I move my needle just one "notch" to the right. That phrase used to just make me nuts till I got my 1/4 inch foot and it finally dawned on me to move my needle.

The scant 1/4" seems to be something new within the last few years. I'm sewing the Civil War Journals quilt and the blocks do not fit the borders if I use a 1/4" seam. I had to rip out the first few blocks I made because I forgot to use the "scant". LOL

Christine-

OK - I didn't worry about a scant until I started the quilt I am currently working on. It requires 9 - 1" strips to be sewn together to make this block with the sashing it should measure 10" square. When I used the 1/4" foot...I was way off by the end. So, I had to press a lot and redo a lot of seams to get it right. And they are still off. The reason this was so important is that there are appliques that go over the blocks and into the seams. I will show a picture when I get it done...might be a while though! I had to do a big scant to get these right because the seams took up more when ironed. But in 99.9% of the time I agree...1/4 will have to do.

So a quarter isn't just a plain quarter anymore? Oh, that's right. It is a scant quarter, a true quarter, & a generous quarter. LOL. When you really think about it, it does sound pretty silly.

True that! I can't cut consistantly or straigt, sew straight even when I draw a line with a ruler...
get the picture?

This is why I don't cut borders until the center is finished and pressed. Scant 1/4 sometimes slips and here is scant thread hanging on. LOL Consistency is the name of the game I do believe.

WilliP

I heard of the scant 1/4" seam in my first quilting class over 10 years ago - I don't think it is a new concept. I don't have to worry about it much unless I'm doing stars that are supposed to match up. If I'm not careful I don't have nice points that match cleanly. It's also pretty important if you're doing block exchanges or trying to match up blocks with only a few pieces and blocks with lots of pieces. I find that I get great seams the first few hours, but my consistency drops with more time in front of the machine! I always joke that means it's time to stop and take a break.

Pam

scant is hard especially if you can NOT move your needle over!
quilterscache patterns and EQ as well are notorious for needing a scant 1/4 inch..or just a scosh over from an 1/8th..hehehe

I am glad someone finally said what I have been thinking. I do well to get my seams a consistent quarter inch. How in the world you can consistently make it "scant" or just a thread width less is beyond me. Quarter inch seams work for me.

Scant 1/4" is important for intricate patterns. A machine that can move the needle over one or two spots does the trick. No, this in not a new concept at all.