In my experience - SOME 'quilting type cottons' have shrunk drastically. Which is ONE of the reasons why some of us wash the fabrics first.

To me, handling a washed fabric is like seeing a person without make-up. I know what I actually have to work with.When it's washed, I have a much better idea of what I'm actually working with and how the fabric will behave down the line after it's incorporated into another item.

I have the Janome 6600 and move the needle over to 5.7 for my quarter inch using the quarter inch foot......Every machine is different....that's why we should always sew a "sample seam".

I detest the SCANT!!!! can it be outlawed?

The teating with 3 - 1 1/2" strips is a great testing method.

2 other things I have found:

(1) If you dont' prewash, sometimes when you press, the block shrinks up a smidge more leaving you short! annoying.

(2) Check the thickness of your fabric. If I have two cottons, one more silky slim, and one more bulky thick. the thick ones can make you short. so, on those your scant has to be scantier! Then with silky slimmer ones, that same scant can leave you with a bit too large of block, annoying too.

It is truly a project by project deal. I do obsess a bit and square as I go. The more pieces in a block, the more checking I do as it grows. But, in the end I get square quilts with blocks pretty even! So it is worth it to me.

Good idea, but can you see the engineer's face when you tell him/her to make a "scant" 1/4" foot for a sewing machine? The engineers I know would either laugh so hard they couldn't stand up, or skyrocket to the clouds! Scant is what keeps us humble. Just sayin'

BTW, I bought the Kitchen Aide dough hook with the silicone added to get all the dough out of the bottom of the bowl. Guess what? It's not perfect, either, so guess we are on our own with some of this stuff.

gigi712, I feel your pain. I'm new at piecing and self taught and have a Janome 6500. I've spent I don't know how much on quarter inch feet. I kept thinking one would work better than the other. They're fine when just piecing two pieces of fabric together. But........ when there's bulk in the seam you're sewing, the fabric skids out of control because the 1/4" foot doesn't cover all the feed dogs. So, what works for me now is using the seam guide that came with the machine, using a full size regular foot that covers all the feed dogs and moving the needle to where I need it to be. If you have an accufeed foot with a 1/4" guide, that should work good for you. Good luck!

Lynda ~ what is the Yahoo group that you mentioned? I have had the 7700 for a few months & would be interested in getting some tips on how to use it more efficiently.

If we're voting, you got my vote!!

I have the 6600 also. If you're using the accufeed 1/4" foot, are you engaging the accufeed in the uppermost position (extra high), locking it in and then dropping the foot when fully engaged? I use this foot for all my piecing. I find it gives me much more accurate seams. I know all our machines are a little different, but for a scant 1/4" I use the 5.9 setting. I still do a test piecing strip each time I start a quilt just to be sure. Different pressing techniques can also change the size of your blocks slightly.

You can also save your setting by using the memory buttons. Just push the blue "m" with the arrows at the top and the red "m" at the bottom and it will save it for the next time. Best of luck!

I just use a 1/4" seam, no movement of needle allowed. If the quilt doesn't measure what it should I increase the border sizes.

I bought a second 1/4 inch foot. DH used his grinder to shave it to give me my scant 1/4 inch.LOL, but hey it works for me.

Just remember, while that spot works for the weight of fabric and thread you are using for the project you are currently working on, there is absolutely no guarantee that it'll work with different fabric, thread, pressing, and/or cutting some day in the future. Test the accuracy with each project...and put that on your 'reminder'. :)

ghostrider, I've learned my lesson. In fact I copied bearisgray's instructions with your correction so I can remember to do it. Guess what????? I just made a PERFECT 8 1/2" square. *doing the happy dance*

I have the scant little foot From Nancy's Notions and it is my favorite foot for scant !!Check it out on her sale this weekend.

Way to go!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Leah Day sells a scant quarter inch foot in plastic

Like Scissor Queen I too have a Janome and you can adjust the needle by adjusting the stitch width or zig zag stitch. you just have to remember to reset it every time you turn your machine off and back on again. I love my Janome.

7700 users have a separate group in addition to the 6500/6600/7700. Here are the links to join:

7700 only group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JanomeHorizon7700/

6500/6600/7700 group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Janome6500/

Both groups have a wealth of info and it's fascinating to read the archives, which are searchable. If you have a problem or just a question about your Janome, you'll find answers. There are also several notable quilters who are members of the groups. The groups are geared mostly to quilters but there are other sewists there as well.

Other things you have to take in consideration are the thickness of the fabric and thread. When pressing heavier fabric the fold takes up a thread or two. Same rule applies to the weight of thread.

Thank you so much - can't wait to check them out!!

I have the same problem. I wish when they design the patterns they use 1/4 not a scant. on my Janome 6260 I have to set my needle at 4.5 and on my 5200 I have to set it at 5.5. So you just have to practice where to set the needle. Good luck

I have to ask an embarrassing question, what is an accufeed foot? I have 2 Pfaff's, do they make them for Pfaff's?

I have what I call "my 1/4 inch", and as long as I'm consistent, the quilt comes out fine!

To do that, they would have to tell you to cut all the pieces a "scooch" bigger than they do now or else say you can only use specific fabric and thread weights when making that pattern. Adjusting the seam allowance is by far the easiest option for the broadest range of people. Don't find fault, find a solution that works best for you.

My machine has a walking foot attachment, and if I move the needle all the way to the right, the seam measures a scant quarter inch, one click less, and I have a quarter inch seam. Sometimes the walking foot is not attached, and then I have to wing it.

I agree with Sylviak - there should be a scant 1/4" foot. However, if you can't move the needle far enough, you could find exactly where a scant 1/4" is on your machine and mark the spot with some post-its, the adhesive strips for your feet (can't remember what they're called) or something else like that. Your material will then butt up to it while you're sewing.

yes had this problem with 1/4 on my 6600
 

hi I have the same machine I have mine set at 3.7 and I got a new 1/4 foot on line it is clear with red markings on it and a black guide on side and a screw on the side to move it or take it off and it comes with a second guide to center in middle for stitch in the ditch love this foot there is room to move needle so you well get the 1/4 you need if you want to get a hold of me I can send picture

I am thinking a quarter inch is a quarter inch and the manufacturers should fix the foot to be what it is supposed to be and the pattern makers should allow for the thread, etc., or more than they are presently. I have a 43-year old Elna Super that does a superb job of sewing. My first project nearly drove me carefully as I was religiously adhering to the 1/4 inch foot. Discovered my putting a tape measure at the edge of the foot and lowering the needle manually that it was off a skosh. Moved the needle and marked it because it isn't off as much as where the markings start. Now the projects are going swimmingly regardless of thread, thickness of fabric, etc. Also measure a lot to be sure it doesn't get off before going too far.

Scant means smaller. Move the needle to the right with the edge of the fabric on the right.

I really never understood the "scant". I think originally it was called that is because if you saw a 1/4 in you will lose some in the measurement from the take up of fabric. You should always use the needle position for your measurement not the foot. Most mistakes are made before sewing begins. I'm with the others check and recheck at the different steps.

This is the foot i love for 1/4 just love this foot
 

If you make the entire pattern using the same seam allowance ( your i/4 inch ) it should all go together just fine.

Sanpot
 

I had the same problem until I realised that I had to move the "zigzag" button (which moves the needle over) to 4, on my Janome 6600.

Sometimes with the 1/4 foot with the sidebar there is a tendanct to push the fabric against it making the 1/4" larger.

When making something for myself or my own design, I don't worry much about this stuff. However, I'm making some D9Ps for the batik block exchange, and have cut out 6 blocks. Made the first one and it came out exactly 12", not the 12 1/2" I need. The pattern, which came from Quiltmaker magazine, said it was a 12" block, but I assumed that meant actually 12.5. Since it's going in the swap, which has to be perfect, I'm going to have to refigure it all. These tips might help. Sure is frustrating. Oh, and I have a Janome 9000, use the 1/4" foot, but never knew if I can move the needle to make it smaller. Does anyone have that machine who can tell me?

This has happened to me also, until I learned that you must
put the line on the ruler on top of the cut pieced to get an
accurate square or whatever you are cutting out. You can't
butt the line up to the cut side...it will short your piece. So
if you can't move your needle, try this. Hope it helps.
I am new to this board today....and needed to sign in to
let you know what happened to me.

I've been sewing for 40 plus years. Made all my clothes, kid clothes, curtains, swimsuits, wedding clothes, a full nursery layette, even made my husband a suit once! So I knew my way around a sewing machine and patterns when I began quilting. But quilting--with its preciseness--is, I've learned, very different. I tend to teach myself things, with the help of those who have been there before me. So, when I began my first quilt a couple of years ago, a simple 9 patch of my own design, from 100% Cranston cotton bought at Wal-Mart, I printed out a few instructions on line, and went to work. I sewed a 1/4" seam on all the pieces, sewed in sashing and borders as suggested by my online sources, used the backing as binding, and the quilt--a throw size--came out fine. I even handquilted it because I wanted to learn how and wanted the experience.

Now, two years later, I'm reading and learning more about quilting and the whole thing has become more complicated--and I have to say--less enjoyable. I agree with whoever wrote that if you use the same 1/4" seam consistently and are not using a bought pattern (I've never used a pattern but have made quilts I see in photos or online; I figure out the blocks by looking at the finished quilt) then whatever seam allowance you use should work. Although, as others have pointed out, different fabrics and/or thread do create differences--I'm currently working on a star quilt in which I have lighter and heavier weight fabrics and I see how differently they sew and press--but I'm making slight adjustments for that as I go.

This whole discussion on the dreaded scant 1/4 inch makes me anxious. I keep remembering how happily ignorant I was when I first began quiltmaking. And how well that worked for me!

Accufeed is Janome's system for feeding the top and bottom fabric evenly. It's not available on all of their machines. I believe Pfaff has something similar called the Dual Feed foot but again it's only available on certain machines.

mme3924 - it sounds like you are doing fine.

If you can make a man's suit, I would think you could piece any quilt block.

If the blocks are turning out to be the size you want them to be, don't fret about it!

It appears to me that quilting projects can vary from quite simple to extremely complex. It does make sense to me that one would have better results with a complex project if one's simpler ones are turning out 'as expected.'