Achieving an Accurate 1/4" Seam Allowance
#51
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: California
Posts: 14,723
Great information. I have a Slimpicity and I can only move my needle to the right or left. Are there machines that the needles move more than that? I use the outside of my foot and I seem to get a true 1/4" seam and it works fine as long as I pay attention all the way to the end. When I have to try for a scant I am not sure what to do. Any help would be appreciated. How do you cover the feed dogs? Thanks for the thread. BrendaK
#52
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 2
Well, thank you so much! In the quilt classes I have taken, no one has every addressed the quarter inch
sewing problem. You make it very clear and I really needed this info years ago. Thought I was just bad at
stitching accurate 1/4" seams.
sewing problem. You make it very clear and I really needed this info years ago. Thought I was just bad at
stitching accurate 1/4" seams.
#57
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North East Lower peninsula of Michigan
Posts: 6,230
Unless I was making a quilt for a quilt show and I never will, as long as all my seams are sewn the same my quilt may be an inch smaller in the end but it will all work out. When I made my first quilt (my aviar) no one told me points were hard, no problem here, or that the seam allowance made a difference, no problem again, my quilt may not be the exact size but keeps me warm, fits my bed and even tho it was a first and I just bought quarter yard cuts it worked out just fine. This is one thing I do not stress over. And horror of horrors I used a sheet for the back and hand quilted it
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Last edited by Up North; 03-28-2016 at 03:53 PM.
#58
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,392
The "unit" of three strips should measure 3-1/2 inches wide after sewing the three strips together.
#59
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,392
Another place where fabric can "change size" - if/when pressing unwashed pieces with steam - once in a while some of the pieces shrink.
I have measured hundreds of pieces of fabric before and after washing (my method - which involves using hot water) to see if, in fact, there was shrinkage. in most cases there is some shrinkage. I have had shrinkage of over two inches in width in the Michael Miller black. Most fabrics seemed to shrink more in one direction than the other.
Because I prefer a flat as possible finished product, I do the wash before cutting process of all washable components - but many people feel that doing so is a waste of time, effort, water, and detergent.
I just washed some very tightly woven cotton fabric that I would have sworn would not shrink at all - it shrank over an inch in length!
I have noticed that several bag/purse patterns (Simplicity) are now saying to wash the fabrics before starting.
As others have said - seam width is only one of the places to look/consider when things are not turning out as expected.
I have measured hundreds of pieces of fabric before and after washing (my method - which involves using hot water) to see if, in fact, there was shrinkage. in most cases there is some shrinkage. I have had shrinkage of over two inches in width in the Michael Miller black. Most fabrics seemed to shrink more in one direction than the other.
Because I prefer a flat as possible finished product, I do the wash before cutting process of all washable components - but many people feel that doing so is a waste of time, effort, water, and detergent.
I just washed some very tightly woven cotton fabric that I would have sworn would not shrink at all - it shrank over an inch in length!
I have noticed that several bag/purse patterns (Simplicity) are now saying to wash the fabrics before starting.
As others have said - seam width is only one of the places to look/consider when things are not turning out as expected.
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