The Ultimate Guide to Sewing Machine Presser Feet
The human eye is pretty hard to fool. Sometimes, when a piece is supposed to be square and uniform and evenly distributed and it’s not, it can be unsettling, especially if you are striving for the serenity of a beautifully executed, repetitive stitch detail. The presser feet and sewing tools described in this post will provide precision control over your sewing; once you know how they work, you will find all sorts of other uses for them.
Sewing Machine Presser Feet guide
STANDARD ZIPPER FOOT
The standard zipper foot can be used most certainly to install a zipper, but you can also use it any time you need to stitch close to, but not directly over, a zipper, seam, trim, or embroidery. The zipper foot has cutout notches on both sides so you can position it on either side of the zipper teeth (or trim, seam, etc.) and then adjust the needle position so you stitch exactly where you need to for the most control. Here’s how to use the zipper foot to install a centered zipper. Refer to the zipper packaging for complete instructions.
1. Baste the seam closed with a universal or straight stitch zipper foot. Install the zipper foot and check that the needle fits smoothly within the cutout notches. You might want to take the time to make a practice stitch on scrap fabric to make sure the stitch length setting is correct.
2. Make any desired stitch adjustments.
3. Pin the right side of the zipper face down on the wrong side of the project with the zipper teeth centered over the seam. Baste the zipper in place.
4. From the right side of the fabric, lower the presser foot and sew with the edge of the presser foot along the zipper teeth a consistent distance from the basted seam (A).
5. When the stitching reaches the bottom of zipper, stop with the needle in the down position.
6. Raise the presser foot and pivot the fabric and sew across the bottom edge.
7. Stop with the needle in the down position and pivot the fabric again so that you can sew the second side of the zipper as in step 3.
8. Carefully remove the basting stitches from the seam so you can open and close the zipper .
OVERCASTING FOOT
The overcasting (or overlocking) foot is made specifically for finishing raw edges. It has a wire guide to help form the outer edges of overcasting stitches, thus duplicating the work of a serger or an overlock machine (A). The foot also keeps the thread tension from distorting the shape of the finished stitch, making a much neater edge than if you finished the cut edges with a standard zigzag foot.
1. Review the selection of overcasting stitches on your machine and select the one you would like to use. Install the overcasting foot.
2. Lower the presser foot and lower the needle into the fabric. Stitch slowly, keeping the guide on the presser foot running along the edge of the fabric (A).
ELASTIC FOOT
The elastic foot has a slot that holds the elastic in place while the fabric feeds through the sewing area.
1. Feed the elastic into the elastic guide on the foot and then toward the back to leave a few inches (cm) to hold onto when you attach the foot to the machine (A).
2. Set the machine for a stretch or zigzag stitch.
3. Stitch a few inches (cm) and make any adjustments needed so the stitch is balanced and the elastic feeds smoothly.
4. Finish stitching the seam, holding and guiding the elastic (B).
5. The gathers or shirring created are evenly distributed once the elastic relaxes (C).
An elastic foot will help you attach elastic and gather a section of fabric all in one step. As long as you have an adaptor, this foot can be used with any type shank.
GATHERING/SHIRRING FOOT
The old-school way of gathering fabric is to run two parallel rows of basting stitches the length of the fabric being gathered and then pull the bobbin threads to make the gathers. A gathering foot makes it much easier: It uses the feed teeth of the machine to make the gathers. It’s designed to slow down the movement of the fabric under the foot so that by lengthening the stitches, the teeth will move the fabric toward the needle quicker, creating a gathered stitch. You control the fullness of the gathers by adjusting the upper thread tension and the stitch length.
1. Set your machine for a straight stitch, with a 4.5 or 5 stitch length, and the upper tension set at 7. Refer to your owner’s manual for the settings for your machine, particularly if the gathering amount doesn’t suit your needs.
2. Lower the presser foot, and stack a bit of the fabric under the foot; hold your finger behind the foot to keep the fabric from flattening under the foot as you sew the first few stitches. When you see the machine start to make a gathered stitch you can move your finger (A).
3. Sew slowly, keeping the stitching line parallel to the edge of the fabric (B).
4. Be sure to stitch straight and far enough from the cut edge that the fabric doesn’t get pulled into the machine (C).
5. Adjust the gathers farther, if neede, by pulling or loosening the bobbin thread.
INVISIBLE ZIPPER FOOT
When they’re installed, invisible zippers just disappear into the seam of the garment. When installing an invisible zipper, the presser foot does all the work of holding the zipper open and sewing the seam directly in the ditch beside the zipper teeth. It’s amazing how easy this is.
1. Set your machine for a straight stitch and a 2.5 stitch length.
2. Open the zipper (press out any creases from the packaging).
3. Pin the top edge of the zipper seam with the right sides together. Open that seam and lay it facing up in front of you. Place the zipper right side down onto the seam opening. Pin zipper tape to the seam on each side. Unpin the seam and unzip the zipper.
4. Install the invisible zipper foot on the machine. Place the top of the zipper under the presser foot area and lower the presser foot. The V at the leading edge of the presser foot settles into the ditch next to the zipper teeth, as shown (A).
5. Lower the needle slowly using the hand wheel to ensure that the needle is centered close to the zipper teeth in the ditch next to the teeth.
6. Stitch along the edge of the zipper teeth a consistent distance from the edge of the fabric.
7. Stop stitching 11/2" (3.8 cm) from the bottom of the zipper tape. Remove the fabric from under the machine.
8. Repeat steps 4–8 to stitch the remaining side of the zipper to the remaining seam edge.
9. Remove the invisible zipper foot and attach the standard zipper foot to sew the rest of the seam, with the right sides together and from the wrong side, starting where the previous stitching stopped.
10. Continue to sew the rest of the seam (B).
/4-INCH GUIDE FOOT
The 1/4" (6 mm) guide foot is a quilter’s best friend. This foot is designed with markings and/or the size and shape to help you stitch consistent 1/4" (6 mm) seam allowances. Some even have a metal edge to keep you from accidentally stitching seam allowances smaller than 1/4" (6 mm). These feet come in metal or plastic versions. The clear plastic version is good because you can see through it to help turn precise corners. Apparel-production sewing typically uses a smaller seam allowance for precision, and this is the ideal foot for that need.
1. Set your machine for a straight stitch with a 2.5 stitch length. You might want to use the straight stitch plate.
2. Lower the presser foot so the needle is 1/4" (6 mm) away from the cut edge and at the starting position (A).
3. Sew slowly, keeping the guide running along the edge of the fabric (B).
TIP: Remember, when you are quilting, you don’t need to backstitch at the beginning and end of the seams, as this can add bulk to your finished project.
ADJUSTABLE GUIDE FOOT
An adjustable guide foot is exactly what the name implies: it has a sliding gauge that can be moved various distances from the edge of the foot to keep you from sewing beyond the seamline. This foot is nice because, just like with the 1/4" (6 mm) guide foot, it prevents you from veering off the seamline, keeping stitches straight and uniform throughout the project. In my own experience, it also helps reduce eye fatigue caused by trying to keep your project aligned with the small measured grooves in the stitch plate. You can create your own low-tech version of this foot by placing a piece of removable tape on the stitch plate to act as a visual guide.
For measuring distances further from the needle than this foot, you can use a quilting bar that comes standard on even the most basic machines. Use it to sew regular rows of evenly spaced stitches, as with grid quilting projects, or whenever you want to stitch multiple parallel rows of visible and/or decorative stitching.
1. Set the machine for your preferred stitch type, stitch length, and stitch width.
2. Attach the adjustable guide foot. Measure the distance between the needle and the edge of the guide and adjust that distance by sliding the gauge as desired. Stitch a sample to make sure all the settings are correct.
3. Lower the presser foot and sew normally, making sure the fabric edge aligns with the edge of the foot as you sew (A).
When used with the right shank adaptor, the adjustable guide foot (left) can be used with any type of machine. The quilting bar attachment (right) helps guide evenly spaced stitches.
ROLLER FOOT
A roller foot has rollers on the bottom that help fabrics move more easily through the machine. It is particularly well suited to working with heavyweight fabrics, including leather, vinyl, oilcloth, vinyl-coated cotton, neoprene, and thick polar fleece, as it helps prevent them from jamming, which can cause uneven stitches.
Depending on the fabric, you may also need a specialty needle, such as a denim needle or a leather needle. Leather needles are very sharp, with a honed knifelike edge that cuts through leather and other heavyweight fabrics. Be sure to keep your fingers out of the way if you sew with a leather needle!
When working with a roller foot, heavyweight fabric, or thicker thread, you will probably need to set your machine for a slightly longer stitch length to avoid stitches that are too small and tight. It’s a good idea to make a stitch sampler to determine the best needle, type of thread, and stitch length for your fabric choice.
1. Attach the roller foot and your choice of needle.
2. Using your stitch sampler as a guide, set your machine for your preferred stitch, stitch length, and width. Sew as usual (A).
3. The roller foot will keep leather or vinyl from sticking to your foot and creating irregular stitches. A felled seam on oilcloth is easy to stitch using a roller foot.
ROLLED HEM FOOT
The rolled hem foot curls the edge of your fabric back on itself and stitches close to the folded edge to make a great-looking finished edge. These feet are tricky to learn to use, but with practice they give you an elegant way to finish finer and slippery fabrics. They come in several different sizes, depending on the machine brand. The smaller foot is more appropriate for thinner, lighter weight fabrics and the larger ones are for thicker and heavier weight fabrics. It is a good idea to make a practice hem because every fabric type and weight behaves differently. You might want to record the stitch settings for future reference.
1. If you are starting on a corner, trim the corner at an angle so it is easier to guide the fabric smoothly into the foot.
2. Lift the presser foot and guide the fabric, as far as it will go, into the foot.
3. Gently lower the presser foot, making sure the fabric is making contact with the feed teeth.
4. Lift the edge of the fabric up with your right hand and use your left index finger to help preroll the fabric into the trough of the presser foot, in preparation for the roll (A).
5. Allow the machine to feed the fabric into the presser foot, rolling and stitching the hem. Stitch slowly enough to be able to control the fabric so the edge just rolls over and touches the left toe of the foot.
6. Stitch the hem (B).
FELLING FOOT
The felling foot makes your projects look clean and professional. It’s a great way to handle seams on a garment that won’t be lined, such as a jacket or a shirt. This foot makes crisp, flat felled seams.
1. Pin or hold the two fabric pieces with the wrong sides together so the top fabric piece is about 1/4" (6 mm) closer to the needle than the bottom fabric piece.
2. Stitch 1/2" (1.3 cm) from the edge of the bottom fabric piece (A).
3. Press the seam allowances open and then to the left.
4. Trim the beginning corner of the seam allowance at an angle so it fits into the foot more easily. Then press the first 1" (2.5 cm) of the wider seam allowance under to enclose the narrower seam allowance (B).
5. Gently lower the presser foot at the beginning of the seam and stitch a couple of stitches.
6. Stop and lift the presser foot and align the folded seam into the foot as shown. The foot will guide the rest of stitching to match the first part of the seam (C).
7. Allow the machine to feed the fabric in, rolling and stitching the seam down. Stitch slowly so you can control the fabric feed to make sure the edge is rolling over and forming the felled seam with a consistent seam width.
8. A stitch length of 3.0 makes a nice-looking felled seam (D).
I’ve included answers to the most frequently asked questions from my post on these feet. Everyone always asks how to turn corners and curves with a roll hem foot, and I take you through that here. It just takes understanding and a little bit of practice.
