HELP!

[Gayle L.]

Just came back from a quilt retreat and I tried to do JAN feb and March. I was careful printing out the templates so the square equaled 1". It took forever but I finally got the spikes right. Then the strips - cut carefully but for the life of me I could not matche the points to the center of each red and green stripe. I was using the Janome 3160 quarter inch foot. It doesn't give me a true 1/4". I switched and tried every foot in the box and the closest I came to a quarter of an inch was when using the regular foot of clear plastic and metal and eyeballing the line where the clear met the metal. I ripped and ripped sewed and sewed and now want to ditch the whole quilt. A friend said get a grid and paper piece the red and green stripes. how do I do that?! Where do I find the grid? Lynn the beginner in Texas

[Margo C.]

Hi Lynn and welcome to the forum!

For your quarter inch seam allowance you might want to check out my "test"! learn/classrooms/

Although I don't have a video showing how to create a foundation for the red and green stripes, you should be able to figure out how to easily draw your own foundation for those units from the other videos I've offered in my classroom about paper piecing. learn/classrooms/

Hope this helps!

[Margo C.]

I am not making this quilt but do have a tip for getting the right seam allowance.

I use a "Fence". I used to use a Post It Pad but now have a piece of acrylic. Here's what you do:

Lay a rotary ruler directly under your needle and lower the needle so it just hovers above the ruler. Most of the ruler will stick out to the left but let the 1/4" line stick out to the right. Set it to the 1/4" line - I tend to use a scant 1/4" so I move my ruler over to the left a teeny tiny tad so that it's just a smidge less than the full 1/4". You should use whatever distance you need to get your 1/4".

Now, take a Post It pad and peel off a bunch of sheets about 1/4" deep. Lay that Post It Note pad on the bed of the machine butted up against the ruler. If you use one that's about 3" long, you can put about 2" of the pad towards the front of the foot, and 1" of the pad extends behind the foot. The sticky will hold it in place for now. Place it so the glued edge is parallel to the foot (you don't want sheets fluttering on that edge).

Now do your 1/4" seam test as Margo posted above. You will be sewing with the fabric edge gently up against the Post It Note fence. If it's good, go ahead and use some blue painters tape to secure the Post It Pad down to the machine bed firmly. If your test is not perfect, just start over and move the pad as needed. Hopefully, it won't be in the way of where your bobbin is. If it is, you might have to reset each time you need a new bobbin, but it's worth it.

If you want to use a piece of acrylic, somewhere around the size of a business card is good. I have even used the plastic top of a small rectangular pin case - layed the lid down flat side to the machine bed and secured with double stick tape. Then I use the lid to put pins in!

Here's the caveat: You cannot have any pins in the seam you are sewing that stick out on the right side of the fabric or they will hit the fence. I place my pins so their head is on the left of the foot and the point is at least 1/2" from the sewing area, so it won't hit the fence. This is a bit easier for me as I am left handed, but even a righty might be willing to deal with that one inconvenience.

Hope this is clear and helps.

[Margo C.]

Thank you both so much. Real people do read these things AND give excellent advice. I'll try the test and the fence. It gives me hope that you answered me!

[Margo C.]

HI Lynn and welcome to the forum. There are lots of real people here from around the world and we like to help too.

[E.M. T.]

Nothin' really to add but this...we all have to work at the 1/4" seam from time to time...so be patient
with yourself and know a little practice will go a long ways !! :roll:

[ANNE E.]

Lynn, when you have found the right adjustment don't forget to write it down
Anne

[Hannelore N.]

Hi Lynn! I tend to use the foot I like and move the needle position to give me the seam allowance I want.

By the way, I can only sew reasonably accurately when I'm not tired and when I don't get distracted.

[Susan B.]

I finally got a 1/4 inch seam down after years, but still check myself all the time because I use different machines and forget what I did. I rely on a Quilter's Gauge by Dritz (I think there is one called a Collins seam gauge after Sally Collins, too). This can be purchased at Joann's for under 6 dollars. It's red. The needle goes all the way through the ruler, then I set my "fence".