Great information...thanks so much.

Thanks for the ideas. This was my major problem when I attempted to do a Morning Star quilt block. I will now go back and try again. Was so frustrated last year with this 1/4 seam that I put the project away. Let you know how it works for me.

thank you very much fo rthis tutorial.. it is a good idea

This is very clear and a great way to get that 1/4 in seam. I have a foot for one machine, but not for my old one. However I don't get the SCANT part at all. Trying to move a needle one or two threads seems silly. Wish it would just go away once and for all. I say the patterns should just use the 1/4 in seam and be done with it.

QuiltingWolf, Gorgeous Roses in your Avatar!

Instead of masking tape I use moleskin. It's thicker and will last longer than tape. Nice tutorial.

iamjet, you're only measuring the center strip of fabric. It lost 1/4 in. off each side, so should be 1" after sewing.

I think I will use this to see if my 1/4 in foot is accurate. Thanks.

My machine is an oldie but a goodie BUT I don't have the needle adjust so how would I go about using the graph?

Seam allowance is only one factor in getting a block to end up being the expected/hoped for size.

Was the fabric washed/shrunk before cutting? If starched/sized - the moisture and heat when it's pressed can change the size of SOME fabrics. Steam pressing can also shrink SOME unwashed fabrics.

Size of the pieces - ruler placement can make them vary up to 1/16 or an inch or more - Quilter's Rule has really thick lines - so I don't use it now.

Even using the fine lines on the rulers I use now as guides, I've noticed that my 2.5 (2-1/2) inch strips are actually about 2.52 (2-17/33) inches wide. If you use the shape-cut ruler or die cut pieces, they might be a bit smaller.

Thread thickness - some think this really matters -

Pressing techniques - try not to stretch the fabric - but make sure that there are no pleats by the seams

Seam width matters - but what really matters is that the unit or block ends up being the expected/wanted size.

Hi Janet

You only measure the center strip not all three strips.

Kitty

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

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. :D

Thank you so much for posting this!

An index card also works great.

I always pass this along to beginner quilters.Thanks for posting tute......

Thank you. That accurate seam allowance is so important.

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

The center strip should measure one inch "finished" width - the part that will be "showing" when the item is complete.

The "unit" of three strips should measure 3-1/2 inches wide after sewing the three strips together.

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.

janet-the CENTER strip only measures 1 inch.....other Janet

The link didn't work for me, so I searched for the article and found it here:
http://andicrafts.me/accurate-quarter-inch-seams/

Lined index cards also work.