Decision Time

I have been a devoted Baby Lock sewing machine user since about 1990. I bought a Baby Lock Quilter's Professional about 12 years ago because I wanted the extra room on the bed of the machine. That extra room really helps when quilting large quilts. I also love that machine because is has all metal parts and it can really sew!

About 2 years ago, my sweet hubby bought me another Baby Lock, in this case the Quilter's Choice. I wanted this machine because it has lots of pretty decorative stitches. I also wanted a smaller (and lighter) machine that I could use when traveling to classes. I really like this machine, and although you can tell the machine has plastic parts, it sews very nicely.

I have been working - and sometimes struggling - to sew the PERFECT 1/4 inch seam. I have used a variety of methods to achieve the perfect seam, but no matter what I do, I have to make some type of adjustment. For instance, many quilters suggest using a "scant" 1/4 inch seam, meaning that you need to sew 2-3 threads inside the seam line in order to make the block come out perfectly. I also notice that no matter what I do, my half quarter squares are not perfect. The tension of the seam pulls the fabric in ever so slightly, but that makes the square not square and I then have to adjust when seaming the not-so-square to the exactly square. It seams like I always have to make adjustments to get the block perfectly square.

I have used several different templates to cut the block after sewing so that it is perfect, but it just seems like the machine should be able to sew a perfect 1/4 inch seam.