one with a guide on the machine that I can move the needle. I found the guide is a little bigger then 1/4" if my needle is in a fixed middle position. The Brother 1/4" snap on foot that Walmart sells will fit my Janome Jem and has outlasted the one I bought at the Janome dealer. The foot for my Bernina doesn't have the guide but I seldom piece with the Bernina.

It wasn't until I bought a 1/4 inch foot that I realized I was not sewing a 1/4 inch seam but more like a 3/8 inch seam. I'm excited to try a quilt square with triangles to see if that will help me match up the seams and points better. Before I bought the quilting foot, I tried marking my machine, but I learned that I guide the fabric through the machine by looking at the foot. So, marking the machine really didn't make a difference for me. I have a Brother machine and spent $9 on the quilting foot at WalMart.

If you go to http://www.guidelines4quilting.com/PT.html you will find their Prep-Tool. It makes a scant 1/4" seam. They sell Seam Guides (5 to a pack) that don't leave any sticky residue and can be reused to place as a guide for the scant 1/4" seam. The Prep-Tool has a few uses. I love it. I've used it on all three of my sewing machines.

I don't use any foot with a guide on it, especially a quarter inch foot.

One downfall of the foot with a guide is that the fabric can sometimes go underneath the guide without your even knowing it. That defeats the whole purpose and messes up the seam allowance. If you're not aware that the guide isn't working, you may never know why things don't line up right down the road. Fabric never slips under moleskin, guaranteed! :)

find one for your particular machine. that makes a difference. and the guide is important although your holding the fabric pieces can alter the seam by pushing it too much into the guide or letting it migrate away from it. a quarter inch foot does help but it's not a must have. i like mine but do watch what I'm doing.

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.

I recommend you buy the side guide 1/4" foot. Other methods for adjusting seam allowance work but as a new quilter it will definitely help you. You still must stack the two layers accurately and hold them to go thru your machine. It doesn't guarantte accuracy unless you guide the fabric.

I love the foot with a guide

there is a metal one with 1/4" wide and markings every 1/4 down also, found it in E-bay for $7.50 Includes shipping.

My Viking has a scant 1/4 setting for the needle. I love it. I purchased a 1/4" foot with the guide and it measured larger than 1/4" so just make sure if you do purchase one of these that you are able to return it if you don't like it. My dealer is very nice and took it back no problem. I find that the needle position on my machine is best for me. Prior to having this machine, the old White mechanical machine I had, I used one of the magnetic seam allowance guides. Great tool, imo, if you can use it on your machine. Same principal as using a stack of post-it's; moleskin; index card, etc. but it STICKS on that bed and you can easily re-position it for any type sewing you may be doing.

Here's my suggestion, one I've used for years with amazing success.

Jan in VA

Jans visual is perfect! Good luck with your first quilt!!!

Its a preference i have both, i prefer without the guide but some like with. You can also use you regular foot and just change your needle position so you don't need to buy the foot, again its a choice. I have even seen them use the monograming foot on fons and porter and if you have a brother 7mm it should come with a monogramming foot

I have both 1/4" feet - the one with the guide is used when my grandkids sew so they can get an accurate seam. Once they understand where the fabric is to go they use the foot without the guide.

I have never used a 1/4 inch foot for my machine but when my Grand daughter started quilting I bought one for her. She loves the one with the guide. Her seams are perfect. Have fun with your first quilt. I can't wait to see it.

I LOVE my 1/4" foot with guide. My quilting improved immediately! BEST TING EVER!!!!!!!

I like the 1/4" foot with the guide on the side the best. I used one without the guide for years and years. And when I finally bought one with the guide I realized how simple the guide makes it to get it right.

I use the guide 1/4 inch. Sews perfect scant 1/4 inch.

I found that I was getting wider than 1/4" with the special foot. Then I discovered that lining up the edge of my fabric with the right edge of the center of the screw holding the throat plate in place on my Featherweight gave me an almost perfect scant 1/4". Always there and easy to keep lined up in advance of going under the foot.

I trued up my seams using the Eleanor Burns method. I found that I needed to move my needle to the left in order to get a true 1/4" seam, even with my 1/4" foot My quilt blocks improved dramatically after doing so. I suggest doing this with every machine. Needle position can affect seam allwance.
Sandy

I use the 1/4 with guide and it does a great job of keeping it straight. But my machine also has the markings for the 1/4 on it, which I use as well. The markings on the machine are much longer than on most machines. [ATTACH=CONFIG]398103[/ATTACH]

You can see the markings on my machine from this picture. I don't think any other machines have this ... but I could be wrong too.

I bought 2 different feet (reg shank and slant shank) and did not like them for the same reason as posted here. Also, as a PP stated, it's hard to sew if you like to use pins because they get caught on the guide edge. I took a pair of pliers and took both of the guides off.

I like Bonnie Hunters method of creating a scant 1/4" seam because it won't ruin the bed of my vintage/antique machine.

Good luck and enjoy making your first quilt!

I am a fairly new quilter and have a 1/4 foot with guide. I would never sew without my 1/4 foot. Love it. Guide helps to butt the fabric against something

Just remember that sometimes (majority) it means a scant 1/4" As one of the quilting ladies said- one or two threads under 1/4 ". All my starting blocks ended up just shy of why they should be. Come to think of it - they still do when I use my foot with the guide.

With built in guide.

I have found that the 1/4" foot sometimes makes your seams a little bit bigger than 1/4". I usually use a regular foot that accommodates zig zag stitches and move my needle to the right until I get a scant 1/4". On my Elna and Brother the needle position is 6.5. Also by doing this you have more of the presser foot on the fabric, which keeps the fabric from wandering. Happy quilting.

suzyquilter
 

My new fancy Brother came with a quarter inch foot with guide and I didn't really care for it. Ended up using my 1/4 inch foot from my old Brother.

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!

the "guided" one is ok, for me anyway, when doing just straight seam stitching, but if I am sewing a piece with a "dog ear" to a regular, or even two triangle edges that stick out.....they get hung up on that guide, have to stop raise it, slide past and proceed...a pain in tush.....so I prefer the unguided one, with a strip of moleskin on the bed of the machine for further down guidance....just my way of doing it..

There are lots of methods for getting an accurate scant 1/4 inch.... you could buy either of the feet you mentned, or none, or both, or a variety of other feet made to fit different machines. The end result of gettng the seam allowance you need, is what is important....just find one way that works.

I have an attachment which has a slide bar which you set for whatever seam allowance you want. It has been so long since I bought it it is hard to remember just where I got it.
I can take a picture and email it if you like. There is an online store that sells all sorts of extras for quilting and sewing machines. I really believe I got it there.
If you are interested in seeing a picture of this little thing, just pm me and I will be glad to take a picture and send. I have one for both sewing machines.
Mariah

Do you need a 1/4" foot? No. But it is easier, IMHO, to use one with a guide. I've tried other methods and this works best for me. When I pin something I put the pins parallel to the seam line and far enough from the edge to clear the presser foot. I don't have to worry about sewing over pins and I have a straight 1/4" seam.