need help what am I doing wrong
 

I am having a problem keeping 1/4" seam from start to finish, I use a starter and I do fine until I get to the end and I am off (an 8th,larger) from the start. You are so clever on this board I know some one can tell me what I need to do to stop this,

Two things that have helped me.
1. I have a Pfaff 7570 sewing machine and I set the stitch length at 2 instead of 2.5.
2. Start sewing on a scrap of fabric (about an 1" X 1" folded in half), than right onto your seam. At the end again sew onto a small scrap of fabric.

Try using something to guide the last of the fabric under the feed dogs. Whether you use a seam ripper, chop stick or whatever. The fabric tends to go in at an angle at the end when we are not controlling it. Maybe this will help.

Two things. Sounds like you are using a leader scrap, you should also use an ender to sew off onto. Second. don't, watch the needle, watch the fabric as it feeds against your foot or whatever you are using for a gauge. It's not too hard if you are sewing straight pieces, but you need to be more careful if you are sewing triangles or other shaped pieces. A stiletto helps.

I also tend to have the same problem and it happens when I even use a guide..I found that I have a tendency to let my finger stay on the fabric and my finger bumps up against the foot and it actually moves the fabric away from the needle..I need to keep my finger more to the left side of the fabric away from the presserfoot..but at the same time perpendicular to the guide as it's sewing...If your not using a guide it might be that the fabric is being shifted because you don't realize you're pushing it over as it's being fed to the needle...it might also be that you're letting go of the fabric to soon and the feed dogs just take...Hope what I don't do right might help you...

Tape on the bed of the machine to follow helps me most.

I use a magnetic seam guide right next to the foot. One of the best gadgets I ever bought.

Do you have the 1/4" foot with the little ledge to keep the fab edge up against? That might be a good investment if you don't already use one. Slow down on the "gas pedal"! Use a stilletto or ripper or shishkabob( my choice) to hold that fab and an ender........

I keep my finger on top of the fabric and hold my finger to the edge of the foot all the way to the end of the seam. Works for me.

I use a stlleto, toothpick, long straight pin - whatever - to hold the fabric/ quide it - the last inch or so - the holder is almost under the needle as that last bit is sewn.

some say that using a single hole needlrplate also helps. the downside to using that is to straight stirch ONLY - otherwise one ends up with broken or bent needles.

So true, it is very easy (for me) to leave that straight stitch plate in and then proceed to use a zig zag or something else. Ugh! (I have even tried the leaving of a post it note on the machine to help me.)

Some machines are easier than others to sew a perfect 1/4" seam. I have a Pfaff, Bernina, Brother and Baby Lock. I really think it has to do with the feed dogs, to some degree.

Do you mind telling us what machine you are using?

I have found with my Baby Lock and Brother, I can get a more uniform, even, and consistent 1/4". I use a standard (J) foot, and set the needle to the 5.5 position for a scant 1/4", and 6.0 for a full 1/4". I have found that I sew much better on these machines.

I think using a full foot, and the feed dogs really do help. But this is only my opinion.

Hope this helps.

I tend to do the same things. Try what Eisy suggest. I have multi layer of painter's tape and try to keep the fabric against the tape to keep it straight. It is amazing how little you can be off and it really does make a difference.

This might help, along with using a stiletto to guide the last couple of inches of fabric toward the sticky note, as other suggested.

Jan in VA

Get yourself a stiletto ( tooth pick, chop stick, pointed pencil, seam ripper) Slow down your sewing speed, really slow and use the stiletto as a guide to keep the fabric near the seam guide and your fingers away from the needle. Also using a scrap to sew onto at the end of a seam will help keep the seam straight.
peace

This was how many instructors in a lot of workshops I have taken have said to do it. I put my finger on the left edge of the foot about an inch before the end and my seams never veer.

I had the same problem you are experiencing. I couldn't seem to correct it. I bought a couple of different 1/4" feet and I still tailed off at the end.

I sew on 2 different Brother machines - a sewing/embroidery combination and a Brother Runway Wally World edition.

A friend recommended I buy an open toed foot that was a snap-on. That started me getting better. I use the left needle stitch setting, then change the width a bit and run the material even with the inside of the right part of the open toe foot to get my 1/4". Then I had to learn to slow down and watch the edge of the material all the way through the foot. I'm not perfect, but I am a whole lot better.

Another thing that really helped me sew straighter was some paper piecing I did. In order to stay on the line, you had to watch it closely. Getting even a little bit off caused some resewing. After you sew the same thing 10 or 15 times, you began to pay more close attention to keeping the edge of the material next to the edge of the foot all the way through the seam.

This is the foot I bought. It is a generic, so doesn't have the fancy markings on it, but I quickly found I didn't need them anyway. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Snap-on-Meta...item3f2f9b1159

http://www.quiltingboard.com/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by bearisgray http://www.quiltingboard.com/images/...post-right.png
I use a stlleto, toothpick, long straight pin - whatever - to hold the fabric/ quide it - the last inch or so - the holder is almost under the needle as that last bit is sewn.

some say that using a single hole needlrplate also helps. the downside to using that is to straight stirch ONLY - otherwise one ends up with broken or bent needles.



I have one straight stitch plate that goes on 6 or 7 of my machines. They are older mechanical machines. I use a small refrigerator magnet on the front of whatever machine has the ss plate on it so I don't forget and switch it to zz. I used to break a couple needles a week but haven't broken any since I started doing this.

Cari

I have found that in addition to the above great advice is to slow the machine as you near the end so you are not moving too fast to guide the fabric carefully. Solved the problem for me.

The magnetic guide is great if you don't have an electronic machine. They have been known to ruin the computers in some expensive electronic machines. The magnet is not good for them. You can measure the 1/4 inch and place several layers of blue painters tape at that mark and use that for a guide all the way from front to back. Good luck.

I am embarrassed to admit that after trying many methods to avoid the dreaded curve at the seam end, I finally just used a permanent marker to draw a 1/4 inch line on my actual machine. As it wears off, I just redo it. It is my machine and the quilt police can just go eat donuts!

You can also use moleskin to mark the 1/4 inch spot on the bed of the sewing machine. It is thicker than a piece of tape and provides a nice edge to run the fabric against.

I was having a lot of trouble with my seams when I saw a post here on the board that someone said she used the Command strips from the removable wall picture hanging strips. I stack two together and used them as a guide and it solved my problem. You can remove them and reuse then over and over. I sure want to thank whoever posted that tip as it has saved me so much time and aggravation.

Ditto on this advice. My preference is a shishkabob stick; sturdy, flexible, light and cheap. No need for pricey metal stilettos that are too heavy to hold. Just my 2 cents.

I have not tried a stiletto but have seen many quilters use that so I will give it a shot. What has worked best for me is to slow down. And then I keep my left pointer finger right next to the edge of the presser foot and let the fabric run under it. Seems to keep it from kicking out.

I have a Kenmore machine

thanks Jan I will try this.

I do have a1/4" foot , but do have a speedy foot so I will slow down and also try to use a stilleto of some kind.

Yes, slowing down makes a huge difference for me. I can watch closely as the last little bit goes under the presser foot and adjust as needed.

This is a great idea! It's that little bit at the end that always gets me! Or when you go over a joint....

Depending on the machine, there is less grab with the 1/4" foot due to the way the feed dogs align. I found that using the standard foot and moving the needle into the 1/4" position works better on some.

Yes, so true........