My Favourite Sewing Machine Foot

What’s your favourite sewing machine foot? for me, it’s all about the walking foot. The most underrated sewing machine foot out there and one that I definitely can’t live without – my secret weapon. Next to my zipper foot, it’s my most used sewing machine foot and has been a total game changer for a wide variety of sewing applications.

But first what makes a walking foot special?
It’s those little extra feed dogs on top of the foot, helping the fabric evenly glide through the machine by gripping the fabric both at the top and the bottom.

Why I love it?

Beautiful, even, easy quilting that just glides through your machine – not just for quilts but quilted bag/pouch panels too. No puckering, bunching and shifting of layers and lovely even stitches.
All my quilting no matter how big or small is done with this foot. Just like this Quilted Boxy Bag Panel I made recently.

It’s capable of sewing anything sticky; leather, plastics, vinyl or oilcloth with ease. It is my go to for sewing vinyl (I own a Teflon foot and I still prefer the walking foot and get better results).

Sewing the Binding to this Rainbow Patch Vinyl Pouch was a breeze with my walking foot.

Heavy or stretchy fabrics; Terry cloth, jersey knit, minki, upholstery fabric, wool or velvet. It makes sewing it all an actual enjoyable experience. The walking foot provides that little bit of extra help you need. In fact I wouldn’t even dream of sewing Terry or chenille cloth backed baby bibs without it.

Matching fabric prints and Seams is much easier with the walking foot. It eliminates that little bit of stretch you can get with a normal presser foot – yes this does happen with quilting cotton too. (Forget the 1/4” foot, you can easily find your 1/4” seam with your walking foot). Got tiny patchwork like the 1″ squares Itty Bitty Needlebook, your seams will be much more accurate with a walking foot.

Thick or bulky Seams can be hard to top stitch neatly, but not with a walking foot.
Got thick, stiff interfacing to top stitch through but it’s struggling under your normal presser foot? Hello walking foot.

So tell me do you have a walking foot? Do you love it too?

Until next time, happy sewing, Kellie. xx