Sewing Bee Fabrics Tutorial
How To Sew A Quarter Inch
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08/11/15
Getting a precise 1/4 inch seam is especially important in quilting, but what happens if your seam goes wonky when your sewing a fitted bodice or a toy? Nobody wants bumpy boobs or a slanted face!
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The quarter inch quilting foot aims to make it easier. It is a very simple but effective foot that allows you to keep a uniform distance by keeping the edge of the fabric against a guide bar as you sew. You can buy your own HERE.
How To Attach It
As with any snap on foot, most sewing machines will have a lever or button to press to release the current foot. As you can see with this machine, the lever is at the back of the foot. To swap feet out, simply release, place the new foot underneath and lower the presser foot to clip in position.
If you aren't familiar with using snap on feet or not sure if this would work with your machine, check out our guide to sewing machine feet HERE
How To Use The Guide Bar
It really doesn't get more simple. Position the needle centrally, and place the fabric up against the bar. As you sew, keep a gentle pressure on the fabric towards the bar (too much pressure and it will fold over, or not enough pressure and the fabric will drift away).
What Are All The Markings?
The markings on the foot are all measurements to help keep your sewing position as accurate as possible. Obviously the distance between the needle to guide bar is 1/4 inch, but what about the others.
Needle to the edge of the right side of the foot is 3/16 inch
Needle to the edge of the left side of the foot is 1/8 inch
Needle to first side notch (NB this is offset and on the smaller part of the foot away from the others)Â 1/4 inch
Needle to second notch 1/8 inch
Needle to third notch - level
Needle to fourth notch is 1/8 inch
Needle to fifth notch 1/4 inch
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So in total, front notch to back notch is half an inch
What Are The Pros?
This really is the quickest, easiest and most fool proof way I've found for getting a good accurate quarter inch seam on a couple of layers of easy to work with fabrics like cotton.
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The first quarter inch side marking on the narrow part of the sewing machine foot is fantastic for knowing when to start turning the fabric when you get near a corner. Simply stop stitching when you are level with that mark, leave the needle down and pivot the fabric before you start sewing again.
The 3/16th Inch width is quite a nice width for top stitching most items (but in some cases 1/8th inch will be more appropriate for more intricate or pieces where you want the stitching to be less visible), so it is simple to switch from sewing your seam to turning right side out and lining the fabric up with the outer side of the foot instead of the bar. However, there is no 3/16th marking on the side for turning so you have to stop just before your first side marking (or use a permanent marker or dab of coloured glue or sticker to add your own mark!)
What Do You Need To Consider Before Sewing With It?
Your accuracy will only ever be as good as your cutting and measuring of your fabric before your sewing. If it was eyeballed and estimated, then don't be surprised if it doesn't line up perfectly! You may find that using something like a magic seamer helps you to add 1/4 inch to your patterns to help your accuracy. Keep in mind also that people tend to cut differently with scissors than the do rotary cutters. It's easier to keep a rotary cutter flush to a template, whereas a lot of people will cut outside a pencil marking. If you are combining methods it may have an affect on your accuracy too.
If your pattern tells you to sew a scant quarter inch seam, then this means to sew just short of quarter inch. Generally this is considered to be about a pencil's line width difference. It is to allow for the small amount of fabric that is always lost when pressing a seam open. This means you would have to keep your fabric just short of the guide.Â
You cannot change the needle position out of a central. This is great in that it make sure you can't accidentally leave it in a left side sewing position and not actually stitch the 1/4 inch seam you thought you had, however if for example you wanted to quickly zigzag over an area to reinforce it before continuing your running stich, you would have to change feet.
If you are sewing materials that slip around or lots of layers, the friction under this foot (as with any static foot) means that the top layer will move at a different speed to the bottom layer. This is because the feed dogs pull the bottom fabric through while the presser foot holds the top fabric. In this case I recommend you use a walking foot instead. If your materials are stretchy, you can either use a walking foot, or what I prefer, a knit foot which holds the fabric still as the needle penetrates the fabric, then lets go as the needle lifts back up.
If you are sewing something with texture, for example cuddle fleece, towelling or fur, then the fibres have a tendency of getting caught in the guide bar. Sometimes I will still use this foot if I really want accuracy but I will sew slower and keep a close eye for any signs of catching. Otherwise, a roller foot is better suited.
It is not ideal for sewing with the guide bar over the top of another fabric as the corner of the guide bar may snag on the fabric and damage it. Therefore I would always switch this foot out before moving on top of fabric to sew.
If you are using a different foot to get your quarter inch seam because of the fabrics you have chosen, then simply clip this foot to your machine, place masking tape on the machine flush to the outer side of the guide, and use this as a marker to help guide you when you change feet. Double check your placement with a ruler to the needle if required.
Any Other Tips For Getting Accurate Quarter Inch Seams?
Some machines struggle more than others at the start and end of a line of sewing, especially on small pieces of fabric. This can be because the feed dogs are pulling at the fabric unevenly where the whole area of the feed dogs aren't covered. You can reduce this by starting on a piece of scrap fabric and running straight onto your real piece (remembering a couple of backstitches or stiches on the spot or it will unravel a little after you snip the thread to separate the fabrics). Once you get to the end, simply do the same - a few back stitches then stitch over the edge of your fabric and finish on the scrap.
We hope you enjoy our tutorials and love hearing what you think so please leave us a comment or send me an email to linda@sewingbeefabrics.co.uk
Happy Sewing!
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Hi there Linda hope you are well.
Love all of the great tutorials that you send me they are so easy to understand. And most of all they are all free Loved the one about the Quarter Inch Foot not read all the others as yet. Thumbs Up Sewing Bee
Hi Janet, I’m very good thank you. I hope you are well too. I’m so glad you’re still enjoying all the tutorials and I hope they’ve helped you pick up a few tips for whatever you’re currently sewing. Linda 😀
Awesome tutorial! I have this foot and use it alot, you gave even more great tips !
So glad you found it helpful even though the quarter inch foot is already an old favourite! One of my favourite things about sewing is that it doesn’t matter how much you learn, there is always more to learn and new tips to pick up!
Good tips, I just love my new 1/4 inch piecing foot.
Thank you Kathe. I’m so glad your enjoying it. It’s definitely one of my most used sewing machine feet!
All these great new sewers commemts. I am an old sewer and the tweaks to my old memory are great. Thanks.
I love tutorials and sewing is something I would love to get to know more about.
Wow, this was so interesting. It is my goal to get a sewing machine and this just makes me want one even more now!
I have been thinking a lot lately about getting into sewing – I have some outfits I’d like to make for my daughter, but I just don’t have the talent for it. Sounds like a complicated process and yet you make it seem so easy, I’m very envious!
You should have a go. It’s easier than you’d think. Just start off with some easy little things to get used to the sewing machine. 😀
Great tutorial. I know very little about sewing and you’re really bringing back to basics for people like me which I love x
You have some great tips here for getting accuracy! It’s definitely not easy to do. I always enjoy seeing the lovely things you sew! x
Thank you 😀
I always wanted to get into quilting but at the moment I am struggling to find enough time to sew at all. I use to make a lot of handmade felt food for Monkey but blogging has taken over. However at some point I hope to get back into it and I am sure this will be invaluable if I ever manage to take it up 🙂 xx
Thank you. Felt food is great fun isn’t it! It’s funny you should mention it as I’ve been making my little one a felt full English breakfast this week!
Very well documented tutorial! I always have a little bit regret for never learning how to sew.
Never too late to start 😀
Such an informative post. I wish I had more time to sew. I still have lots of old baby clothes that were meant to be made into a quilt x
If you do get round to it some time, just make sure you back them all with some light interfacing. Because the fabrics will all have different amounts and direction of stretch it can distort the shape of your quilt if you don’t 🙂
Great tutorial, think I will need to get more feet! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You so should! I love mine!