Wednesday, January 7, 2009

How Big is a "Scant"?


I'm making a block or two for Carol of Giraffe Dreams to go into a quilt for a teenage girl named Joanie who lost all her belongings in a house fire. It's an Ohio Star block, and Carol kindly placed a link on her blog to another page with instructions. I followed them, I thought, to a "T," but when I measured, my block was 1/4" too small.

How does one lose 1/4" on a block like this? Well I have to assume that my 1/4" is a not a real one. Then again, reading the directions they called for a "scant 1/4-inch" seam allowance.

How big is a "scant"?

That's a rhetorical question, I don't need an answer. I'll be trying again real soon.

6 comments:

Joyce said...

FYI I read recently that scant is ONE THREAD less than 1/4 inch. Who sews that accurately?????? Not I.

Paula said...

That is why I have a tendency to make HSTs and Hour Glass blocks a little big and then cut them down! I don't necessarily always sew accurate, but I can cut!!! LOL

MyCretanlife said...

In my mind scant is hardly there. So it would be just less than 1/4inch. If you can be that precise. LOL enjoying your blog

Dionne said...

You know, I hear a lot of warnings very similair to yours about the patterns at quilters cache. I've never been there, although I hear the patterns are really nice, but I can't deal with the headache of figuring out the difference between a 1/4 and a scant 1/4. I'm sure your block will come out beautiful when you finish it~! The one pictured is so nice, too bad it's not the right size.
Cheers,
Dionne

KateKwiltz said...

Wouldn't it make more sense if there were just another line on the throatplate of sewing machines: 1/4", and one just to the left? It'd make everybody's life so much easier!

susan said...

gosh, i hope its not a thread less, thats ridiculous
how dont even think there should be such a term.....there is something at work that i am getting tomorrow, its like a piece of tape that is removable from your throat plate, because i have had the very same problem
scant 1/4" indeed!