? re: 1/4" seams and featherweights...
 

I'm using my featherweight today and I notice the 1/4" is hard to maintain because the marking for the 1/4" is very difficult to see. I wondered what others do to work-around this problem. Is there a seam-guide one could use of the type that screw into the bed of the machine? Or a special foot, perhaps?

My Featherweight came with the screw in seam guide. You can also buy a 1/4" foot for your machine. A generic one for a short shank machine will fit (5.99 in Canada) or you can buy one with the little metal edge (19.99 in Canada). Featherweights are short shank machines and it isn't hard to get a foot to fit.

Shelbie, thank you. I will look for screw-on short-shank foot OR scruff up one of the seam guides. This one didn't come with that but I've seen them before.

If you happen to have a Viking sewing machine, the "ankle" for this machine also fits the featherweight and then use the 1/4 foot for the viking also. Works great for m Featherweight. I tried the seam guide and didn't like it as well as the 1/4 foot.

I have a 1/4" piecing foot and a screw-down seam guide. I actually like the seam guide better. I think it helps to have something longer than the foot to actually put my material against, kind of "no brainer" sewing. :)

I use the guide that's attached to the bed with a screw and the 1/4" foot with the little guide. I've found they both work but I like the foot with the guide.
The 1/4" foot with the guide is wider, kind of like a zig-zag foot and seams to work better.

I got the 1/4" foot at Sew-Classic. The bed mount guide came in various and sundry accessory kits we've accumulated over the years.

Joe

I haven't tried using a seam guide on my FW, but I have on my 301, and I like it a lot better than trying to use the 1/4" foot. Easier.

I use the seam guide on both my FW and 301. It works well for me!

I have the sew-classic foot on my 15-91. It works great!! Maybe i should check my accessories for a screw down seammguide.

This is a very nice blog post on a few different ways to find a good 1/4" seam - when I started (before I had a 1/4" foot) I used the moleskin (Dr Scholl's).

http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/?p=147