Seam Allowance Guide: Overview
For those of us with vintage sewing machines, there aren’t many options to find ones with seam allowance guides engraved onto the needle plate. You could always put a piece of tape and hope for an accurate seam allowance, or buy a $10 ruler that allows you to insert the needle, put on tape, and then repeat the process for every new seam allowance you need.
To overcome this, I’ve created a seam allowance guide that you can print on sticker paper (preferably clear), apply once, and have accurate seam allowances every time! Although there is a cost associated with this product ($1.00), I am only charging this amount to maintain my site and maintain my subscription to Adobe Creative Suite, so I can continue to make useful sewing tools, blocks, and independent patterns.
Seam Allowance Guide: Instructions
Steps:
Buy a Clear Sticker Project Paper. I used Avery 4397 for mine.
Use your home printer to print the PDF onto the sticker sheet. For this, please ensure you are printing on the correct side.
Measure the distance from the tip of your sewing needle to ¼ inch.
Apply the sticker to your needle plate.With a knife or an exactoknife (what I used), cut so the sticker is flush against the needle plate.
Determine the length of the seam allowance guide - this goes up to 2 inches, which you may not use, so if your max is 1 inch, trim the rest of the sticker off so you only have the seam allowance range you desire.
