"Perfect" 1/4 inch foot - Singer 237
#11
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Blue Mountains, Australia.
Posts: 152
I use vintage sewing machines, mainly Singers, for most of my sew and patchwork/quilting. However, one advantage of my Janome 8900QCP is that I can move the needle left and right. Even with the Janome 1/4 inch feet (yes, they have more than one), I still need to move the needle right a few notches to get the perfect scant 1/4 inch seam.
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,847
What I think is kind of interesting/amusing -
The "all-purpose foot" - which is the only one that came with some of the Singer 237's that I have - is the one I use for that "perfect" 1/4 inch seam - as long as I have the needle at the center position setting.
The Singer 237 is an early 1960's machine that is considered a Plain Jane machine - but I am fond of them.
The "all-purpose foot" - which is the only one that came with some of the Singer 237's that I have - is the one I use for that "perfect" 1/4 inch seam - as long as I have the needle at the center position setting.
The Singer 237 is an early 1960's machine that is considered a Plain Jane machine - but I am fond of them.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 817
I ❤️❤️❤️My 237.
Have to agree that how you feed your fabric matters
With any sewing machine a ruler to position your needle to exact 1/4" seam allowance can be used and ......use a one inch or longer strip to extend a guide to assist w feeding the fabric for smooth and accurate seam allowance
Makes such a difference
The product name of the strip I use escapes me; I will look it up and share
Have to agree that how you feed your fabric matters
With any sewing machine a ruler to position your needle to exact 1/4" seam allowance can be used and ......use a one inch or longer strip to extend a guide to assist w feeding the fabric for smooth and accurate seam allowance
Makes such a difference
The product name of the strip I use escapes me; I will look it up and share
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 817
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/sewin...eId=PLGoP75606
This is the sewing guide reusesble vinyl strips I use There are many others in the market
This is the sewing guide reusesble vinyl strips I use There are many others in the market
#15
I either use the 1/4" mark on the throat plate or the edge of my 1/4" foot. Takes practice to be consistent. I haven't made real intricate patterns in a while. If seam has to be spot on I may have to be more picky.
#16
I find that it doesn't matter what machine I use to sew my scant 1/4" seams, I have to eyeball the seam myself and sew it where I think is right. This morning I chain pieced on charm squares and even using my 1/4" foot with the fancy Bernina, I knew exactly where to sew each strip.
#18
I was sorting orphan blocks yesterday, binning some, saving others for backs. I must have 30 or more 9 patches made from 1.5" squares. All test blocks for various machines over the years. It doesn't matter if the seam looks like 1/4", what matters is if, when pieced and pressed, the block measures correct.
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,867
What else? Straightness of stitching, for sure. Thickness of thread, though for the quilts I make that doesn't seem to be an issue. I rarely use squares or strips cut under 2 1/2".
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