Quilting is fun. It is relaxing. Quilting is an artistic expression of one's thoughts, feelings, emotions. It is an escape. But let's be honest - to successfully complete MOST patterns and projects, there is one teeny tiny aspect that demands absolute perfection. Absolute.Perfection.
That is the 1/4" seam. For all those pieces to come together in perfect harmony, the seams that join them must be accurate. Ah....the stress is rising now! But fear not, dear quilting friend. With practice and attention to detail, it can be achieved! Really!
Let's look at some of the tools of the trade that will help you get those perfect results you are striving for.
Sewing Machine Guide (similar item available here)
This tiny little tool helps you ensure you are getting an accurate 1/4" seam when sewing. How do you use it?
Easy! Place the guide under your presser foot, aligning the edge of the guide with the edge of your presser foot. SLOWLY...S..L..O..W..L..Y lower your needle. If your needle does NOT go into the 1/4" hole, you need to manually move your needle until it DOES line up with the hole. Once aligned, you can now sew using the edge of your presser foot as your guide for a 1/4" seam. See? Super easy! And yes, you can use it for other seam widths - it has marking for additional wider and narrower seam widths.
1/4" Sewing Feet
Many sewing machines have their own 1/4" foot, which simply means that when placed on the machine, the needle is 1/4" from the edge of the presser foot. While the two presser feet pictured above LOOK very different - one is much wider than the other - they are actually both 1/4" feet. The important part is not the overall width of the foot, but rathe the distance from the needle (which will fall in that open slit area) and the right edge of the foot. FYI - both of the above pictured feet are for a Janome - one for a 6500, one for a Memory Craft 9450. Yours may look different - but if it is a 1/4" foot, the distance between the slit and the edge of the foot will be - wait for it - 1/4".
Machine Settings for your 1/4" Seam
Your machine MAY have a setting for a 1/4" seam. Pictured above is the setting for my machine. This setting assumes I am using the 1/4" foot (pictured earlier) and positions the needle so that it will sew with an accurate 1/4" seam.
Some machines do not have a 1/4" setting, but instead allow you to move the needle position to the left or right to change the seam allowance. Pull out your manual to check what is recommended for your specific machine.
Exercise to Test Your 1/4" Seam
Here is a simple exercise to test your seams! Cut (2) 2 1/2" strips from a dark fabric and (1) 2 1/2" strip from a light fabric. Your strips can be ANY length. Any length (ok, not 2" - let's not go crazy here). Feel free to use scraps!
Sew the three strips together, placing the light strip between the two dark strips. Press to the darker fabric.
Check your strip set. How wide is it? It SHOULD measure 6 1/2". Your center strip SHOULD measure 2", with each of the outside strips measuring 2 1/4". How did you do? If you are off, turn it over and measure those pressed seams (and don't forget to check your pressing too!).
If you were off, keep practicing. Pay close attention to all of the details. Everything matters - from the cut sizes of the strips (are they an accurate 2 1/2" wide), to the seams (are they an accurate 1/4"), to the pressing (did you get a nice flat seam, or do you have some "pleating"). You WILL get there!
Why 1/4" Seams Matter
Above is a close up of a pieced block. In the picture, you can see the seams of a flying gees unit AND the seam between that unit and another unit. See those diagonal seams of the flying geese unit? If they are accurate, then where they cross each other at the top will be (you guessed it!) 1/4" from the raw edge. When that unit is sewn to another unit, the point of the flying geese will go right to the edge of the seam.
The unit will look like this - a perfect point that comes right up to the edge of the seam, but stays nice and crisp! I LOVE It when this happens! That's my goal. Each. And. Every. Time!
The quarter inch seam can sound challenging, but like any skill, it can be mastered. You can do this! Use the tools at your disposal, practice, practice, practice, and breathe! You've got this!
Head over to Kate's blog. She will have some wonderful tips and suggestions to improve your 1/4" seam stitching game as well.
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