The Sewing Place

Help with accurate measuring

Sara-S

Help with accurate measuring
« on: April 11, 2021, 11:03:15 AM »
Here is my latest project;
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

Look closely and you’ll see how many places that don’t match up.  I know what’s nice about it, but what isn’t is my ability to measure & cut accurately.  My cuts are straight.When I cut them, I think I’m measuring accurately, but clearly I am not. 

Yes, I know, “Measure twice, cut once”.  If that worked for me, I wouldn’t need to start this thread.
 
So I would like to open a discussion of techniques for correct measurement.
You can't scare me. I taught high school for 32 years.

LeilaMay

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2021, 11:07:17 AM »
Sara, how much "off" do you think they are - I can't tell from the photograph.
I find my small squares are off - I'm doing triangular stuff) - and the smaller the piece of fabric the more a few millimtres shows  :(

Await experienced helpful answers with you  :)

StitchinTime

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2021, 11:17:34 AM »
If your four patch blocks are not matching up with the single square blocks, it might be that your seam allowance is the cause, not the cutting and measuring.

Ploshkin

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2021, 11:18:42 AM »
If your seam matching is out by just a smidgin it may just be slight variation in the seam rather than inaccurate cutting.  I pin every point where seams need to match and it often takes a bit of judicious stretching to get them to match up.  If an odd seam just won't then I will unpick and restitch about an inch.
Life's too short for ironing.

Sandra

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2021, 11:21:36 AM »
It's not just accurate cutting, it's trying to stitch 'scant' quarter inch seams too. I've yet to master it.  :rolleyes:

I felt more comfortable when piecing on my old Bernina. I could eyeball a fairly decent seam on that machine but am struggling with the Janome...clear foot? Different markings?
 I wonder whether I should buy the quarter-inch foot to finally get the accuracy.
I try not to let it bother me too much...after all, who's going to notice?

Love the colours on your quilt @Sara-S   :loveit: 

Sandra.
xxx

Ploshkin

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2021, 11:23:48 AM »
Do you use a quilting ruler i.e. one marked with a grid?  If so what size ruler do you use?
Life's too short for ironing.

HenriettaMaria

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2021, 11:33:32 AM »
I tried my hand at patchwork a few years ago - Xmas table runner and placemats - just to dip my toe in the water.  Decided it wasn't really my thing but what I discovered was that my so-called quarter-inch foot and default needle placement were out - it was not exactly 1/4". 

So I experimented and settled on using a different foot (forget which exactly) instead - one that had a wide slot for zig-zag and then used needle placement adjustment to move the needle to the right until it dropped exactly 1/4" from the rightmost edge of the foot.  That improved things immensely.

Sara-S

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2021, 11:43:56 AM »
I’ll answer what I can.

1)  Where things don’t meet up, it’s about 1/8 to 1/16 of an inch.Doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up with many pieces. 

2) I do use quilting rulers- I have several in different sizes.

3)  I move my needle one position to the right to get my scant 1/4” seam.

Even when I am not using to many pieces, measuring has always been my weak point.
You can't scare me. I taught high school for 32 years.

Acorn

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2021, 11:46:04 AM »
I had the same experience as @HenriettaMaria - my quarter inch foot wasn't a quarter of an inch.  I got a new quarter inch foot with that guide thing that drops down at the side so that you can follow the edge of your fabric easily, and my seams improved vastly.  Even more so when I started shifting the needle slightly to make the seams a 'scant' quarter inch.

There is also a technique for butting seams up to each other - Imi has written a tutorial for it here.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

BrendaP

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2021, 11:49:03 AM »
As others have said it more likely to be the seams which are out.

I always pin where two seams meet before stitching.  If the two pieces are different lengths it is usually a case of eyeballing them to see which one is out.  Usually it is just a case of restitching the one where the seam allowance is too small.  Because I press both allowances to the same side it's not necessary to remove the first row of stitching.  If one of the seams has too big a seam allowance it is necessary to rip out.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Sara-S

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2021, 12:12:30 PM »
I’ve seen that tutorial before and can put seams together  pretty well.
So let’s assume that my original premise is correct; my seams are accurate but my measuring isn’t.  I really need some tips on accurate measurements.
You can't scare me. I taught high school for 32 years.

LeilaMay

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2021, 12:59:19 PM »
As long as you were consistent it should be okay.
Do you mix between rulers in the same project?
Use a rotary cutter?
Because most rulers are transparent, I find I have to look at the same sort of angle all the time. If I look from directly overhead sometimes, and then from a side slant another time I can get the line to 'shift'  the thickness of the ruler itself - did that make sense?
Don't use the lines on the cutting mat for guides, they aren't accurate enough.

Have a play cutting up something you don't like and see what might make a difference?
Are you ambidextrous? Maybe using one hand all the time might help?

Just throwing out ideas  :)

Sara-S

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2021, 13:15:56 PM »
Unfortunately, my measuring errors are not consistent from cut to cut.

I do use a rotary cutter and avoid changing rulers. But I have tended to use the measurements on the cutting mat.  Based on your suggestion, I will avoid that.
As to the viewing angle, I am honestly not sure, but will pay attention to it.

Once this project is done (it’s close) I will take some scrap fabric and experiment with some of the things you have said.
You can't scare me. I taught high school for 32 years.

coffeeandcake

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2021, 13:26:33 PM »
Just a thought - are you making sure that the grain of the fabric is straight before you measure and cut?

Ploshkin

Re: Help with accurate measuring
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2021, 14:01:02 PM »
I find that the inch marking lines on quilting rulers can be quite thick, especially the yellow ones, and obscure the edge that I am using to line up the ruler.  Its not always possible but if I can,  I try to use the little marks in between the inch lines for more accurate placement of the ruler.
I know you can cut multiple layers of fabric with a rotary cutter but the more layers there are, the more potential there is for slippage between layers.  I don't usually cut more than a double layer.
If you're cutting multiple strips it pays to recheck the squaring up every couple of strips and take a smidge off the cut edge if necessary before continuing.
Do you have any anti slip things on your ruler?  The little stick on rings help keep the ruler still.  Inaccurate cutting is most likely because of ruler slippage.  You can get handles that
attach to a ruler by suction cups.  It might help to have more direct downwards pressure on the ruler.  You can also get rotary cutters with ergonomically designed handles for more direct downward pressure.
I also find that the larger rotary blades (45mm) are better than the smaller ones.
Life's too short for ironing.