Home Small appliances What is a sewing machine foot
Small appliances

What is a sewing machine foot

We study a universal sewing foot

sewing, machine, foot

We continue to analyze the purpose of the various legs. What’s new about the regular multi-purpose sewing machine foot?? Today we will look at the different types of attachment, the design of this presser foot and how to determine the height of the lift.

Universal sewing machine foot. is a type of presser foot that all standard sewing machines are equipped with. It can be called by many different names, such as standard, straight or basic.

What is the purpose of the universal foot?

Depending on the design of the presser foot at the point of needle entry it can be used for straight stitching, zigzag stitching or some decorative stitches.

This foot is commonly used for sewing seams, hemstitching and any other sewing task that requires straight or zigzag stitching.

All models have a universal foot, and it is usually installed on the sewing machine if you have never changed the foot.

Purpose of the universal foot. to hold the fabric in place, while the conveyor combs below provide traction, bringing the fabric to the needle. The universal presser foot is fixed with a spring that makes it flexible.

Two types of foot attachment

In the construction of a sewing machine, all feet are fixed to a special rod. foot-holder, which performs up and down movements, secured by a screw or a special quick clamp.

In some models the feet are screwed to the stem. To install modern legs on an older sewing machine, you can use an adapter.

The adapter is screwed to the stem like a normal foot. And already on it, “click” modern legs.

To remove the foot, press the lever behind the adapter and. presser foot unhooked!

Sewing foot, simulating overlock stitch

Even without overlock, you can overcast a seam. And not a zigzag stitch like on a Chayka sewing machine, but a beautiful overlock stitch. However, please note that no straight-line sewing machine can “fully” overstitch the edges of the fabric. This stitch only mimics an overlock stitch, and if stretched significantly, the threads in it can break. Such a sewing foot, as a rule, attached to any modern household sewing machine. To sweep the edge of the fabric, you need to change the top thread setting of the sewing machine. The tension of the upper thread must be so tight that the intertwining of the two threads is exactly on the edge of the cut of the fabric.

Quilting feet

On our site there is already an article about how to choose a sewing machine for quilting. Now let’s try to figure out which presser feet are best for patchwork.

Standard classic quilting foot. This is the 1/4″ (quarter-inch) straight stitch foot. Why it is so useful for this application? And because most quilting projects just need a quarter-inch indentation. Even if you have one that came standard with your sewing machine, it is still recommended to buy a 1/4 inch quilting foot. When sewing projects from multiple pieces, you have to maneuver frequently, so the quilting feet have rounded edges that allow the foot to pass through layers of stitches and scraps of fabric more easily. In addition, the foot has special scale-like notches that allow for more precise maneuvering when sewing multiple pieces. Be careful with the installation of such a foot. Some sewing machines require adjustment of the needle position to the right or left.

Quarter-inch quilting foot

Spring-loaded foot. Its other name. darning foot. The foot requires you to turn off (lower) the lower fabric feed conveyor of your sewing machine because it is made specifically to allow the seamstress to manually advance the fabric as she sees fit. You lower the conveyor belt with a special lever, which is provided on many modern sewing machines. and the toothed rack conveyor stops pushing the fabric under the needle, because not its teeth can not catch the fabric. They can’t reach it. You set and control the feed of the fabric and you can sew as you like with a pencil. So your work will only depend on your imagination, and your sewing skills. When you turn off the feeder foot you are responsible for the evenness of the fabric and therefore the length of the stitch. Try it and you’ll get it right! Many darning feet come in a transparent design, so that the smallest details don’t escape you when you’re sewing quilting projects. A spring on the foot lets you easily overcome the different thickness variations in the layers of fabric you sew, of which there are many when you’re sewing with patchwork.

Spring presser foot

Open foot. Open toe feet are also good for patchwork. They can also be transparent. Open toe and transparency allow you to see where your stitching is going, so you won’t miss the moment you change the direction of the stitching. Agree, there are a lot of quilts, they are all sewn at different angles to each other, and we need to see where to sew. Foot with spring can also be open-ended.

Open foot

On our website you can find a lot of information about walking feet. They’re also great for multi-layered quilting projects because they have a built-in top feeder under the needle.

Guide

Sewing Machine Presser Foot Basics �� How to Use 10 Different Feet [Brother CS7000i]

We have considered feet that we need for quilting. There are many variations. Some of their qualities that are essential for patchwork stitching are: transparency, open nose, marking lines on the feet, the possibility of using manual feed or vice versa, a built-in additional feed mechanism. If you want to get parallel stitches, you can use a special stitch guide.

With foot. The quilter gets the so-called linen stitch, used when sewing linens. Such a stitch is a little rougher than the treated edge overlock, but stronger and the edges do not crumble when washing. To sew a garment seam, two layers of fabric must be folded together, with the bottom layer protruding by 3 cm. 6 mm. This difference will be wrapped with the foot. A knob, so that one cut of the fabric will be covered by the second. But one extra stitch is needed.

It will additionally fix the seam itself and close the cut edge completely, wrapping it inside. Now the seams of the bedclothes will be reliably protected from shattering. Performing this operation requires some skill and dexterity. Foot. chopper is almost the same as the hemmer, but is designed for hemming the edge in one layer, for example in the processing of folded sheets.

Standard set of sewing feet

Most often a standard set of sewing feet contains no more than three or five. Universal foot, presser foot for zipper, foot for zigzag stitch and foot for buttonhole (semi-automatic). The more expensive models have 10-15 presser feet, and there is a special storage compartment on the body of the machine, like this photo. However, you should know that you can always buy additional feet if you want to. True, provided they are made by the same manufacturer as the sewing machine and are suitable for that model.

Basic Sewing Machine Foot Types

There are several kinds of presser feet, each having its own specific use.

Zigzag foot. This is the standard foot, comes with all sewing machines. The name speaks for itself, it is designed to create zigzag stitches, usually between 0 and 5 mm wide.

Zipper foot. This foot is used for sewing zippers. Allows you to create a smooth seam very close to the zipper teeth. There are different types of zippers. The two main options are the traditional hidden zipper, which is best used on bags, backpacks and clothing (such as the zipper on jeans), and the zipper for dresses gives a seamless look for a piece of clothing. This foot is also suitable for working the edges of bags and sacks when you want to get stiff edges with tubes sewn onto them.

The buttonhole foot. One of the best things about your sewing machine is that you can create perfect button holes. There are usually instructions for each foot, which can be found in your machine’s instruction manual. It should tell you how to adjust the buttonhole size. Be sure to read it in order to use this foot properly. Usually the foot has enough area to create a hole for any size button, depending on how you have programmed your machine. It trims the edges of the holes around exactly the same as on garments made by commercial manufacturers.

Types of presser feet

Cording foot. Foot also sews zigzag, but it is designed for sewing stripes and laces on the surface of the fabric. This method is used mainly for decorative purposes. Example on video.

1/4 inch walking foot. Virtually any sewing machine has a special marking in the form of straight lines that allows you to evenly pass the fabric when sewing. The 1/4″ foot lets you sew on pieces of fabric with a standard 6 mm seam allowance.

Edge notching foot. (Narrow Rolled Hem Foot). Useful for even hemming the edges of fine and light fabrics. Example on video.

1/4 inch patchwork foot. Anyone who has done quilting. Sewing with scraps, you’ve probably experienced the problem of having to do a lot of things by hand, but the development of new sewing machine feet is making life a little easier. For example, this foot ¼ Inch allows you to make perfect angles when sewing different pieces of fabric together.

Walking foot. Walking feet are usually available as an optional accessory for the sewing machine. It is best used for quilts or other thick projects. When you sew several layers of fabric together, such as a quilt, the feed dogs can only move the bottom layer, but the other layers shift in relation to the bottom layer, and the result is uneven stitching and uneven placement of all the layers of fabric. Walking foot has a top feeder that allows you to move the top layer of fabric as well.

Foot for ruffles. Allows you to make ruffles (folds). Ideal for sewing evening dresses and drapes. You can see an example in the video.

Foot with roller. Some of the fabrics you work with are “sticky”. This means that a simple presser foot does not glide smoothly on these types of fabric. This can be leather and suede or batting. Roller foot gives the same pressure and makes it easy to move the fabric forward.

Hemming foot. Intended for creating blind hems. Before using such a foot, you should carefully study the manual for it. Example.

Variety of sewing machine feet

Among sewing mistresses’ accessories, presser feet play a key role. They allow you to perform many additional functions. Now manufacturers offer auxiliary sewing machine feet to facilitate decorative stitches, which make complex work quality and expand the capabilities of universal parts. In order not to get confused about their purpose, let’s consider a description of the main types of such accessories.

Top 10 most needed sewing machine feet

There are a huge number of sewing machine presser feet on the market. Although they all perform different functions, but if your set contains 10 feet, the purpose of which we will break down today, you will be able to perform almost all necessary sewing tasks.

I’m sure you have several sewing machine presser feet that come with your sewing machine. Why not learn how to use them?? They can greatly improve your sewing!

Taking a little time to learn and then properly installing the foot and needle can turn your sewing idea into a point of pride!

Depending on the brand of your sewing machine, presser feet may be on snaps or screws.

Most modern machines use the snap-in method, which makes changing feet quick and easy. Older machines usually have screw-on feet that are attached to the machine with a large screw. Although they take a couple of seconds longer to change, they are also very easy to use, so you shouldn’t have a problem changing the feet on these types of devices.

What are the most useful sewing feet?? We’ve compiled a list of the 10 most needed presser feet that will allow you to perform almost all sewing tasks.

All machines come with a universal foot, which is used for sewing straight stitch and zigzag stitch on a variety of fabrics. Also commonly referred to as utility foot, straight stitch foot or standard foot.

If you have an older machine with just this foot, you can do 90% of your sewing with it. You don’t have to have fancy gadgets to sew beautiful clothes and other items. All the same. The most important foot for the machine.

The hemming foot (sometimes called the hem foot or duck foot) is used to create narrow selvedges on thin and opaque fabrics. It folds the hem and straightstitch simultaneously, so you can save time on ironing. For tucking the edge it has a special “folding” attachment on the front. The hemming foot is best suited for straight edge rather than curved edge. Regular size. 3 and 6mm.

Read more about this foot here.

Zipper foot

These sewing machine feet allow you to sew close to the edge of zipper teeth, edging or thick edges. Most zipper feet allow you to position the needle on the left or right side of the zipper. The photo below shows several zipper foot designs. What they all have in common is that the needle holes are on the side, not in the middle like conventional foot tools.

You can also buy the optional invisible presser foot (read more about it here). But even an invisible zipper can be successfully sewn with the regular zipper foot.

Most modern machines have a type of stitching called overlock simulation. Of course the sewing principle is different to that of a real overcasting machine. Overlocking will cut the raw edge and then trim it, whereas overlocking foot will not. That means you have to trim the seam yourself just before sewing.

Foot for invisible hems

This foot is capable of neatly hemming an edge. It has a metal guide which helps the machine to create accurate stitching for an invisible edge.

The first 4 most likely come with your sewing machine. The last 6 can be purchased individually or as a set. Of all the presser feet, I often use the Teflon presser foot, so check out this one.

This handy foot glides over leather and vinyl fabric without sticking. I use the Teflon presser foot a lot when sewing Lycra and other delicate fabrics and even use it more than the universal foot for sewing on regular fabric.

Because these feet are made of a material similar to plastic, they do wear out a little bit. That’s why I change them about once a year. You can see from the photo that I really love this foot ;)))

Sewing foot for tacking

This foot tackles lightweight fabrics while sewing. It can be used to tack and sew at the same time. If you do this regularly, it will save you a lot of time.

The main thing to understand is that this sewing foot is designed for light and thin fabrics and creates only lightweight gathers. If you need a foot for thicker fabrics, check out Foot 0 on our list.

buttonhole foot

The appearance of buttonhole feet varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer, but their purpose. Create smooth, perfect-looking buttonholes.

Buttonholes can also be made with a zigzag stitch with a transparent presser foot, like the photo below left.

The long white buttonhole foot (see the photo below). (see photo above right) automatically creates a buttonhole of the right length, and to make a hole of the right size, a button is placed on the back and pressed by a spring mechanism.

This foot provides perfect stitches at 6mm.

You can buy them with or without an extra guide on the side. The guide foot is great for sewing on the flaps of handbags and clutches.

The last item on our list. This is the ruffle foot. This fancy gizmo is great for gathering pleats on any fabrics. Like the tacking foot, it can also be used to gather creases and sew fabric.

In the next tutorials we will continue to explain the various presser feet, so if you are interested in these topics please give us a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel.

Zipper foot

Most machines come with a zipper foot. This foot slides along the side of the zipper and allows you to sew much closer to the zipper teeth than with standard foot. Depending on the design of the presser foot it can be attached to the right or left side, allowing you to quickly and easily sew both sides of your zipper.

Foot for buttonholes

The buttonhole foot is also standard on most machines. These feet allow you to sew button holes of different diameters without having to worry about one buttonhole being longer or the other shorter. Depending on your sewing machine, you can either program the desired buttonhole length, or place the desired buttonhole in the foot and thereby set the desired hole length.

Author

Kerariel

| Denial of responsibility | Contacts |RSS