Perfect quarter of a inch
 

you all know how i have been laboring over getting a quarter of a inch. well i went to the quilt show in nj (which i thought was great this year), and came across steve & lu ann tippets and their new "ideal seam guide" & ruler. when i tell you great i loved it and couldnt wait to get home to try it. so at 11:00 last night i was playing with the ruler and seam guide on my machines. i love it. here is a link to their website. let me know what you think. i have no connection to them, i just think its a great product. the website does not show the ruler and how it works. after you find the scant quarter of a inch using the ideal seam guide, you get the ruler line it up and walla! perfect scant quarter or 1/8 up to 1 1/2".


www.sewverysmooth.com

If this helps you, that's great. The problem I see is that the scant 1/4 inch is dependent on your fabric. If you're sewing with heavier fabrics, you need to sew with a little less seam allowance. It's not the width of the seam that matters - it's the width of the fabric between the seams.

It's great that you found what works for you!

As for scant 1/4" seams - 'scant 1/4"' can't really be defined, so I don't worry about it. However, I do like a consistent 1.4 inch seams so understand 100% why you were looking for the right tool for you!

If it works for you, that is super. I tried something similar with a hard plastic ruler with holes in it, and sticky 'bumper tape'.

Now I tend to prefer a 3-piece test with my fabric and pressing and measuring to see what I got, and working back from there if I need adjustments to the needle position or the 1/4" flange on my presser foot. I let the fabric 'rule'. LOL

And sometimes the adjustment needs to go back to how the fabric is cut!

Even thou we talk about a 1/4" or scant 1/4" seam, you really don't measure the seam, you measure the patch!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ce-t89997.html

I am happy to get consistent seams - and the ruler with the hole and a piece of mole skin is my saving grace.

Well, that looks pretty nifty.

Dina

Good for you. What ever works!!

I think it looks awesome and like something I could use. Under "how to" it does have some video and photos of the seam guide (and gauge).

The CONSISTENT perfect 1/4 is elusive. I have all those markings on the needle plate of my machines, plus I can adjust my needle position.
Currently I'm leaning towards the philosophy " if I make the same error consistently it will work out."
MaryKAtherine

pretty nifty tools!

i have the same setup done with an old gift card taped at 1/4". it gives me a little bump to butt up against. i use double sided tape that is easily removed for when i need a different seam.

now, i do love that purple sewing machine they have... pretty cool!

I had never heard that different fabric has different requirements. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks dunster.

That's how I see it too. My other philosophy is "I have more fun when I don't care as much". And that one helps me enjoy quilting too. I just recently came back to quilting after a very long time away. The blocks I hated for whatever reason are a joy to me now because it's like someone else made them! They are beautiful and fun and they don't have to be perfect, but they are very close anyway! So I try and be as non-critical with my current work as I am with my old work, and enjoy the relaxation of quilting rather than working toward perfection.

So many variables! Fabric density affects the width of the pressed seam and so does the size of the thread. You get a far different outcome when you use 40 wt. or 50 wt. than when you use 60 wt. The most important thing is the finished size of each component piece in the block. That is why using the three strip method of measurement is so important. And, of course, how we cut is important. So, again, use whatever combination of techniques and tools to help you achieve the goal of the right size patch and block combination.

I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a perfect quarter inch... So whenever possible I cut my fabric bigger and square up. This seems to work best for me... I love Deb Tuckers Tucker trimmer, wing clipper and square up rulers.

nailed it ;-)

Actually, one is not able to get a " perefect" 0.25 inch seam because one can only achieve as much accuracy as one s tools and materials allow.

That said, it is good to do piecing that finishes within your level of tolerance.

I agree with Dunster. Working with some many fabrics of various thickness makes a difference especially with seams. Glad you found something that works for you !

I bought these at the Houston show and love them also. My 9 year old niece also sews on my machine and she wants a set for when she has her own machine "someday". It is the first time I have ever felt that my seams were consistent!

Thank goodness that someone else knows that scant 1/4 inch seam not only has no definition, but if it did exist would boil down to how thick the threads in your fabric are. Give us all a break, Quilters, and stop obsessing over the width of a thread! froggyintexas

I think if nothing else, this device would allow someone to get a consistent seam more easily no matter what the size. I think it's a great find!

'FOR ME' what i liked about it is it went further up the bed of the machine. i worked w/it today and again, 'FOR ME' i liked it.

I use index cards. Turn the wheel to lower the needle into one of the lines. Look to the right to see how far off your foot is. (edge of foot should be exactly on the line to the right.) If it needs adjustment, adjust your needle (right or left).

This is also great if trying to achieve a scant 1/4".

Every machine has a different needle placement for a true 1/4". (I don't have to use the 1/4" foot, which isn't very accurate anyway.)

Oh so true- and something we sometimes rue!!! :(

Amen to that!

I bought it last year at the Sewing Expo. Though it measures great, it won't stick to the bed of my Viking machine as it is too round. Bummer.