Sewing In A Straight Line
Sewing in a straight line or getting an accurate seam allowance. Sometimes that can be hard, especially when you are beginning to sew. Using a magnetic seam guide makes sewing in a straight line and having an accurate seam allowance easy! In this video, I will show you how to use the Dritz magnetic seam guide to make sewing perfect seam allowances and straight lines a breeze!
On your sewing machine's throat plate, you should have a seam guide. The throat plate is the metal plate under your needle and around your feed dogs. The markings on this plate tell you the distance of your stitch, from the needle to the edge of your fabric when lined up.
The Perfect Seam Allowance
If you are sewing a ⅝" seam allowance, put the magnetic seam guide on the ⅝ marking. You can use a ruler to measure from your needle to ⅝"out if you do not have markings on your needle plate.
Now, take your fabric, fabric to the left, seam guide to the right. Lift your presser foot, and put your presser foot back down so that the edge of your fabric is right along that seam guide right there. Then you can just start sewing. Don't forget to back stitch!
In the video you can see, as I'm sewing, I'm letting the feed dogs, which are the little, tiny teeth that are underneath your presser foot, pull the fabric. With my hands, I'm keeping the fabric straight with that seam guide. Now, we can see we have a nice, straight line that's parallel from the raw edge. That's how you use a seam guide.
Hello,
How do I use a magnetic seam guide for a 1/4” seam allowance? I’m following directions on making a baby quilt and they encourage the use of a magnetic seam guide. The seam allowances are only 1/4” though, and the pressor foot is in the way. All the quilts in this book require a 1/4” seam allowance, so I know the author couldn’t have been suggesting using the guide on some quilts and not others. Can you advise me?
Thanks!
Instead of the magnetic seam guide, I'd suggest the 1/4" piecing foot. Then you line the edge of the fabric up with the edge of the foot. The single hole for the needle also prevents the fabric from being pulled under and tangling. https://amzn.to/2HQnKni