As a new quilter there are terms that you hear a lot and many can be confusing. For instance, what is a scant quarter inch seam versus a quarter inch seam?
Personally, I do not recommend patterns that require a scant quarter inch seam to beginners. Let me show you why.
What is a Scant Quarter Inch Seam and Why New Quilter’s Shouldn’t Strive For One
How to Sew a Quarter Inch Seam
A quarter inch seam is easily achieved by using a quarter inch presser foot on your sewing machine. The quarter inch is measured from the needle to the right side of the foot which runs along the right edge of your fabric.
As a beginner quilter, your quarter inch seam may be wobbly, often a little smaller at the beginning and/or end of your seam. That’s ok, as it takes time to practice working with a quarter inch foot on your sewing machine.
There are other ways you can achieve a quarter inch seam, like using washi tape to mark the bed of your sewing machine, but I find using a quarter inch presser foot is the easiest.
How to Sew a Scant Quarter Inch Seam
Let’s start with the definition of a scant quarter inch seam. A scant quarter inch is a thread width smaller than a quarter inch seam. Seriously, this is the difference.
The only way I know how to achieve this on my machine is to move the needle over one position to the right to make the seam smaller. This requires you to remember to do this every time you turn on your machine, and not all machines allow you to change the needle position. If you have a computerized machine, you could program this.
There is the occasional pattern where if you don’t sew with a scant quarter inch seam, your blocks will turn out the wrong size and the design will not fit together correctly. This is not the norm.
Check out this great article by Lo & Behold Stitchery for more information.
Why New Quilters Shouldn’t Strive For a Scant Quarter Inch Seam
You now know the difference between a normal quarter inch seam and a scant quarter inch seam. As a new quilter, you are learning all the things. There is enough to get confused and/or frustrated over without adding the stress of achieving a scant quarter inch seam. In my opinion, life is way too short and this is why I don’t even think about attempting a scant quarter inch seam ever, and tend not to purchase patterns that call for one.
Check out my video on scant quarter inch seams here.
My Final Thoughts
I hope this helped clarify the difference between a quarter inch seam and a scant quarter inch seam. Remember that the easiest way to achieve a quarter inch seam is by using a quarter inch presser foot for your machine.
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