I LOVE a foot with a flange on the right side to help me keep a consistent 1/4″ seam, as does most every child I’ve taught how to sew. Need a scant 1/4″ seam allowance because I’m making FG and HSTs? No problem! Increase the stitch width 1-2 clicks to move the needle over and keep on sewing.

What if you have a vintage or modern mechanical machine where you can’t adjust the needle position on a straight stitch? The needle position remains in the middle or left and that’s it. Think Singer Featherweights, Singer 301, some entry level Brother machines. Even the Janome Jem Gold 660 doesn’t allow any adjustment to the needle position.

For the Janome Jem Gold 660, look into an O2 snap on presser foot. It is designed for a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.

For others, there is a scant 1/4″ foot offered by the Featherweight Shop and other online vintage machine retailers. Before you hit the purchase button, test your machine to make sure your machine sews a true 1/4″ seam using the markings on your needle plate. Is your seam allowance a true 1/4″? If so, the scant 1/4″ foot should work with your machine.

Some machines actually sew a generous 1/4″ seam when doing this test. My Singer 222 and 301 are this way. Nothing is wrong with my machines. They merely came from the factory this way. As long as I use the same 1/4″ foot consistently through my project, the quilt might be a little smaller, but it will be fine. For me, the scant 1/4″ foot is actually a true 1/4″ seam with my 222. It doesn’t matter if I use the snap-on or low shank scant 1/4″ foot. Surprisingly, the snap-on scant 1/4″ foot I use with my FW DOES provide a scant 1/4″ seam IF I use the snap-on slant shanks made with a 3D printer. This was a great discovery for me because I prefer piecing on my 301.

Bernina has long had the BSR – which I got to experience at the Kansas City Regional Quilt Festival in 2021. This option is available with several of the newer series machines from the Bernina 475 up to the TOL machine. I will admit I throughly enjoyed my time stitching on the 770 with the BSR. This became a must-have feature when I go to upgrade my existing Janome 8900.

Janome developed its own version known as the ASR and introduced it on its TOL machine – the Continental M17. I asked my dealer when the ASR might be offered on other series in the line. Someday. This week, Janome reported that ASR is now available on two new models – the Continental 8 and the 9480QCP. The 9480 is the updated version of my 8900.

Grace Machine Company also has a machine coming out called the Little Rebel, which is a straight stitch only machine with built in stitch regulation.

I’ll definitely be checking out both of these machines!

Meanwhile, Baby Lock and Brother – where’s your wide-throat machine for quilters with built in stitch regulation?

I don’t need machine embroidery capabilities, 400 alphabet stitches or 32 buttonholes. I want 10-12″ of throat space, high clearance under the machine head, and built in stitch regulation. Oh, and it has to fit within my existing Horn Quilter’s Dream cabinet with a 12-1/2″ x 24-1/2″ opening. Desired price range: $3500-$5000 for total package. If you’ll take my 8900 on trade, even better. I’ll even consider a newer pre-owned machine in very good condition. Time horizon to buy – within the next year.

After several weeks of essentially a plateau – the scale has consistently moved in the right direction the past two weeks. One month ago, I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted when I got hungry. Yes, there were several treats, but I generally stuck with healthier eating choices overall. I felt better, slept better and wasn’t hungry all the time.

Turns out, I wasn’t eating enough food or drinking enough water.

I find current points values in the Weight Watchers app to be inconsistent and a tad unrealistic when it comes to everything but zero point foods. Have you seen the IG reel where the nutritionist compares calories in a piece of cheese pizza (7 points) to four eggs (0 points)? She has a point about the lady staying home to eat eggs and not going out for pizza with friends. Calories for a slice of cheese pizza and four eggs are about the same. The lady missed a social event with friends and wound up consuming the same amount of calories in zero point foods. Last time I checked, calories are calories.

I incorporate a hack that I learned from a lifetime WW member. I track points using 1 point = 50 calories. I keep my daily points between 25-30 and allow myself at least one treat per week. Food choices have shifted as I’ve learned more about calorie density. I also do a very loose type of intermittent fasting as suggested by my doctor. I eat dinner before 6 p.m. and do not eat in the mornings until I am actually hungry. I also aim for walking 30-60 minutes per day whenever possible. 7500-10000 steps per day is my goal.

Two non-negotiables: (1) no brioche bread in my house and (2) Chips and Pirate’s Booty cheddar puffs are allowed in prepackaged portions only (preferably 1/2 oz portion size). Brioche bread is a treat when we go out for a meal. Prepackaged portions help control mindless snacking.

Accountability is an essential part of the process for me. Tracking what I eat and getting on the scale 2x per week is what I need to stay accountable to myself. I still track in WW, but will move that to my FitBit app when my current WW subscription expires.

Hubs has been away the past two weeks. My night owl tendencies are in their full glory with me not feeling sleepy until 3 a.m. Not a problem unless you have a energetic Labradoodle who demands to go out at 6 a.m.!