scant 1/4 inch seam settings
 

I have recently come across a pattern that calls for a scant 1/4 inch seam. I have a BabyLock Ellisimo machine. Is there a certain stitch length that I should set my machine on? Any help would be appreciated to this old newbie. Thanks

it is like a needles width less than a 1/4" so if you can just move your needle position

I have an Ellisimo also, my Christmas gift. Before that an Ellegante. In either case, I have my needle position all the way over to the right, width of 7.0. I also have a fantastic ruler that has this little hole in it for the needle and it shows where the scant 1/4 would be on my sewing machine bed. I use mole skin and line it up with that ruler. Works everytime - best lesson I learned in one of my classes. Not only do I get a great scant 1/4, I have nice straight seams.

Marti, I have seen this ruler discussed. Would you mind giving the company's name and if so where it can be purchased if you know?

Sounds like a neat gadget...is it this thing? https://www.softexpressions.com/Merc.../PerPiecEx.jpg

Dritz has a little red ruler out with this kind of hole; however, I measured it and it creates an *exact* 1/4" measurement! I would not trust that one! Guidelines4quilting.com also has a gizmo for measuring a scant 1/4". I have it, but do not use it.

It's easier for me to simply use my most trusted ruler. I put the ruler under the raised presser foot, gently lower the needle until it is touching just to the right of the 1/4" line, lower the presser foot to hold the ruler in place, check that the ruler is running front to back (not skewed), and butt my adhesive guide (the Dritz refill for the red ruler) against my ruler. That creates a physical barrier that I can run my strips against. I can sew seams very accurately and very fast with this method.

Another option is to simply use a lined index card to measure your scant 1/4". The lines are 4 to the inch.

Don't you wonder that someone writes in the directions to use a 'scant' 1/4". There is no universal usage for this term. Not sure if it is lazy pattern creators/writers or if someone just wants to show off.

Obviously I wish everyone would use a standard 1/4".

I did a post on this a while back that you may find useful:

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

Andi

All patterns are drafted with standard 1/4" seams. The problem comes with actually achieving that standard. If we sew an exact 1/4" seam and then press, the seams takes up a little more than 1/4" because of turn-of-the-cloth and thread width. This slight difference doesn't matter in simple block patterns, but starts creating havoc when the quilter needs to match up complex blocks with one another.

The goal is to achieve an accurate 1/4" seam *after pressing* so that the block measures correctly. To achieve that, it's necessary to sew slightly less than 1/4" seam.

Hi,

I have my Symphony and Elegante2 both set for a scant quarter inch at the recommendation of my fabulous Babylock dealer! The setting is 6.0 and 2.0 or 2.5. I set one of my stitches to automatically go there when I tap it. Love it!
I've used it that way since I got my machines....works perfect.
Hope that helps!