what is a scant 1/4th seam tx for the help karroll
karroll: what is a scant 1/4th seam tx for the help karroll
It is just a little to the right. Some have said about the width of the thread you are using. On my machine I set it for 1/4 in then move needle 1 click to the right. Hope that makes sense
Granny M
In Harriet Hargraves newest book series Quilter's Acadamy she suggest using a finer stronger thread... ie 60 wt / 3 ply thread. You just sew a regular quarter inch..... but because the thread is fine and very strong, you would not need to try to get a scant quarter inch..
Harriet believes that moving your needle over distorts your straight stitch which she feels is not desireable.
Most of the major thread companies have 60 wt / 3 ply ..... Personally I use PRECENTIA (SP?) It comes on a cone and I use it for all my piecing. I made test strips and found it gave me an accurate seam allowance.
NONNIE
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LadyRags,
I haven't seen you for a while. Welcome back. I use prescencia thread for hand piecing and hand appliqué. I like that it's thinner.
Karroll,
a scant quarter inch is a seam allowance that's just a thread or two less than a quarter-inch. That couple of threads matters because quilt blocks shrink slightly every time you press a seam after sewing. To compensate for this slight shrinkage and make sewn blocks come out exactly the right size, you’ll need to use a seam allowance of just a hair under a quarter-inch.
This measurement varies on different machines. You'll have to play with it to find what gives you the desired result.
I would only add to this discussion that you have to be careful when following a pattern - some patterns need the scant quarter inch and some don't they need a regular 1/4" so if you are making something that has definite sizes for each section or gives you a specific border length - before you cut your border pieces check that your pieces are measuring correctly. I wish that all designers of patterns would write whether you need to use the scant 1/4 or not. For me a scant 1/4" is one thread less then a 1/4"
You know Thea I think your right, (well actually I know you are ) because you do such beautiful work LOL But that is one place I struggle. Sometimes when I make my scant 1\4, it doesn't come out right on the block so when I move it back it works or vice versa. So I have been taking scraps and making a test block, that way I know which way I need to go.
[Ava, Missouri
Why don't they make a foot for machines that is a scant 1/4 " and that would take care of it for all of us . Maybe when we all are doing a project we should tell each other what we used if others here are gonna made the same thing like in our groups...Barbara..PS, someone (like Nana) is propbalby alreading doing this and I missed it..lol
EAT!! SLEEP !! QUILT!!
barbara, my machine does have a 1/4 inch foot, that makes a scant 1/4 seam. it also has a guide that hangs down to butt my fabric against. with my featherweights, i cut through a 2 inch section of masking tape a little over 1/16th inch through and tape it to the bed of the machine. i make test strips until i have that perfect scant 1/4 inch and stick the masking tape down.
to make test strips, to check your 1/4 inch, i cut out 6 - 1 1/2 inch strips 6 1/2 inches long and sew them together. the block should measure exactly 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. if your 1/4 inch seams are too big---your block will be too small; if you 1/4 inch seams are too small--your block will be too big. gini
gini in north idaho
hi karroll, if i haven't welcomed you yet, welcome. this is a great discussion, could everyone tag their posts thanks gini