World Wide Quilting Page

Question of the Week

Question for the week of September 20, 1999:

Our question this week comes from Signe Millard

I am making a square in square miniature quilt and I am having a terrible time dealing with the bulkiness in the seam allowances. Some things help like lowering the pressure on the foot and lengthening the stitch length, but my machine still has won't sew straight thru the bulk in a straight line. Would a different foot, like a roller foot or some other foot help with this problem?

Angie :
Its probably too late for this but, should the seam
allowances be 1/8 inch instead of 1/4? I've found
that on smaller piecing, decreasing the seam allowance
has helped me.

Norma :
In addition to the other suggestions given, use a "Sharp" needle in your machine rather than a Universal. The "sharp" style needle is just that, i.e. sharper, and will pierce the fabric threads instead of moving around them. You will get a straighter seam and your needle will have an easier time getting through the bulk of your fabric.

Mary Ann Waxler :
Sometimes pressing your seams open
instead of to one side will help reduce
bulk in congested intersections.
If the problem is at the center of the
side of the block, press the seams on one
block to the right and the seams on the
adjacent block to the left.

Elena :
It might be too late for this suggestion, but you can remember it for future quilts.

Have you tried pressing your seams open? This way, there is only 2 layers of fabric on the top. If you quilt "in the ditch", then the bulkiness might be reduced even more.

I'm not sure if this will work. I have not tried minature quilts, and I do not machine quilt. Just an idea, though.

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