Annie Pearl

i have trouble pressing my blocks. They always measure small and my 1/4 inch seam is accurate. I was wondering if a Steady Betty would help and are they worth the price.

tessagin

Never used one.

QuiltnNan

i usually rely on amazon reviews as well as my QB friends ... i've never used one of these ... haven't found a need to
http://www.amazon.com/Steady-Betty-1...sortBy=helpful

mpspeedy2

This sounds like a dumb question. What is a Steady Betty?

Peckish

I have a steady betty, but before I get into that, I'm wondering about your quarter inch seam. How are you measuring it?

If you sew your two patches, pull the fabric out of the machine, and measure just the seam allowance without opening the fabric or pressing the seam, you might still have an inaccurate seam allowance.

Sew 2 patches that are exactly 2" wide. After you press the seam and open out the patches, measure across the fabric, NOT the seam allowance. They should measure 3.5" across. If they don't, then you know your seam allowance is inaccurate and you can fix it.

Now on to the steady betty. They are expensive and I do have one. I've found that covering my ironing board very snugly in cotton duck works just as well as the steady betty, and is quite inexpensive. The cotton duck grabs the block and prevents it from slipping.

You might check your pressing technique, also. I have a friend who discovered that when she pressed from the back side, often times she was pressing a pleat or some extra fabric on the front. Make sure your fabrics are fully opened when you press.

HTH!

Pagzz

I have one and it did hold the block steady, but I seldom use it. Have you checked the measurement of your finished piece before you iron it? because it is not the size of the seam but how the piece measures that matters. The thickness of the thread you piece with will also affect it.

GailG

It's the first I hear of a Steady Betty. Went to google and saw a nice video on the "Betty" products. Has anyone used the hand strips for free motion or the ruler Betty strips?

About the quarter inch seam, Annie Pearl (love your name!) -- have you ever tried doing a scant quarter inch seam. I like to think of it as being just a thread width less than a quarter? On one of my machines, I can move the needle just a smidge and achieve a scant quarter seam. On the other I mark my presser foot with a tiny dot (use permanant Sharpie) so I can spot where to follow along for a tiny bit narrower seam. The thickness of your fabric has a lot to do with how it affects the size of your block once the seam is pressed. I'm sure there are other members who can better explain the process before you spend that kind of money for another gadget. Good luck

Tartan

With the 1/4 inch seam, you really want the seam to be just inside the 1/4 inch mark because you are going to loose some fabric to the fold over. I like Aurifil thread since it is strong but thin so the fold over is less.

Peckish

It's a special kind of foam that you can iron on (no, it won't melt) and it holds your fabrics in one spot so they don't slip over the ironing board. I have one but I don't use it much. What I do have that I absolutely LOVE are little strips of steady betty foam that I can stick on my rulers so they don't slip. I cut tiny pieces about 1/4" square and stick them in strategic spots. They work wonderfully.

Also, I should have said this in my earlier post: One of the things you need to be careful of is if you are moving your iron across the fabric, and you need the steady betty to hold the fabric in one spot, you are likely also distorting your fabric. Pressing blocks should be and up-and-down motion, not a sweeping-across-the-fabric motion. Just something to be aware of.

Onebyone

A local fabric shop owner use to sew clothing for one designer for the runway shows. She had a large pressing surface covered in the foam. You use to be able to buy it by the yard. It was known as foam backed vinyl. I remember seeing it at Hancock's Fabric in the upholstery section. Of course no one but the professional tailors and seamstress knew about the pressing use of it. I have the big Steady Betty board and keep it on top of my ironing board. I forget it's there as I press everything on it. The board is hefty and reversible. I can tell a big difference when I press at workshops on a regular surface and not on the Steady Betty. I won't take it with me because the first time I did I was expected to bring it every time. I share and give away many sewing tools but not my I bought this and it was expensive and you can buy your own and not expect me to bring mine every time for you to use.