I was asked recently if the Accuquilt GO! Dies are accurate with a regular quarter inch seam allowance, or a scant quarter inch. I think we’ve all heard about this mystical scant quarter inch. But what exactly is it?

I got this little tool a number of years ago. There are similar products out there and they are easy to use. You drop your machine needle into the hole for the seam allowance that you want, drop your presser foot to hold it in place, and then put your seam guide in place, butted up to the gauge.

I love the seam guide shown here. It was a gift from a quilty friend. After your seam guide is set, lift the needle and presser foot and remove the gauge. Honestly, I usually use my little ruler and just drop my needle just to the right of the quarter inch line and use that for a gauge.

Anyway, I noticed the “scant 1/4 inch” hole on the gauge shown above and decided to try it out. It made my HSTs too big. No problem, I went back to my normal quarter inch and stitched again. You can see here the two lines of stitching.

That’s enough difference to make a difference! So the answer is, don’t use THIS scant quarter inch measure!

I know this consistent seam allowance is what new quilters struggle with the most. It really isn’t that hard. Make a four patch and test out your seam allowance. It is worth the time and effort as it will save loads of frustrating down the road.

Hope this helps!

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