This is true. I watched a video on Square in a Square and she always uses a stiletto to push the fabric along. I find that does help, but I also keep my left hand on the fabric to make sure it doesn't pull away to the left. The more weight on that side, the more it pulls that way.

Also, I use the 1/4 inch foot for all straight piecing, and I make sure I am watching every piece go through. I hate ripping out seams as much as anyone else!

If this suggestion is on the thread already , please forgive - I didn't see it. Because the seam isn't pressed open, you might try puting it under the pressure foot and sewing a seam to straighten the seam that veered. NO ripping out! After it's pressed you can't tell! :twisted: :twisted:

I have 3 feet that I have been trying out for machine piecing on my new machine. I found that 2 of them work well and one gives me problems, it wants to veer off, and always in the same direction. I used to work in a metal manufacturing shop and so I got to looking at the bottom of the foot and it was poorly manufactured. The foot is not completely flat. I guess one way to check this would be to put some fabric under your foot, lower the presser foot and gently tug on the fabric and see if it pulls out evenly or if it slightly swings to the side. I guess it is like anything else, some good, some not so good. Anyway I thought that I would pass this on as a possiblility to your woes, also.

I have this problem all the time - what a pain. Now I stop a little way before the seam end with needle still in fabric, lift the foot and readjust the fabric. If necessary, I go back and restitch very slowly. Seems to help most of the time. I think it happens because the foot extends beyond the material at the end of the seam and with nothing under it just wanders out of line. Do I just imagine this?

I watched a class on piecing and she used a small piece of wash away stablizer at the end of her pieces especially ones that needed a sharp point when pressed open to help stablize the end of the fabric and avoid the movement of the 1/4 line that happens at the end. It washes away when the quilt is washed. And the points on stars are perfect and won't tear open. She also mentioned that some 1/4 feet are not 1/4" when you sew with them so you need to measure after you sew to check your foot. I tried this tip on a star border and it worked great.

One thing I do that helps me keep my fabric going straight is put a strip of mole skin to the right of the needle on the plate at the 1/4" mark. I can keep the fabric butted up against that and I don't veer nearly as much. I tend to veer to the right (I think I push with my left hand a little) and my seam is a little fatter at the end. With the mole skin as a guide, it's not nearly as big a problem for me. I have to swap the mole skin out pretty often as it gets ragged looking, but it doesn't take a very big piece and it's not terribly expensive. I've seen people on tv use a thickness of painters tape also.

I was having the same problem and having the foot not liking going over bumps like flying geese. I talked to an expert at the yearly quilt show. She said my machine had wide feed dogs and to replace my 1/4 in foot with an edging foot and adjust my needle to find 1/4 in. I havnt tried it yet but she was right about my foot not covering all the feed dog. This foot will hold the fabric better. Check and see if your dogs are covered by your 1/4 in foot.

I also had that problem. I was using a clear foot with a wide space between the "toes". There wasn't enough foot meeting the dog. I changed to a narrower metal foot with more contact and that helped a lot. Also, I found if I press my finger down on the fabric beside the foot during that last inch, it will stay in place. Just stay focused with your finger that close to the needle.

Just to let you guys know.. since reading this and keeping it in my mind... I have just completed 31 strips ... AND NONE VEER OFF.

WOOT WOOOOOO finally!

I am glad MAR Mar brought this up as I think it helped many of us to focus on that portion of our quilt making. By golly, you have to be a good carpenter to build a house, measuring every step of the way. In the same way we have to make good seams to build a quilt that is eye eppealing with matching seams.

THANKS LOADS, MAR MAR