The Janome 1/4″ Seam Foot comes standard with select machines but is offered as an optional accessory for almost all Janome sewing machines. Perfect 1/4″ seams and corners buy using the Janome 1/4″ Seam Foot, which has a guide, or flange, along the right edge to run your fabric along it to get a perfect 1/4″ inch seam allowance. It also has 1/4-inch marks along the side, which allows you to drop your needle and pivot around corners 1/4-inch from the fabric’s edge.
What is it used for?
This is a famous foot with patch workers for that essential 1/4-inch seam allowance used in piecing a quilt. The guide on the foot enables you to sew a perfect 1/4-inch seam every time. It takes the guessing and measuring out of sewing consistent seams. Since the foot is designed with a flexible metal flange that easily glides along the edge of your fabric, it can just as easily move up and over difficult or blocked areas during sewing. It can also be used for topstitching and decorative work. Great if you use this with a triple straight stitch and decorative thread.
How to Use:
Snap the foot onto your machine and use a straight stitch, put the edge of the fabric against the guide, and begin sewing. At the end of your seam, sew right up to the 1/4″inch mark, stop with the needle down, and pivot your fabric. Repeat for each side to get a perfect 1/4″ seam all the way around. This 1/4″ mark is ideal to use when insetting patchwork like Tumbling/ Baby Blocks, and 60-degree stars.
Check out this informative video below on using the Janome 1/4″ Seam Foot.
The Janome 1/4″ Seam Foot is not only for piecing a quilt, it’s also useful in garment sewing, such as topstitching and for creating tucks, as shown in the video below.
Fun Fact
Notice the tiny round hole in the foot? This is by design. The hole in the foot prevents needle breakage if you accidentally forget to switch your needle from the left-most position to the center.
What Machines will it fit?
There is a 1/4″ Seam Foot for mostly every sewing machine Janome offers. The stitch width; 5mm, 7, 9mm, and bobbin loading location; Drop-In or Front Loading, will determine the part number, so double-check with your Janome dealer to ensure you get the correct one.
The most common are:
- 1/4″ Seam Foot Top Load, 5-7mm Stitch Width Models | Part Number 200318000
- 1/4″ Seam Foot Front Loading Models 5mm Part Number 200330008
While there are variations for the 9mm machines and models equipped with AcuFeed, this particular section of the blog is dedicated to beginner machines, so we are only focusing on 5-7mm models here.
For more information on finding the right accessory for your machine, please view the Accessory Compatibility Guide.
Below is a link to an explanation by Janome America National Spokesperson Kimberly Einmo about perfecting your 1/4″ seam allowance, including the “scant”1/4”, which is especially useful if you have lots of small pieces in your quilt blocks.
The elusive scant 1/4″ seam. Defined and conquered by Kimberly Einmo
Happy Sewing!
Janome Life 