Its like Rocket Science..SERIOUSLY!!!

Okay, so I dont have any friends or family that sew..I am the first! This means that unfortunately I am self taught, or self learning...either way! I dont have access to a class yet because I have two little ones Im home with all day!

I learned the hard way that precision is key when it comes to sewing and quilting! I think I am getting much better, but it takes forever for me to get my measurements right. I am praying that this is just because I am new! (not because I am HORRIBLE AT MATH!!)

I also cant sew a STRAIGHT 1/4" seam to save my life..SERIOUSLY. I wish I would've gotten a warning that sewing is comparable to rocket science! I bought the tape from q-tools and that hasnt helped either, My 1/4" mark lies between the feed dogs on my machine..so Im at a loss with what to do! Is this something that will come with practice? I am getting extremely disheartened with ripping out seams constantly and starting over! Its really making me want to quit!!

Any help or advice will be much appreciated! :icon_wave:

Thanks-
Kim

Buy a quarter inch presser foot to help you guide the material.

Mostly it's practice! some people swear by a 1/4" foot, some have a little piece you bump the fabric up against. Others use a stack of post-its to guide them. but mostly it just takes practice. Other hints i've heard:

don't watch the needle, watch the fabric as you guide it to the needle.

find a speed your comfortable with and put a block or book under the edge of your foot control so you can't speed.
Above all, don't get discouraged. many of us on here have been sewing for years and we still struggle with some things. we're all still learning.

I really want to try one of those 1/4" presser feet too, but for now I have learned it doesn't always have to be perfect and we are much harder on ourselves than anyone else:) And don't forget to go slow.

I was watching a quilting show and this lady said she cut her fabric a little off to give it an antique look.....tooooo funny:) I didn't know that was what I was doing all along. LOL!

Hi, I too am self taught, don't have any one in family who sews, and it is hard going. The MSQC videos beginners are great.
I highly recommend that you view them. Jenny is a helpful instructor.

I've been wanting to try one of the wavy designs but not sure I could get the edges to match up. So just tell yourself that you are adding a design feature to your work.

Hello Kim - and welcome! We surely don't want you getting discouraged.
I use a piece of black electric tape - but maybe you'd want to use a piece of blue painters tape. The black electric tape can leave a residue on your machine.
Anyways, try this. Take your blue painters tape and cut off a piece about 3" long. Put that on your machine where the edge of your fabric would butt up against it. Now, put 2 pieces of scrap material in your machine and put your needle down like you are going to start sewing a seam. Sew a little bit. Take the fabric off and measure from where the seam runs to the edge of the fabric. That's what you want as 1/4". So, if your seam is too big, move the fabric over a little and your painters tape and keep doing that until you get it right. When you get it right, that will be where you always want your fabric edge to butt up against.
I hope this made sense to help you out.

Oh, and when you get to the end of a seam, the fabric wants to do its own thing and turn inwards unless you pay close attention and try to hold it straight - some people use a stiletto or even maybe a pair of tweezers would work.

Hugs,

I'd also suggest getting some scrap fabric and just practicing until you get the coordination down. There's nothing worse than constantly having to rip things out. Hopefully, you are starting out with some really simple sewing projects before tackling quilts. I definitely didn't start out making quilts when I first learned to sew. If you start out with something too difficult you will definitely be frustrated and want to give up. If you just feel like you've got to make a quilt, there are some really cute quilts that are made with very little piecing involved. You might consider starting with something like that. I also think you need to invest in a 1/4" piecing foot. I'm an experienced seamstress and I would never attempt to make a quilt without this foot.

a 1/4" presser foot is a great investment, you can also get a 1/4" foot with a guide. Check out your local sewing store.

I too am pretty much self taught, and I love it. Put your big project aside for a few days and work on something small, table runners are my big thing right now. Everyone is getting them as gifts since I can get through them without crying finally. Then, after a week or two maybe you'll be ready to take on your big project again. Don't let it get you down, have some fun with it. :)

Great advice...... don't watch the needle....watch the fabric.
I have really struggled with my quarter inch seam also. AND I STILL DO. I have a 1/4 in foot...... but here's what helped me the most. The lines on a 3 x 5 card are exactly 1/4 inch apart. So if you put a card under your needle.... and sew an inch or two along the line nearest the edge.... that edge will be where your fabric should be for you to get a 1/4 inch seam. Then take a strip of blue (or black) tape and mark the exact place where your fabric should be. I hope that makes sense to you, honey. And as the others said... don't get discouraged. I called a good friend and whined about my seams and she said.... "just be consistent.... you want quarter inch but if all of your seams are consistent ... your quilt blocks will fit together."

I've been struggling with stitching in the ditch but my ditches need to be much wider for me to hit the middle LOL. I spent hours stitching ..... ripping out ....and re-stitching. It turned out okay but surely imperfect

I have the 1/4" presser foot but having more than one machine means it doesn't fit the other...
I use a magnet from my fridge ( Housework s**** ) and the tapemeassurer and go slow... ;)

Any magnet with a straight side will do.

http://befreetech.com/images/refrigerator_magnets.jpg

Hugs from me :)

Can you move your needle position so your 1/4 inch is actually one of the lines? If not, another good thing to use as a bumper is
moleskin, it's thicker so your fabric runs right along it. You can find it in the foot product aisle at any of the stores and it's what I used until I learned about and could afford a 1/4 in foot. I just cut a strip of it and put it where my 1/4 inch needed to be.

I'm not sure about using magnets. Don't magnets mess up some of the new fangled electronic machines?

Hugs,

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by quiltingtrish

I'm not sure about using magnets. Don't magnets mess up some of the new fangled electronic machines?

Hugs,

---

They can Trish and I was about to comment on that, it is only a problem where there is magnetic storage devices like memory cards...so embroidery unit users beware. If all the computer components of the machine are 'solid state' then no problem...I work on the safe side and put nothing magnetic anywhere near my machine or computer for that matter. That includes those lovely magnetic pin holders, on my cutting table yes but not on the machine table.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lana Monteith

I too am pretty much self taught, and I love it. Put your big project aside for a few days and work on something small, table runners are my big thing right now. Everyone is getting them as gifts since I can get through them without crying finally. :)

---

Lana, you made me laugh. I didn't know other people cried :-).

you guys are awesome! Thanks for all the kind words and advice! I will look for a 1/4" foot next time I am out!!! The tape deals just arent good enough for me yet!!! I have a ton of index cards to I might try that with the tape combo!!

I do have a computerized machine so the magnetic guide is a no go for me!! :D

If you don't have a 1/4" presser foot but are able to move your needle position, just place a lined index card under your presser foot with the edge touching one of the lines and then lower your needle until it pierces through the next line to the left of the one on the edge of your presser foot. This will be an exact 1/4" seam. Note the setting on your machine after moving the needle so you can write it down for future reference. Hope this also helps.

Emmari,

This cartoon really tickled my funny bone!

Rebecca

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Emmari

I have the 1/4" presser foot but having more than one machine means it doesn't fit the other...
I use a magnet from my fridge ( Housework s**** ) and the tapemeassurer and go slow... ;)

Any magnet with a straight side will do.

http://befreetech.com/images/refrigerator_magnets.jpg

Hugs from me :)

---

Since you have a computerized machine just move the needle 1/4" away from the edge of the presser foot. Line up the edge of your fabric with the edge of the presser foot as you sew. As you are sewing keep your eye on the edge of the fabric to make sure it lines up with the edge of the foot.

I agree with Mia. Consistency is the most important thing. If you sew every seam the same throughout the quilt, everything should fit together nicely. That 1/4" foot should help you stay consistent since you're running the edge of the fabric along the guide on the side of the foot.

I love my 1/4" foot, it is a life-saver!

I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one that struggles with keeping my seams at exactly a 1/4 inch! I hadn't said anything because I didn't want the ladies here to figure out that I am totally inept at a straight seam.

They are right about Jenny's video, she makes it look really easy but more importantly..she shows you that it is possible to do this quilting thing.

I only have one friend that sews and her favorite quote is "if you can't see the mistake from a galloping horse, don't worry about it", she's from the south.. what can I say?

I think the biggest thing (my theory anyway) is that it's not supposed to be perfect, if it was you could buy it at the store.

Heck, even Nancy Zeiman (sewing with Nancy) said that she sometime has her thumb over a mistake when she is showing something that she is sewing..if it's good enough for a professional like her, it's gotta be good enough for me.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Yes, you need a presser foot that will give you an accurate 1/4". And then, practice, and practice some more. One of the first projects I made when I first started 20 years ago was a baby quilt with 3-dimensional pinwheels! I must have made 100 blocks to get 20 the same size. But I learned so much doing that one quilt. I would also suggest making a bunch of 9-patch blocks. That will give you the needed practice to get that seam straight and at 1/4". It will be easier and less noticeable to trim down the blocks to put them together into a quilt.

I used to have one of the magnet guides....but found it was more trouble then help really. For years I was just lining up between the two prongs of my right feed dogs because that was the place. Recently I bought a 1/4 inch foot. (I had to buy it with the shank 'cause I couldn't get one for my old machine.) IT IS HEAVEN!! So much easier then what I was doing and SO fewer mistakes. I really didn't think I would love it as much as I do....It is worth the $25 or whatever. really.

I find it difficult because, being in Europe, all the markings on my machine are in centimetres, I have to buy fabric in metres but all the patterns are in inches. Even the British ones!

I bought a quarter inch presser foot which is really handy. I used my mum's quarter inch foot with a guide but I found that it bent out of shape over time. I'd definitely recommend the presser foot though.

My presser foot wiggles. I don't know if it is from the fact that I switch it out with the other specialty feet, zipper, buttonhole, etc, but it does wiggle a little bit. I have found that the 1/4" guide that is on the throat plate is a little harder to see, but doesn't move. I just fix my eyes in the spot where the fabric needs to be fed through.
If I watch the needle constantly I'll mess up. The only time I really watch the needle is when I am making points.If you watch where the needle crosses at the seam and stitch on or just barely outside of the point intersection, the tips won't get eaten up in the seam allowance.
Sometimes the bulk of a several layers of seams will cause the fabric to feed unevenly. I usually slow down when coming to a thicker seam. This allows me to keep control of the fabric as it feeds and you don't end up with wiggly seams as the foot goes over the hump. I have also found that a bamboo skewer can help keep things where they belong without smooshing your fingers. Some places sell them as stilettos. I can get a package of 100 for a couple of dollars and have some handy sticks for snacks on the grill too!

Trish, I couldn't have said it better!! That is exactly what I was going to suggest.
Kim, by all means don't give up! I learned by watching my mom, but never had any help when it came to making my own. Just keep at it, and as a couple of the others said, sometimes it doesn't matter. Eventhough I've made several quilts, I am still learning and perfecting!
Pat

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by quiltingtrish

Hello Kim - and welcome! We surely don't want you getting discouraged.
I use a piece of black electric tape - but maybe you'd want to use a piece of blue painters tape. The black electric tape can leave a residue on your machine.
Anyways, try this. Take your blue painters tape and cut off a piece about 3" long. Put that on your machine where the edge of your fabric would butt up against it. Now, put 2 pieces of scrap material in your machine and put your needle down like you are going to start sewing a seam. Sew a little bit. Take the fabric off and measure from where the seam runs to the edge of the fabric. That's what you want as 1/4". So, if your seam is too big, move the fabric over a little and your painters tape and keep doing that until you get it right. When you get it right, that will be where you always want your fabric edge to butt up against.
I hope this made sense to help you out.

Oh, and when you get to the end of a seam, the fabric wants to do its own thing and turn inwards unless you pay close attention and try to hold it straight - some people use a stiletto or even maybe a pair of tweezers would work.

Hugs,

---

That's what I use, 1/4" foot with the guide. Helps me.

I love my 1/4" foot. Without it I can't do a 1/4 inch seam. I've tried everything. That foot is a lifesaver.

Well, Thanks again for all of the wonderful advice! My new foot is on its way! It should be here saturday!! Cross your fingers and wish me luck!!!

Hi, Kim!
Once I invested in a 1/4" foot my seam measurement problem went away. Get one when you can.