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What Are Sewing Machine Feet – and Why are They So Useful

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Sewing machine feet are being used by more and more sewists throughout the years.

In fact, you have probably heard of them, but are having a hard time figuring out what they are and what on earth they do.

In truth, there is a lot that goes in to a sewing machine foot, including the different parts of the foot.

Additionally, there are several widely used sewing machine feet, such as the walking foot sewing machine that would be useful to know about.

Also, a tip for researching about these different machines and their functions, be aware that sewing machine feet are also commonly known as sewing machine pressure feet.

Whether you’re wondering what a sewing machine foot actually is or are trying to find out which foot parts you need, you are about to find out.

What is a Sewing Machine Foot?

So, what actually is a sewing machine foot after all?

Sewing machine feet are changeable parts of a sewing machine that can be purchased separately and then attached.  They are in charge of tackling specific tasks that are normally difficult for most sewers, making them able to accomplish them with more ease.

These tricky tasks include gathering and rolling hem, blinding hem, and opening toe.

Additionally, sewing machine feet create intricate designs hard for most sewers such as zig zags, and attach add-ons to bring more flavor to your design, such as zippers, cording, and buttonholes.

This is what makes sewing machine pressure feet so likeable by sewists and knitters.

The Walking Foot Sewing Machine


Probably the most versatile sewing machine foot out there is the walking foot sewing machine.

This machine foot is capable of doing many things and performing multiple tasks.

This popular foot gives an additional set of feed dogs for the top part of the sewn fabric.  Because of this special design, the walking foot is extremely good for handling unusual fabrics.

Another of its incredible features is that of the extra bar provided by the walking foot.  This extra bar allows for the pulling of the top part of the fabric being sewn through the machine, while also pulling the bottom piece.

To perform these complex tasks, the walking foot sewing machine consists of three major parts, or, soles: the standard sole, the quilting sole, and the edge stitching sole.

The standard sole is also commonly known as the basic sole, and its role as part of this useful machine is attaching the fabrics to one another.

Secondly, the quilting sole keeps the quilt layers being sewn from slipping out from under the sewing machine as it is being sewn together.

And finally, the third sole is the edge stitching sole.  This sole is in charge of neatly top stitching and edge stitching, as the name suggests, the quilt pieces together.

Put together, these parts make the wonderful walking foot sewing machine and gives you a lovely new design.

The Different Types of Sewing Machine Feet


Believe it or not, as great as the walking foot sewing machine is, it isn’t the only one out there.

There are many other very useful sewing machine feet available for you to use. Besides, the more the merrier, right?

There is a grand total of 16 different types of sewing feet machines. These 15 include the rolled hem foot, button hole foot, zipper foot, straight stitch foot, zig zag foot, walking foot, blind hem foot, button sewing foot, gathering foot, piping foot, darning foot, pin tuck foot, cording foot, appliqué foot, Teflon foot (also known as the non-stick foot), and the invisible zipper foot.

A lot, I know.

Each of these machines perform a different function that can be useful in your sewing career.

The rolled hem foot creates neat, narrow rolled hems to your designs.

The button hole foot allows you to create button holes in your fabric of any size you choose.

The zipper foot, as the name suggests, allows you to sew zippers onto your designs.

The zig zag foot lets you decorate your design with creative zig zags.

The blind hem foot is used mainly for blind hemming, but can also be used for stitching tucks.  Difficult fabrics such as knit can be easily blind hemmed with this foot.

The button sewing foot, obviously, allows for the sewing of buttons onto your fabrics.

The gathering foot gathers fabrics and creates cute ruffles in your fabrics.

The piping foot allows you to sew piping onto your fabric.

The darning foot darns stitches, repairing any holes there might be in your fabric.

The pin tuck foot creates pin tucks with absolute ease.

The cording foot provides cording to any garments you wish to sew on.

The appliqué foot gives you a perfect and clear view of where you are stitching, as it has a see through plastic covering.

And finally, the Teflon foot makes stitching materials such as vinyl, leather, faux leather, ultra suede, and oil cloth a piece of cake.

Make Sewing Less Stressful and More Fun by Using these Incredible Feet

Sewing machine feet truly are a blessing to sewists alike, many of which will have you wondering why you hadn’t used them before.

Enjoy your materials with little to no frustration, as all your stitching and designing just got a whole lot more stress free.

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