Skylark53

First off, sorry for all the questions lately! I'm pretty new to this and self-taught at this point. Also a perfectionist....which I know is both good and bad with quilting.

I'm tackling my first big project, a basic patchwork quilt with 5.5" finished squares (well, a little under that as my 1/4" seam isn't perfect...) I've only made a small rag quilt before which I know is much more forgiving with errors so I'm trying to get an idea of how "off" I can before I spend hours making what will turn out to be defective strips. Of course, in the pictures I took, the seams don't look AS bad; I did put arrows in what to me are the worse spots. My question is: for the project I'm doing, are these variations acceptable, or should I start over? (You can see a larger image if you right-click open in new tab or view image)

bearisgray

Those are very tolerable - and my tolerance for error is pretty low.

When you sew the next row to that, it really won't matter at all -IF your squares are the same size and your seam allowances are consistent.

CorgiNole

Consistency is the key - if your 1/4 inch seam is slightly off - as long as it is consistent you should be able to make the corners match up. When you move on to more complex designs, you may need more accuracy with seam allowance - but by then you'll have it work out to perfection.

Your strip looks great and I don't see anything that would trip me up.

Cheers, K

ManiacQuilter2

I agree with Corgi. Try not to be perfect because you WILL make mistakes, we all have. Just enjoy the journey. Do whatever it takes to nail your 1/4" seam. It can be a little fat or skinny but be consistent. You will need that to move into making triangles.

citruscountyquilter

I agree - consistency is the key. If your seam allowances are a little on the plus side then your finished article will be a little smaller and the reverse would be true if your seam allowances were skimpy. If finished size isn't a big issue then strive for consistency. If there are many seams over time a little off will make a difference. If you're 1/8 off in your seam which isn't much but over 8 seams that's an inch which is a big deal.

Are you using a 1/4" foot? That really helps I think. If you don't have a 1/4" foot then use a piece of painters tape to mark a line where the edge of your fabric goes. Even better take a knife and cut down through a roll of painters tape a bit so you get a number of layers already stuck together and then put it on your machine. It will form a dam for you to but your fabric up to. I've also seen people tape an old credit card to the machine as a dam to run the fabric against.

Don't obsess too much. Do the best you can and the more you do the better you will become. This is coming from someone who has point matching OCD.

Prism99

Acceptable. Fabric has a somewhat forgiving nature, allowing you to manipulate it slightly at the sewing machine. I do not see any show-stopper variations in your photos.

Skylark53

Thanks all! I do have a 1/4" foot and a graduated throat plate. I find it really hard for some reason to follow along the edge of the foot so I am lining it up just a hair before the 1/4" line on the throat plate, which pretty much lines up with the edge of the foot. It's easier for me to follow the line for some reason.

My next project, I'll probably do all the "tests" to check for a true/scant 1/4" seam. I'll also experiment with my other machine.

The credit card thing is an interesting idea...I do have painter's tape but admit I am hesitant to stick it all over my FW...

CorgiNole

Nova Montgomery sells a seam guide for the Featherweight that screws in. I received mine a few days ago and am impressed by the quality. I would be hesitant to to stick something to a FW, especially as mine has a really good finish on it.

The quarter inch foot, depending on the machine is not always a quarter inch. You also want to be able to train your eyes in front of the foot rather than on the foot or on the needle. Right now, I'm looking at where the fabric meets up against the feed dogs.

I do recommend the tests for a true/scant seam. The one I use is the one I learned from Harriet Hargrave's Quilter's Academy. Cut three short strips that are 2 inches wide. Sew all three together and then measure to see if your center strip is 1.5 inches. If it is not, adjust your seam width. I have a ruler that is 1.5 inches wide - so if I can lay it on the center strip and it fits perfectly, I know that I've nailed the seam.

This is something you have to test on a regular basis. Bonnie Hunter pointed out in the class I took on Saturday, that the scant quarter inch is dependent no only on seam width - but also on the type of fabric and weight of the thread you are using. And also on how well you press your seams.

Cheers, K

cindi

My "margin of error"? If you stand back six feet and look at the block or quilt, can you see your errors? If you can, re-do it. If not, it's perfect!

joe'smom

I think it's important, when learning something, to keep going rather than starting over if it isn't perfect. I think we learn far more going through a process than trying to achieve perfection at the outset. That said, they look fine to me. Keep going!