Has anyone tried the O'lipfa Seams Sew Fast Strip Piecing Guide? I've got my hubby piecing, but he could use some help with accurate seams. From what I've read, this guide is removeable. I'd want to be able to remove it when doing the quilting. Anyone have experience with it?

http://store.quilting-warehouse.com/083711.html

I have no idea how well that gizmo works, but it really saddens me how 'specialized' all the manufacturers are getting with new products quilters MUST have. They can only sell so many needles and scissors, so they have to invent new necessities. Pretty soon you will need no skill at all to make an heirloom quilt! Cricut to cut the pieces, this seam fence to sew seams on a totally computerized machine, a computer guided longarm to do the quilting...where's the skill? A six year old could do it. :cry: Sorry, hit a nerve I guess.

I inquired about this project for my husband, not for myself. He has decided to show an interest in my hobby, but if I have to stop what I'm doing constantly to help him, it's very annoying. So when I saw this item, I wondered if it would be good for him, since he's only use the machine a few times. That way he can sew on his own and I might still be able to enjoy MY hobby without distraction. I wondered about the product...I wasn't expecting to be judged badly for considering using a gadget to help him get his seams right. :(

I'm assuming that your husband isn't using the same machine as you are. There have been many suggestions about help in keeping the 1/4 inch seams, one of which is just plain old moleskin, which would be a long cheaper in the long run, because once he learns to do the seam, then he won't need it any more. I really don't think ghostrider was "judging" you, but I can certainly agree with, but they're really just "in our own opinion", please don't think we're judging you. Congratulations on your hubby wanting to learn your "hobby".

Oh, I don't think she was really judging you, I think, as she said, "It just hit a nerve." For myself, I am a newbie, and I have every gadget ever invented to help w/quilting. :oops: IMHO, they actually extended the learning process and are not really of any use. :? It is kind of like keeping your training wheels on too long. I had become dependent and now I have to work really hard at just cutting or sewing a straight line on my own. HTH

Wow, what a response! I for one like gizmos and gadgets. Sorry, but if I were to have posted this same question and got the same response I would be very unhappy.

I applaud you in getting hubby to join you in your hobby! It is so awesome! Good luck!

At a cost of about 11 bucks, I would say go for it.
Every newbie sewer needs some help, and not necessarily for a live person.
Don't most of us use a 1/4 in foot to help us make more perfect seams. And a cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter to cut more accurate pieces. I still use all these things and have been quilt making for many years. I could never have made over 150 quilts if I hadn't found all these gizmos to help me out.

Good for you hubby for sharing your interest and what a great way to free up your time by getting him to sew the strips for you! I haven't used one of those, but give it a whirl, I am all about gadgets to help you!!

Actually, he is using my machine. Which is why I hoped to get some feedback on this product before I bought it. I don't want to attach anything that I can't remove.

What I use for myself is simply exra-thick moleskin that I buy in the foot section of the pharmacy. (Have also used regular moleskin doubled, but prefer the thicker moleskin.) This is adhesive padding you can cut and put on a foot to prevent a blister from forming when walking. I rotary cut strips about 1/4" wide and as long as I want (usually about 3 inches, as extra guide to the front and rear of the needle works best).

To attach the moleskin, I place a ruler underneath the presser foot and lower the needle to a scant 1/4" inch, not quite touching the ruler line, then lower the presser foot to hold the ruler in place. I also check to make sure the ruler is not skewed but running straight from front to back. I remove the paper backing from a 3-inch strip of moleskin and lay it down on the bed of my Bernina right next to the ruler edge.

I have left this on my machine for long periods of time; it has always removed easily. The moleskin provides an edge for me to butt my pieces against and make my piecing very accurate. I love that I don't have to keep my eyes glued to a line on the bed of my machine!

Before coming across the moleskin idea I had tried a magnetic guide and didn't like it. For one thing, it was too short. As I recall, the fabric would sometimes curl next to it also, making the seam too wide. Moleskin all the way for me! :lol: Oh, and I have been quilting on and off for about 30 years now. I would *hate* to have to piece without my moleskin guide!

Edit: I went back and clicked on your link to see what this guide is. I have used that type of guide also (especially for sewing half-square triangles). It's okay, but honestly the moleskin guide works better because you don't have to keep your eyes glued to a line. With the flat guides like the one in your link, I never had a problem removing them, but I don't know about this one specifically.

Also, I have fixed up many vintage machines over the years. The adhesives that are impossible to get off have always been masking tape and transparent tape. Granted, these were probably all baked on for decades, but I still wouldn't use them on my machine for longer than a few days at a time. Today's machine finishes are much stronger than the vintage finishes too. Today I could use Goo-Gone on my machine without a twinge, whereas it would damage the finish on a vintage machine.

Thanks for the moleskin tip...I think I'll try that first.

It appears that this guide is for strips only. It would not help once you are sewing the pieces together. It looks like there is a plastic sleeve that you feed the strips of fabric into...
I enlarged the picture on my screen and it looks as though the widest fabric you can run through the guide is 2-3 inches. This would be great for sewing two pieces together, but I don't see where you could add on additional strips on using this tool.....

Maybe if someone comes across a clearer/more enlarged picture of this guide and instructions.....

[quote=ghostrider]I have no idea how well that gizmo works, but it really saddens me how 'specialized' all the manufacturers are getting with new products quilters MUST have. They can only sell so many needles and scissors, so they have to invent new necessities. Pretty soon you will need no skill at all to make an heirloom quilt! Cricut to cut the pieces, this seam fence to sew seams on a totally computerized machine, a computer guided longarm to do the quilting...where's the skill? A six year old could do it. :cry: Sorry, hit a nerve I guess. [/quote

I have an awful time achieving consistent scant 1/4-inch seams and welcome any method that helps me achieve good results. Cutting a smidge wider works for me, but I have used many other tools to get where I am today. I do not compare my completed works or how I achieved them with others (and there are masters on this board!) but feel a sense of accomplishment when I have finished a project to the best of my own ability. What is one person’s so-called “skill” may not be another’s. Who is right?

We are our own worst critics and I’m sure we hold ourselves to a higher standard. However, this Board is here to support, encourage and advise. Not to judge others for the methods they use to enjoy their art of quilting. Sorry, hit a nerve, I guess.

I intended no judgement or criticism of anyone with what I said earlier. My apologies if it was misinterpreted as such.

There is a review and a larger photo of this device at Meijers. http://www.meijer.com/pwr/product-re...ing-Guide.html The review is not good.

Oh, my. On that close-up I see that the strips are fed through the plastic. I can see why that would not work well!!!

Thank you to those of you who described the product better. That is exactly the type of response I was looking for when I posted. I didn't see one locally and the pics online were not that clear to me. It is not what I thought it was and I am glad I didn't jump right in and buy it. I will try the moleskin.

I'm glad to hear that you meant no criticism. :)

There are so many reasons why people get into their hobby. Some want to create heirloom quality quilts, while others might just want to pass the time. For me, it's usually a way to relax and unwind from a stressful day. I have no desire to create a show quilt. I just enjoy working on them and seeing how the finished quilt comes out. I'm far from perfect, but the recipients would never notice. Some people want every gadget to help them achieve perfection, while others only want the basics. I'm somewhere in between. I'm glad I found this board. I've learned so much from other people's experience, and probably have saved money in the long run because of it.

That was nice of you to repost ghostrider so there would not be a misunderstanding :)....it is hard to write something and have it come out wrong. Everyone here is so friendly and helpful...glad you did that.

Margie

Have you tried a 1/4 inch foot for the sewing machine...it has helped me tremendously and LORD KNOWS.... I need all the help I can get lol

Margie

You can also try a stack of post-its in the same manner as the moleskin. That has worked for me.
lots2do

I have one, but the seams still come out too big when I use it. Maybe it's bent or something. I do better lining up with the edge of the foot. But hubby doesn't do as well with the same. That started my search for another option.

How long do they stay stuck to the machine? I can barely get them to stay stuck to paper!

That's what I love about this board. We can ask and find out if a gizmo is working for someone else before we spend our money on it. I remember seeing my sisters rotary cutter for the first time. (This was before I started quilting.) I wondered why she needed a pizza cutter to cut fabric. Isn't that what I have scissors for. :oops: :oops: :oops: Now I can't imagine not having one (or many) of. We learn as we go.

Your post caught my eye... with the moleskin, do you think it would bother the finish on a vintage machine? Right now I'm using painters tape and although it's working out ok, I'd like to maybe try this moleskin stuff..

You could always put the moleskin right on top of the painters tape to be safe. The advantage of moleskin is the height of it, but I think you're right to be concerned about the finish on your vintage machine. It's pretty sticky, especially after being there for awhile.

heir·loom (ârlm) n.
1. A valued possession passed down in a family through succeeding generations.
2. An article of personal property included in an inherited estate.

1. an object that has been in a family for generations
2. (Law) Property law a chattel inherited by special custom or in accordance with the terms of a will

source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/heirloom

----------------------------

notice, if you will, the complete LACK of any mention regarding:
- the skill with which an item was made;
- the tools used to achieve that level of skill;
- [in the specific case of a quilt] the price of the fabric, thread, batting, machine or any of the other supplies for that matter

it matters not what the item is ... it ain't no heirloom unless somebody loves it, takes care of it, and passes it on when they shuffle off this mortal coil.

WalMartians, DitchStitchers and GadgetJunkies UNITE!!!!!

P.S. - buy the dear his own machine. better yet ... buy yourself a new machine and lovingly offer him the use of the one you have now.

:wink:

You crack me up! I am thinking of buying him his own...since he just bought me this one a few months ago!

When I first started quilting I used an old fasioned seam guage to consistently check my seam allowance. You can get a seam guage, seam ripper and thread snips for $2.00

I also laid down several rows of masking tape on my old machine bed to help feed the fabric in at a consistent quarter inch. When I got my Bernina I laid out the tape on my table.

When I first started, I would measure each seam with the seam guage to ensure I was maintaining a 1/4" until I got really good at sewing a 1/4" My machine didn't have a 1/4" presser foot so I took an ultra fine sharpie and put a little mark on the presser foot where the 1/4" seam allowance would be.

The biggest thing is where your eyes are focused as you feed the fabric in. You may want to ask DH where he is looking. Is he looking at where the needle is sewing or is he watching the edge of his fabric to ensure it is lining up with the proper place on the presser foot? Tell him it is like pool (got to speak in man terms, donchaknow :lol: ). Just like in pool, when you take your shot you want to be looking at the pocket you want the ball to go in not the cue ball. So with sewing he wants to be looking at where the fabric is lining up as it goes under the presser foot, not the needle.

tuesy, I wouldn't use moleskin on a black vintage Singer machine with scrollwork. Those old black machines have a type of finish that is easily damaged, and I would not risk the adhesive on it. I would never put it on a Singer featherweight either, black or otherwise.

At some point the finishes on sewing machines got a lot better, but I'm not sure how far back in "vintage" this happened. I would certainly risk moleskin on some of the newer vintage Singer machines -- maybe on models like the 301, 401, 830, 930; however, I'd probably join a list specific to that kind of vintage machine and ask for advice there first. Some of the people who posts on those lists have amazing technical knowledg of the various models and would know how impervious to damage the finish is.

Hello! I just received the "Seams Sew Fast" in the mail. It is just made from thin plastic. A bit expensive but I think it might work for me. I am new to quilting large items and I have arthritis in my fingers. So I wanted to give it a try. I will let you know how it worked for me. I went on u tube to see a demo on how to put on your machine, which was helpful to me since I do better at visual instructions than written ones. LOL
KATHRYN (KTDID49)