scant 1/4 inch seam settings
04-08-2013, 06:30 PM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 2,033
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.
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.
04-08-2013, 06:40 PM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 1,135
This video goes with Prism's excellent explanation of the importance of scant 1/4 inch for those of us who need a visual
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBoLPslLxTs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBoLPslLxTs
Scant 1/4 inch Seam settings
04-09-2013, 04:48 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 538
Janie- THANK YOU for that video! That's EXACTLY what happened to nearly every block on my Blooming Nine Patch! And while I was able to eventually "make it work," I can now see the why of "I cut these all correctly, why aren't they matching up??!!"
For the record, the Blooming Nine Patch pattern DOES instruct a scant 1/4" throughout.
That was hugely helpful! And...I liked that that 'scant' 1/4" was clearly shown in the beginning.
For the record, the Blooming Nine Patch pattern DOES instruct a scant 1/4" throughout.
That was hugely helpful! And...I liked that that 'scant' 1/4" was clearly shown in the beginning.
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