Create The Perfect 1/4″ Seam

The ¼-inch seam allowance is a staple in almost any sewing or quilting pattern on the market. You may have been guesstimating your own seam allowances in the past, but this is a big mistake. The difference between “exactly ¼ inch” and “nearly ¼ inch” can make or break a finished sewing project by the end, as all of those little near-misses add up to one big difference in the finished dimensions of your project.

 

Take a quilt block, for instance – if your block is supposed to have four seams of ¼ inch each, and your seams are actually ½ inch, then your finished block will wind up being one full inch too small when you’re finished sewing it! In many quilting projects, your fabric will start to ripple and pucker if you use improper seam allowances as you sew, giving your finished project a flawed look.

 Create The Perfect 1/4″ Seam 

 

There’s a simple way to avoid these problems: take a little time to practice the perfect 1/4″ seam! This sewing tip will empower you to master any project in the world of sewing and quilting, so let’s get started!

Supplies/tools:

• scrap fabric pieces, approx. 2-3 inches wide by 4-5 inches long
• sewing machine
• thread
• quilting ruler

 

Testing your 1/4” seams:

1) Take two scraps of fabric and position them with right sides together. Sew a straight seam with your regular seam allowance as if you were piecing a quilt block.

2) Take the fabric out of your sewing machine and lay it flat on the table in front of you. Use your ruler to measure the seam allowance from the sewn seam to the edge of the fabric…. Is it 1/4”?

3) Make adjustments depending on the answer

● Is your seam too big? Sew again, going just a little bit closer to the edge of the fabric, and re-measure. (It might be easiest to use a new pair of fabric scraps every time so you don’t confuse the seams.) Repeat until you know exactly how to sew a 1/4” seam.

● Is your seam too small? Sew again, going just a little bit wider; re-measure and repeat as needed.

 

After you have found the sweet spot of seams, place a strip of tape (washi tape works well for this as it’s easy to see) along the machine so you know where to line your fabric up as you sew. Does your machine have markings next to that place already? Mark the line or measurement which will give you perfect 1/4” seam allowance.

 

It only takes a few minutes to find that perfect fabric position to give you accurate ¼ inch seams, but those few minutes will save you hours of headaches in the future of your sewing!

 

 

 

 

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