Nicki LaFoille

Quick Tip: Using a Rubber Band as a Seam Allowance Guide

Nicki LaFoille
Duration:   1  mins

Description

If you’ve ever needed assistance achieving perfectly even seam allowances, a seam allowance guide can help. Nicki LaFoille demonstrates one way to create a seam allowance guide at home, using a tool you probably already have lying around.

Having a raised guide on your machine bed can help with aligning seam allowances, rather than attempting to align the raw edges with the lines on the machine’s bed and throat plate. A raised guide allows you to feel where the fabric aligns with the correct seam allowance, to help you sew perfectly straight lines.

Use a rubber band around the machine bed as a seam allowance guide. Be sure to measure from the needle’s center position as you are positioning the rubber band, to ensure it is at the correct seam allowance distance from the needle. This rubber band will stay in position, but is easily removable.

For more tips, tricks, and sewing hacks, check out these videos:
Tips for Sewing Slippery Fabric
Best Way to Remove Sewing Stitches
Quick Tips for Preventing Seam Puckering

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One Response to “Quick Tip: Using a Rubber Band as a Seam Allowance Guide”

  1. Natasa Rutherford

    What a simple , but brilliant idea! I use washy tape but you get a sticky mark on the machine eventually. This is also easy to change when you have different seam allowances.

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