Val asked after I posted Clue 4 of Roll Roll Cotton Boll last week just WHAT this gadget was next to the presser foot on my machine:
I believe that I’ve talked about this little guide before, but here’s a recap in case you haven’t seen me sewing!
This is my trusty old Bernina 1080. The older “metal” berninas have built in screw holes in the machine bed, and you can screw a seam guide in place thanks to these holes. Older machines used to come with these guides too, I have several old singers that had these guides in their attachment boxes, and holes for them drilled in the machine beds. The newer plastic machines? I don’t think they have holes, but I could be wrong. This kind of seam guide won’t work if you DON’T have a whole pre-drilled for this kind of attachment already in place.
If your machine has holes for screwing down a seam guide, check with your machine manufacturer to see if a part is available.
For the bernina, it comes as TWO separate parts and you’ll need both. One is the guide itself, and the other is the screw. ((You think they would package these together?? What’s the deal with having them separate??))
I’ve been using this for years and years, and actually like it BETTER than that #57 foot that has the built in guide on it. The thing I don’t like about the #57 foot is that the knife edge guide thingie doesn’t stick out in front of the foot FAR enough to really guide the fabric. You can see how far this guide rests in front of the foot..it works like a fence, yet I can still see where I am aiming. I use it with my regular #37 foot.
Here is a closer picture from my leaders & enders page on my website.
There are so many things that we have available to us to help us get that “right” 1/4”..and this is one that I really love.
Loving Vegas with my Dad!! He’s on his laptop on the other bed while I’m putzing on mine, and it is so nice to relax!
And OH!! I should have a book cover to post in the next day or so! I saw 3 different ones to choose from today…I can’t wait to show you! And did I mention my other big news? Scraps & Shirttails just went into its 3rd printing! Wooooot! This means so much to me, and I hope the same for its sequel and for Adventures with Leaders & Enders too!
Oh my! I'm wondering if I have one of those in my accessory box-I have a few things I've never figured out for my old faithful Bernina 930. Gotta go check!
ReplyDeleteI think just about every sewing machine I have came with the guide thingy but I never used it until I got my Janome 1600. I love it! My 1/4" seams are much more accurate with the guide.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us who do not have the screw hole. I have found that putting a piece of double stick foam tape on my machine bed after carefully measuring 1/4" from the needle works well too. Don't remove the top tape, and when it starts getting worn out, it's easily replacable.
ReplyDeleteI have one that came with my Viking Mega Quilter and my Pfaff Grand quilter.It is almost twice that size and I LOVE it. I am MUCH more accurate now, and I use it for every seam allowance, and all of my old singers have one too.
ReplyDeleteHI Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteSeam Guides are great. I have an Aurora 440 with the holes for screwing in the guide, or a circular sewing attachment or other accessories.
There might be other Berninas that also have these holes available in the modern range.
Also I noticed there's a sliding seam guide that attaches to the side of the slide- on table for the Aurora and other machines, that is a long plastic ledge I've used many times for seaming long strips together- its brilliant. I think its meant for sewing wide hems with but it works just as well for guiding quarter inch seams.
Yes, funny my expensive Bernina did not come with one but my Janome 6600 did and guess what the Janome seam guide works on either machine.
ReplyDeleteDarn Expensive Bernina how dare you charge me for the guide and the screw separately!!!
I have to say I bought this 6600 after you raved about it but still use my Bernina 1030 just as much :0)
Happy Sewing
Bernina seam guide: My Active 240 has two holes on the arm, side by side. Do I screw the guide in the left side hole or the right side hole and why are there two holes?
ReplyDeletemyconsuelo@ohiohills.com
Would you believe my 1930 Jones hand machine has a hole and an old Singer seam guide fits perfectly. Really accurate seams here we come!
ReplyDeletehelendottristramatgmaildotcom aka Helen in France
I never thought of using those old things in this way.I saved all the feet etc from old machines, so I have one.
ReplyDelete