Hidden Threads

It’s important to test your first attempts at using your sewing machine to create a reliable quarter inch seam. Use any thread that’s in your machine now, and try sewing two pieces of scrap fabric together.

Be sure to pick two scraps that have at least 12 inches of straight edge, and line them up as evenly as you can. Before you start to sew, make sure you are using a straight stitch, pull the bobbin thread up and out of the way, and identify the quarter inch mark on your sewing machine, even if you have to make one for yourself. If you haven’t read my previous post: Find the Quarter Inch Mark on the Sewing Machine, now would be a good time to take a look.

Test The Accuracy of Your Stitching

Now test the accuracy of your stitching by measuring the distance from the outer edge of the fabric to the line of stitching and make any adjustments you need to. Keep trying with scrap fabric until you get a consistently accurate quarter inch seam. Don’t worry too much about any of the other settings on the sewing machine right now. Just concentrate on straight stitching.

Potential Stitching Problems for the Beginning Quilter

A problem you may notice is an inclination to lose control of the fabric at the very beginning and end of your stitching line. That’s the type of inaccuracy you need to watch out for. Avoiding those wobbles is important.

Keep practicing and you’ll start to get a feel for the way the fabric feeds through the machine, the speed you are comfortable with, the way to coordinate your footwork with your hand movements, and the things you need to watch to make sure that the two pieces of fabric stay lined up at the quarter inch mark. After a while, and not too long either, the process will be second nature and you’ll be ready to make a great quilt.

Now, this is one of the best things about beginning quilting, you have the key to fully one third of the process of learning to do an accurate and beautiful job of making amazing quilts if you can just master the fabric alignment and feeding steps I’ve outlined above.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS