Did you see all the sewing machine accessories that come with the Husqvarna VIKING ONYX 25? There are so many great things, and it’s lightweight, making it an ideal retreat or second sewing machine.

Today, I’ll explore the physical features of the ONYX 25, as it packs quite a punch for a small sewing machine.

One of the first things I noticed was the ruler along the bottom of the sewing machine, it’s in inches and cm, and while this seems a small detail, I always use these rulers. Have you ever had small pieces for a block that are similar in size? Who has time to label them? Not me, so I use this ruler to ensure I’m picking up the correct pieces or that they are in the proper orientation before I sew. I was super excited to see this.

Beside the ruler is a small notch in the base. What’s that for? OH – A pull-out Sewing Guide Reference Card helps select the correct Stitch and foot for the current task. There are two cards – one for woven fabrics and the second for stretch and leather/vinyl. On the left is the sewing technique – making a seam, basting, finishing an edge, creating a buttonhole, etc. There’s a preview of the stitch and the recommended presser foot. The tension, as well as the stitch length and width, are also indicated. Remember, those settings are guidelines; I may have to change them according to my fabrics.

There are three stitch menus on the ONYX 25 – the default setting (light gray), Menus S1 (blue), and S2 (dark gray). Two dials allow you to select a stitch and adjust the length.

The Stitch Selector Dial (bottom) allows you to select a particular stitch, by lining up the desired stitch with the dot. The top dial is the Stitch Length dial, allowing you to change the stitch length of stitches in the default menu and to move between the menus. If the stitch is in the S1 or S2 menu, move the Stitch Length dial to the appropriate menu.

There are utility stitches for woven and stretch fabrics, and there are decorative stitches. It’s empowering to become familiar with the page in the User’s Guide explaining all the utility stitches. Since you have the stitches, you should make use of them!

You’ll find the dials for setting the tension and the stitch width on the top of the ONYX 25. I know from experience that people fear that tension dial and often rely on the AUTOMATIC setting, which falls between 3 and 5. The tension dial is super easy – remember that ZERO puts zero tension on the top thread, and nine means the tension is tight. Experiment to see how it changes the integrity of the stitch. Trust me – that is a very worthwhile exercise and only takes a few minutes.

A built-in bobbin winder is on the top of the ONYX 25, which is easy to use. There’s a horizontal spool pin under the handle and a hole near the back where the auxiliary spool pin goes. The second spool pin is excellent for winding the bobbin, twin needlework, or using delicate threads.

If you need to change the presser foot presser (try saying three times fast!), the dial is right on top and easy to maneuver. Why would you need to adjust this? It mainly concerns the weight of the fabric you’re using. Suppose the presser foot is clamping down too hard on your delicate fabric; you can back off the pressure a wee bit. Remember to change the setting when you return to regular-weight fabrics.

There’s a significant lever to select reverse. I LOVE those big levers, and it’s right in front of you, so reversing is a snap.

There’s a needle threader! Yeah – so if you have difficulty threading the needle of your sewing machine, keep in mind the needle threader. It’s easy to use and remember that needle threaders do NOT work with smaller needles. So, if you need to thread a size 60 needle and sometimes a 70, use a manual needle threader.

There are many measurement lines (metric and imperial) on the stitch plate, so you’ll be sure to find a mark that meets your needs.

It’s wide enough that you could use the OPTIONAL Magnetic Seam Guide. I love this!

Note the size of the base of the ONYX 25. See how much room there is to the left of the needle! I like to have space on both sides of the needle, and many larger machines have very little space on the left, requiring one to use an extension table. I would happily use this machine at a retreat without an extension table, so that’s one less thing to carry! There’s an optional extension table if you require more space.

Once you have removed the accessory tray, I have a free arm to get into those tight spaces!

If you want to do free-motion quilting or darning, lowering the feed teeth is easy. Remove the accessory tray, and you’ll find a slider button on the back of the free arm base to drop the feed teeth. Remember, when you raise the feed teeth, they will NOT come up until you take a stitch, so don’t think you broke them!

WOW – This is a fantastic sewing machine for quilt retreats, new sewists, or a smaller machine in your kitchen. It has loads of bells and whistles, and the styling and features are well thought out.

I can’t wait to mess around with the stitches and start sewing on the Husqvarna VIKING ONXY 25. So be sure to come back tomorrow as I assemble the supplies for my project, play with the settings, and see how well it stitches.

Have a great day!!

Ciao!!!

This is part 2 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 1: Unboxing the Husqvarna VIKING ONYX 25 | 9 accessories

Go to part 3: The project bag – gathering materials – cutting instructions