Trouble with 1/4 inch seam - It wants to pull away.
#21
If you have a machine that has a needle that can be shifted around, move it to the 1/4" site. I measure from the right side of the foot to the needle and then move the needle to where the 1/4" would be. Also, do you have any lined 3X5" cards? The lines are 1/4" apart and I use them for measuring where the 1/4" is. Put you needle on one of the lines and look at where you sewing should be.
#22
I would start the seam with a scrap of material and butt your piece up to it. That way you don't start on the edge.
There are different names for this technique, but I can't think of any of them right now.
There are different names for this technique, but I can't think of any of them right now.
#23
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,666
Originally Posted by Pat M.
If you have a machine that has a needle that can be shifted around, move it to the 1/4" site. I measure from the right side of the foot to the needle and then move the needle to where the 1/4" would be. Also, do you have any lined 3X5" cards? The lines are 1/4" apart and I use them for measuring where the 1/4" is. Put you needle on one of the lines and look at where you sewing should be.
This is the best advice......since you can't move the needle, just figure out how to place your fabric through. I've managed to identify a specific location ON THE PRESSER FOOT because I too don't want to have to remove any guides to get to the bobbin. Good Luck!
Or another way to say that:
Using a 3 x 5 lined index card -
If your needle does not move - or only has left, center, and right positions:
Put your needle on one of the lines
Note where the line on the card is to the right of the needle on the foot
That is where the edge of your fabric should be
If your needle position can be moved teeny amounts:
Put the edge of the presser foot next to a line on the card
Move the needle so that it comes down on the line to the left (if you are going for scant - then so it's a teeny bit to the right of the line.
After figuring out where 1/4 inch is on one of my machines, I just make a mental (or sticky) note to myself - I really don't worry about a 1/4 inch foot or marking my machine.
However - if your machine is feeding the fabric very wonkily - I agree with the others - there might be something wrong with how the feed dogs are operating.
If you are going
If you have a machine that has a needle that can be shifted around, move it to the 1/4" site. I measure from the right side of the foot to the needle and then move the needle to where the 1/4" would be. Also, do you have any lined 3X5" cards? The lines are 1/4" apart and I use them for measuring where the 1/4" is. Put you needle on one of the lines and look at where you sewing should be.
This is the best advice......since you can't move the needle, just figure out how to place your fabric through. I've managed to identify a specific location ON THE PRESSER FOOT because I too don't want to have to remove any guides to get to the bobbin. Good Luck!
Or another way to say that:
Using a 3 x 5 lined index card -
If your needle does not move - or only has left, center, and right positions:
Put your needle on one of the lines
Note where the line on the card is to the right of the needle on the foot
That is where the edge of your fabric should be
If your needle position can be moved teeny amounts:
Put the edge of the presser foot next to a line on the card
Move the needle so that it comes down on the line to the left (if you are going for scant - then so it's a teeny bit to the right of the line.
After figuring out where 1/4 inch is on one of my machines, I just make a mental (or sticky) note to myself - I really don't worry about a 1/4 inch foot or marking my machine.
However - if your machine is feeding the fabric very wonkily - I agree with the others - there might be something wrong with how the feed dogs are operating.
If you are going
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: South East, PA
Posts: 345
One of my guild members spent an afternoon working with anyone interested in perfecting that elusive 1/4" seam... turned out, a major part of MY problem, was my PRESSER FOOT!!! It wobbled as it sewed, so no matter how careful I was, it was WRONG... I sewed on HER machine and my piecing was PERFECT!!! sooooo.... now, I use a different foot on my machine, and it is much better...
#25
Do you have or can you get a straight stitch sole plate for your machine? You don't mention the brand. A single hole for the needle to go through when straight stitching instead of the ZZ slot made all the difference for me. Just don't forget to switch back to slotted plate before zigzagging. I solved all my problems when we started collecting and sewing on vintage straight stitch only machines.
#28
I let my fabric feed through my right hand and hold my left index finger next to the fabric as is goes under the presser foot. It seems to help keep a straight stitch. It could also be your feed dogs not working properly.
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hartsburg, Mo
Posts: 309
How frustrating for you! There are a lot of good suggestions here and I am going to add two more (thought it was just one, but have already thought of another :-/ ). 1) since you have a shop to service the machine, check with them for their suggestions - tell them what is happening if you didn't do that when you had it in for service; 2) very helpful tip I learned in my last quilting class - reduce your PRESSER FOOT tension (not the thread tension) to 4 or 4.5 - it doesn't 'push' the fabric around and made a huge difference for me. Good luck!
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
Posts: 1,329
Machine just came back from annual check up/cleaning so im reluctant to think that especially since everything seems the same as before (this is the first time I have used this machine to piece, I usually garmet sew on it). The pull is slight. Aftersewing four strips together, I am off by 1/16th of an inch. The cover has always had movement, even my new BL Esante has the same amount of movement on the little slide that covers the bobbin case (movement is like 1/32 of an inch, not much but makes it hard to attach anything to it). Main complaint about the slide cover is that it has to be removed to replace the bobbin so anything you place over it has to come off to put in a new bobbin, and then its time to "find" my 1/4" spot again. Maybe its just me and I should stick to my garmet sewing.
Why do I use both tape and 1/4" foot, you ask? When using squares to sew HSTs I like up the corners on the tape and I don't waste time drawing diagonal lines. It really does work.
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