but if you are stitching in the ditch you are stitching right over the seams, not beside them. So the way I'm picturing it, it shouldn't matter if your excess fabric is facing "up" or "down." I do also alternate seams so that they nestle when sewing blocks together and usually stitch in the ditch. I do also hand quilt so don't know if it makes a difference to quilt it with the machine. (too chicken to try that yet! :oops: )

I have a 1/4 in foot on my machine, it works great.

That was very informative, Loretta. I too, wondered what difference it would make as long as all seams were a consistant width.

Talk about opening a can of worms. LOL! :lol:

I wouldn't want to use a 1/2-inch seam because of the bulk. It becomes an issue when quilting and I do a lot of hand quilting. Because most patterns, esp. the complex ones, are set up for a 1/4" seam, you may find you have to redraft a lot of patterns and the ones that it really matters on are those patterns that use lots of points. I typically rarely use a 1/8-inch seam because if there is any fraying of the fabric at all then I loose what little seam allowance I have and that means the quilt is likely to come apart if someone sits on it, cuddles with it, or washes it a lot. I know a lot of us had issues with the 1/4-inch seam when we first started but you will quickly get used to it and it won't seem so strange. Plus, using a 1/2-inch seam line means you will end up loosing a lot of fabric in the seams, especially if you make a large quilt like a queen size. With the price of fabric today, I just can't do it!

I learned from a national instructor that I highly respect (Beverly Hindman, who is known for her hand applique & piecing) teaches that unless the block is smaller than 3-inches, you press your seams to one side or the other. I worry less about whether it is pressed toward the light or dark, though I press to the dark if it doesn't matter. I'm more concerned with ease of piecing & block construction and if that means I need to press my seams to the light side of the fabric, I do so. However, a neat little trick to help with any shadowing issues is to trim the dark fabric in the seam just a smidge so that it isn't even with the light fabric. This sounds like it wouldn't work but it really can help get rid of any shadowing.

Hope this helps.

I'm a self-taught quilter which means I did what was easiest at the time. My first book actually called for 1/2" seam allowances. (This was in the dark ages--1975 I think!!) As I've quilted more and instruction books consistently called for 1/4" seams I've had to "unlearn" a lot. Try to "learn right" from the beginning. The more you do something, the more it becomes a habit--good or bad. As with anything new, practice practice practice. But practice the correct way.
Again, it's your quilt and the quilt police aren't watching.
I hope this made sense--I just wanted to help you learn from my experience ( or inexperience at the time)
Good luck and keep on quiltin'-

Thank you everyone for all the advice. What I think I will try is sewing my 1/2" seam and then trimming it down to 1/4" AND I promise to work on sewing a 1/4" seam allowance.

Do you have a 1/4 inch foot for your machine? That is the most important foot for me. I use it so much. I, too had issues sewing 1/4 inch seam consistently but since I got my new machine and bought that foot, it's a piece of cake. They make them for all machines. Get one and I guarantee you won't be sorry.

I agree, I could live without mine but I sure wouldn't want too!

I am lucky. There is no need for me to go out and buy a special foot to get a 1/4 inch seam allowance. I have measured mine every which way to Sunday and it sews a consistant 1/4 inch seam as long as I keep the needle set in the right spot. Thank heavens for a Brother!

I invariably have problems with machine feet that have little metal guide bars on them, including my 1/4" foot. My favorite machine foot has indicators on it (both right and left); I use those as guides and always get an accurate 1/4" seam allowance.

Recently I did a quilt for a toddler. It was comprized of 25 11-1/2" blocks (with a ME design centered in each). I cut the sashing 2" wide and with 1/2" seams, the allowances butted up against each other exactly. Everything fit together very snug with no unwelcome seam allowance "lumps" or "vacancies". It is my opinion that ... if it is feasible depending on the quilt pattern ... the wider seam allowances on a small child's quilt give it an extra bit of sturdiness for what is likely to be a really active lifestyle for the quilt.