Rubesgirl

I found that by moving my needle one place to the right and then using the edge of my regular presser foot as a guide, I get 1/4" seams. I based this on putting a piece of 1/4" graph paper under the foot, lining the needle up with a line and adjusting the needle to the right until it came down exactly on the next 1/4" line. Haven't had a problem since. If this works for you, you might write down how far you moved the needle so it will be the same every time. Just a suggestion ... :-)

tapper

Again...thank you. This has been a wonderful discussion.

I am going to try a straight stitch foot and get the 1/4 inch through that. I am also going to see if I can use Bonnie's screw-on plate.
Someone mentioned about the fabric not feeding through in the right way. I have noticed that no matter how careful I am, my fabric wobbles a bit, so perhaps the feed dogs aren't working as they should.

Many thanks.

Mousie

I'm wondering if you might be making the same mistake I did when i first started quilting.
I had been sewing for 40 plus years, but you have a fudge factor (margin), with clothing etc.
I was so focused on the seam allowance, it seemed like it took me forever to just realize that it is
the measurements of the block INSIDE the seams that really mattered.
After I had that revelation I started using a mechanical pencil and drew my seam lines just dark
enough to see. (You don't want to get carbon on your thread, but this was the thinnest line I
could get.)
After I started sewing on the lines, my blocks came out perfect...well, you know what I mean.
I really hope you see this, bc i felt like such a dummy and my first quilt was pretty but it sure
wasn't accurate.
I had to "finagle" the finished product and only my grandmouslings see it,...but they think
everything I do is fantastic. Gotta love those little meeces!

My time

Have you tried having a fellow quilter use your machine and see if they get a 1/4 inch seam? It might be your machine? Now that being said, if you keep your seam width consistent throught your quilt it shouldn't represent to much of a problem......should it??

mariatherese

The 1/4" seam drives me crazy since I switched from my Pfaff to the Juki. The juki does not have a presser foot with a guide. I just ordered a high shank foot with a 1/4 inch guide and hope this will do the trick.

The problem I find with the Juki foot is that it is too narrow. That makes the magnetic seam guide less accurate. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the new foot.

I'm currently doing the 52 women of the bible quilt. The blocks are constructed with different techniques that makes it absolutely essential to keep the scant 1/4" allowance.

memereof8

The 1/4" seam. The pain in the neck seam! I am President of our guild. You do not know how many demo's and workshops have been held. We show the different feet that can be used for a scant 1/4" seam; have on display what the seam will look like using these different feet; even to bring our machines and have the members sew the seam. I am in the process of putting together a community quilt for our local Veteran's Home. Some of the blocks cannot be used. Block is not the correct size, some seams are larger than 1/4", some are sewed with a 1/16" seam. Others do not check their thread tension. I had to go back and reinforce the seams. With frequent washings these quilts will fall apart. I'm not in the habit of complaining, could you bloggers tell me why someone would not be proud to hand in a usable block. I'm not a perfectionist but? Our Board needs help.