2 ways to sew a perfect ¼” seam on the Husqvarna VIKING Jade 20

Seeing all those functions and accessories for the Husqvarna VIKING Jade 20 yesterday, is pretty exciting. Now comes the fun part – we’re sewing today. Since most of us are quilters, let’s test out the accuracy of the ¼” seam allowance.

Here’s a myth I’ve heard over the years. You should attempt to piece one project on the same machine because different machines give different ¼” seam allowances. FALSE! If you understand the math behind the ¼” seam allowance and use the presser feet and the machine settings correctly, you can sew any project on multiple sewing machines and get the correct size every time.

Ask me how I know, as I’ve used multiple sewing machines to sew the same project, and I’ve had no issues. We also want to remember that it’s the desired finished (or unfinished) size of the piece and not so much about the seam allowance, although they work together. Accuracy of cutting and pressing also comes into play with the size.

The first method existed long before ¼” feet were a thing. I’m using a stitch in the Utility Menu (Stitch Number 20) to sew my seams.

You’ll find the first ten stitches on the stitch selection menu, and you simply push the appropriate button to select the stitch. For stitches 11 – 82, you must punch in the two digits corresponding to the stitch. So, in this instance, I pushed 2 and 0 quickly, and the ¼” stitch loaded, and the stitch number showed on the display.

Use the Utility Foot A and sew along the side of the foot. You may need to tweak that by moving the fabric slightly to the inside or the outside of the foot. It all depends on the thickness of the fabric and the thread weight.

I changed the stitch length, which was easy. The default is 2.5, and my preference is 2.0, which ensures the stitches will not come undone but isn’t super tricky to rip if needed. The light beside the stitch length function is on to indicate it is outside the default setting. That same function allows you to change the stitch density of satin stitches. Yes – I found that in the User’s Guide!

I was sewing some blocks for a project that I had to complete, and the size was perfect, with no fudging required. It’s as easy as pie if you consider thread weight, fabric, and the markings on the presser foot. I’ll say that after years of sewing ¼” seam allowances, I could practically sew an accurate seam by eye, but I still rely on the edge of the presser foot as my primary guide.

So, method number one was perfect. Let’s try the second method, which is to use an optional ¼” piecing foot. I’ll use the Adjustable ¼” Foot, which works for Category 1 – 9 Husqvarna VIKING branded sewing machines. There are other options, some with a guide on the side. Try both styles to see which one you prefer. I prefer the one with no guide.

For this method, we rely on the foot to give us the ¼”, not the needle setting, as per method number one.

I need to use Stitch Number One with the needle in the center position for this method. Again, I changed the default stitch length to 2.0.

Again, you may have to move the fabric slightly to the left or the right, depending on the thread weight and the fabric. It’s incredible how many people think that just because this is a ¼” foot, they can rely entirely on the foot when there are other factors to consider!

Here’s something I noticed. There’s a ¼” line across the bobbin case cover. This is perfect to help get the fabric lined up for the ¼” seam allowance. In this photo, I’ve moved my fabric slightly to the left so you can see the line, which is helpful with the optional ¼” foot.

The second section, where I used the optional ¼” foot, was also the perfect size. So it doesn’t matter which method, but try both. You’ll get consistent and correct sizes with both methods. That is at least three different sewing machines that I’ve used for this project, and all the blocks are the correct size. Another myth busted!

Here are a couple of tips to help with your sewing your quilt tops together:

1. Hold your fabrics until you get to the end. See how this piece aligns with the ¼” guide on the bobbin case cover. Do not take your hands off, as the fabric will go wonky!

2. Use the Safety Stiletto to hold the seam allowances in place. The Jade 20 had no issues sewing across the bulky seam allowances, and the Safety Stiletto held everything in place. It’s my go-to sewing tool, and I dislike sewing without it.

3. Looking for a great pair of snips to cut your threads? The Husqvarna VIKING Easy Snips are amazing, and I use them for all my snipping. Since I’m a chain piecer, there’s a lot of snipping, and the Easy Snips are perfect.

4. When chain piecing, lift the presser foot slightly to insert the following two pieces of fabric without cutting the thread. Push the fabric right up to the needle. You don’t waste thread this way; the piece behind the needle helps align this next piece. I love chain piecing.

5. Another tip for chain piecing is to use an ender/leader to avoid cutting the thread chain. I insert a seam from another project when I finish the end of my pieces for one project, and I have nothing else to sew. In some cases, I sew small triangles together for half-square triangles, or in this case, I’m sewing some braids that I found in my UFO stash. I’ll call this my bonus project!

6. The last tip for sewing is to hold the bobbin and top threads when you start a new seam line. You’ll have a thread nest under your work if you don’t. Why? The sewing machine attempts to form a stitch even though you’re at the beginning of the seam. Its job is to pull the top thread to the bottom to create a stitch, which happens even at the beginning of a row. Hold the threads tight and then trim them off. The underside of the seam remains clean.

The quality of the stitch for the Jade 20 is superb. Look how even that stitch is; it stayed even when going over the bumpy intersection on the right. I am very impressed with the stitch quality.

Looking at the back of the stitch, we see a clear definition for each stitch. I did not touch the tension, and the stitches are amazing! That’s a great indication of how beautiful the Jade 20 performs.

And here’s my completed block – it came out perfectly. Multiple sewing machines can provide the same seam allowance. Understanding the techniques, using the proper presser feet, and having such fantastic stitch quality as on the Jade 20 made this easy to create.

WAIT – I forgot to mention one other great feature on the Jade 20 – the needle threader! This feature is a game changer for those with “experienced” eyes. It’s so easy to use! I love it! Remember to use size 80/12 needles or larger if you need to use the needle threader.

I’ll certainly do more piecing on the Husqvarna VIKING Jade 20. The stitch quality and ease of use are impressive. And it’s such a great machine to take to class or quilting retreat. Be sure to pop into the local dealer to have a better look at it.

Tomorrow, I’ll take a look at another popular quilting technique – applique. Be sure to join me as we test the fabulous Jade 20  sewing machine.

Have a great day!

Ciao!

This is part 3 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 2: Maximize the Husqvarna VIKING Jade 20 with must-have accessories