Back to the 1/4" seam
 

someone told me today if I put my zig zag on either 0 or 5 (she couldn't remember which) my machine, which isn't computerized, the needle will move over to where I need it for the 1/4" seam. anyone try this? and/or any idea what it would do to the machine if I kept sewing it this way. tx.

I've not tried this, but at the moment I don't have a zigzag capable machine.

Make sure you have your zigzag foot on when you try it. I don't know which machine you have. On my older machine, when I turn that knob, it will zigzag. It will move the needle though. Then measure 1/4" from the needle
over to the right till you have the right measurement you are looking for. Good luck.

I have a Singer Golden Touch & Sew, circa 1970. It doesn't have a needle move function, except with the zigzag stitch. To make it sew on the left, I put it on zigzag, with 0 as the width. It stays stitching on the left side. Does this equal 1/4 inch? I don't know. Sounds like you will have to do some testing.

I think it all depends on your machine as to exactly what number it would need to be on, as I believe mine has to be on 5.6 or around there (mine goes up to 7). It would also depend on the width of your presser I would think. Definitely worth having a play around though!

I have several machines. I either have a 1/4" foot or use painter's tape and mark 1/4" and sew along that line. I like painter's tape because it is easy to see and doesn't leave any residue or harm the finish of the machine. I've also heard of using an old credit card and taping that at 1/4". I'm not sure how that would work however if your presser foot is wider than where the 1/4" mark would be.

I'm thinking if you sew all the pieces with the same machine and foot, they will fit together no matter how close/far you are from 1/4". Maybe too simple...

I have a non computerized Bernina but I haven't used it in a while but I think I can position the needle. I only do it when I need a skinny 1/4" seam allowance.

I agree with this too!

I would be afraid constantly having a mechanical machine set at that odd zigzag might do some harm to the gears, or whatever makes a machine work. Why not just leave your straight stitch where it is, and mark your 1/4" mark with moleskin, painters tape, post its or whatever works best for you and if your now foot extends beyond that mark.....do your mark before the foot( closer to you)...... I have a 1/4" foot on mine, but I also have a strip of moleskin before the fabric gets to the foot.......as I feed it up to the foot......I'm sure there are tutes on how to find that 1/4"......

my machine is not computerized. I have a quarter inch foot/I have 1/4 inch w/the metal bar. ive used the moleskin. my quarter of an inch is 1 thread left of where the bar for the 1/4" sits. so all the stuff doesn't work. but as I was told, move the stitch to zigzag and it will move the needle to where I need the quarter inch foot to be.

Don't know about that. I just mark the 1/4 inch with painters tape on my older machine. I have even seen something with a bit of height taped down to mark the 1/4

if there are no points and the size doesn't have to be accurate, otherwise, no

I found that using a command strip for my guide works better than anything else I have tried. It has a bit of height to it and my fabric fits up snug against it. Since I have to remove it when I change bobbins it does lose it's stickiness after several changes.

I have used my FW for so long now, that I don't even have to measure anymore. I just eyeball where the fabric is going toward the presser foot's right hand edge. But, to add a thought to that, I have never made a quilt that requires an "exact 1/4" or scant 1/4", so take my observations with a grain of salt this morning.

Whoever told you that is right. That's what I do and my machine is older.

Funny, I was just doing this yesterday! I have a Brother machine with the capability to move the needle over. I used my measuring guide to measure from the needle to the outside edge of the foot. I then adjusted the needle to the right just one click in order to get the 1/4". I used this on all the seams I sewed yesterday on my new quilt top, and I was very satisfied with the results.

Back to the 1/4" seam
 

I tried it on my singer and 2 jamone's and it works fine.

only if it's plain squares. Otherwise no.

Aren't we to sew three pieces together and measure the inside one to make sure it is accurate? It is the inside part that we are be sure of, not the outside part of the seam which may or may not be 1/4"? We discussed this on another thread and that's what I thought. Anyway, I rarely make quilts that are so precise for it to matter. Rail fence, 9 patch, etc.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand how one can do "patchwork" without being precise about the seam allowance. Somewhere in the piecing process one has to meet at least one seam, and if they are just "about 1/4", how does that work? To sew just to sew? Not much challenge to ones ability there.......

my feed dogs are too wide to leave the needle in the center position and get a 1/4" seam. so I put needle in the right hand position and measured 1/4" from there. Been doing this for a while now and I've not noticed any problems with the machine or gears. I have older (abt 36 yrs old) singer. Hubby got it for me our first Christmas in 1979.