How To Use A Walking Foot On Sewing Machine?

A walking foot is an impressive tool that is ideal for sewing devices. Having them will enable you to take your stitching or sewing work to a whole new level. The majority of stitching devices do not come with a walking foot. For such reasons, you have to purchase them separately. You can find them on physical and online craft shops.

Apart from that, using a walking foot for all your sewing or embroidery projects will allow you to get the work done quickly and effectively. Walking feet will also provide you with outstanding service when you are working with complex material and bulky joins or seams within the fabric.

You can use the walking foot for quilting-related projects and matching seams, pleads, or stripes. The walking foot is an essential tool, and you must have it beside you.

What Is A Walking Foot On A Sewing Machine?

The bulky presser foot that you come across on a stitching machine is called a walking foot. The walking foot also comes with feed dogs located at the foot’s bottom.

It enables the foot to work in conjunction with the feed dogs over the metal beds of the sewing machine. Why? Because it will help in pulling the material through the device.

Moreover, the walking foot also comes with a lever on the side. When you raise or lower down the lever, you will get to see the feed dogs moving.

So, how to use the walking foot? Well, for that, this blog will serve as your ultimate guide.

How To Use A Walking Foot On A Singer Sewing Machine?

When using a walking foot, a stitching device from Singer, the process is not that tough. Also, you do not require any extra knowledge for it. Below are the steps on which you can use the walking foot on a stitching device from Singer.

Step 1:

Firstly, get rid of the foot holder [Presser Foot Adapter] and the default foot from the machine.

After that, you must take the machine’s needle to its highest position. Do so, and you have to turn the handwheel towards your direction.

When the needle is placed at its highest position, you have to raise the machine’s presser foot in such a way so that it gets removed from the metal plate.

Step 2:

You will find a red-colour button on your stitching device. Press on it and remove the snap on the presser foot. If you cannot find the button, it’s located behind the presser foot adaptor.

When you do the work correctly, the presser foot will come off immediately. Once it does, make sure to keep it in a place so that you can find it during the time of need.

Step 3:

When you check properly, you will find a set screw located at the side of the presser foot adaptor. To undo the set, you have to use a screwdriver for the job.

But if the Singer machine that you have is a brand-new one and its screws are not undone, it might be a little tricky for you to undo it. But wait, there is no reason to give up hope so easily.

Just take a bit of grease and apply it to the set screw. Doing so will help you undo the set screw once and for all.

But if you have a magnetic screwdriver or can get one from a shop, the task will be a lot easier to handle.

Step 4:

You have to get rid of the presser foot from the vertical presser bar or the shank and place it in a secure and safe area. Make sure you don’t lose the foot adapter. It’s because you will require it when you have to place the snap on your feet.

Step 5:

Now, you have to place the walking foot. You have to hold on to the walking foot so that you can raise the lever. While it still raises the lever, you must hook the foot with the shank of the machine.

Afterward, you have to line up the foot with the hole. To do so, you have to slide the foot up and downwards.

Keep sliding it until it’s lined perfectly, and then you can attach the set screw with it. Now, you have to insert in the set screw and, with a screwdriver, tighten it correctly.

Check well whether the walking foot is placed correctly, and after that, you are all ready to use the sewing machine and the walking foot.

How To Use A Walking Foot On A Brother Sewing Machine?

If you want to use the walking foot on a stitching machine from Brother, follow the instructions listed below.

Step 1: Press on the needle position button to place it at a higher position.

Step 2: After positioning the needle, you must raise the presser foot lever.

Step 3: Press on the presser foot’s back button and remove the foot.

Step 4: Lose the presser foot holder’s screw to take out the presser foot.

Step 5: Set up the presser foot’s operational lever to set up the needle clamp screw right between the fork. You must position the shank well located on the adapted, attached to the bar of the presser foot.

Step 6: Finally, lower down the lever of the presser foot, place the screw back to its place and tighten it up with a screwdriver. You are all done, and now you can utilize the walking foot.

How To Use A Walking Foot For Quilting?

When it comes to quilting, a walking foot is compulsory to make the entire quilting work a lot easier to handle.

But there are some techniques you can opt for your quilting projects with the help of a walking foot.

Below is the instruction that will help you learn how to use the foot for quilting projects.

Step 1: Sew The Ditch

Put your quilt beneath the stitching device and lower down the walking foot. You have to make sure that the needle is placed perfectly under the device within the ditch seam.

Following this technique will help in keeping your seam hidden virtually.

Step 2: Straight Line The Quilt

When your quilt has plenty of negative or open space, this step will be a perfect choice. Make a line on the middle of your quilt and use the walking foot’s edge to measure you to create the following line.

Step 3: Matchstick Quilting

Through this particular technique, you can provide your quilts a modern appearance. Create straight lines with the straight-line quilting method for each row.

After that, you sew up the second row in a rough manner right between the two middle rows, which you have already created. Now, you have to sew your way down.

Keep adding lines till you reach the bottom area of one side. You need to replicate the method on the other side as well. Make sure to repeat the entire process once more, and you are all done with this technique.

5 Walking Foot Tension Problems And Solutions

Using a walking foot might be an outstanding idea, but there are times you will encounter issues with your walking.

Here are some problems which you might experience with your walking foot along with its solution. Check below.

1: When Material/Fabric Doesn’t Feed

Solution

To fix this issue, you have to check whether your stitching device has a drop-feed setting that is not activated. You also have to make sure that there is no darning or embroidery plated covering up the feed dogs.

Don’t forget to check the material once your beginning seam. The fabric goes under the needle right before you lower down the presser foot.

2: The Material Feed Is Inconsistent

Solution

When the device doesn’t draw the material evenly, the problem is caused because of the feed dogs. The feed dogs might be worn out if your stitching device is pretty old.

So, it will be much better to replace the old feed dogs with a new one. Doing so will solve the problem immediately.

3: Poor Feed Method

Solution:

You might encounter that your stitching machine causes problems regularly. You need to keep your focus on the technique when using the device for such reasons.

You have to be sure that you enable the feed dogs of your walking foot to do all the work for you.

4: Walking Foot Not Working Properly

Solution

This type of issue will only occur when you do not attach the walking foot to your machine. It will not just wobble but also give birth to uneven stitches.

So, the best way to get rid of this issue is by tightening the walking foot. How? Well, you need to tighten up the set screw with a screwdriver, and nothing else is required.

5: The Tension Is Not Balanced

Solution

Tension issues can cause plenty of issues. So, to make sure the tension is balanced properly, you need to adjust the top tension properly. This will enable you to use the walking foot properly.

If the tension is too tight, lower it down to make it loose. But make sure that it’s loose to make the tension a little tighter, not more than that.

What Is Walking Foot Used For?

Generally, a Walking Foot allows you to sew thick layers easily. The following scenarios are instances where using a Walking Foot may come in handy.

Quilt binding

Whether you’re sewing on a mini or full quilt binding, what you want is to keep the binding’s top layer from shifting beyond the bottom layer.

If you’re hoping to get the best result with your sewing machine, a walking foot is certainly your best solution. Using a Walking Foot while sewing on quilt binding will help eliminate wonky bindings and puckers.

Stretch Fabrics

When sewing stretch fabrics, a Walking Foot can help make a difference in your project. While many people reiterate this claim, it is also true that you may need to use a sewing machine that comes with two Walking Foots to get the best result.

For example, people using a Bernina 1530 may not notice significant differences when sewing stretch fabrics with a Walking Foot. Yet, a machine that comes with a double Walking Foot feature like the Janome Memory Craft 14,000 will sew your stretch fabrics more beautifully.

Straight Line Quilting

When you’re working on a straight line quilting, a Walking Foot is a huge necessity. A Walking Foot will help keep the layers together and also prevent the top layer from pushing beyond the bottom and middle layers.

This action eliminates puckering and prevents the occurrence of little pleats when you change the direction of the quilted lines. Whether it’s for a full quilt, mini quilt, basket or tote bags, a Walking Foot will certainly give you the best result.

Sewing Straps

If you’re sewing straps with a normal sewing machine, you run the risk of having unusual ripples down them. This could be a direct effect of switching the direction of stitching. You can prevent these ripples from appearing on your straps when you use a Walking Foot.

Bulky Seams

The extra set of teeth in a Walking Foot can help it climb over bulky seams like where a fly opening meets with a pair of pants’ crotch stream or where a waistband meets a skirt’s side seams.

These places are quite tricky and may cause a normal sewing machine to get stuck causing the formation of thread appearing like a bird’s nest underneath. Whereas, the Walking Foot helps the fabric move uphill more easily by gripping it.

How to Attach a Walking Foot to a Sewing Machine

Attaching your brand new Walking Foot to a sewing machine does not require much hassle. While the process may seem a bit complicated at first, you should be able to fix it without breaking a sweat once you know what you’re doing. The following steps will guide you through fixing your Walking Foot properly.

Step 1: The first step is to remove the default foot on your sewing machine as well as the foot holder( Presser foot adaptor.) Afterward, try to bring your machine’s needle to its highest position by turning the handwheel in your direction. After the needle is in its highest position, try to raise your machine’s presser foot in a way that it moves away from its metal plate.

Step 2: Remove your snap-on presser foot by pushing a red button referred to as the presser foot release. This button can be found behind your presser foot adaptor. If you have done this correctly, your presser foot should come off. When it does, try to keep it in a safe place where it can easily be located.

Step 3: When you check, you should find a set screw located on the side of your Foot Adaptor. Proceed to undo this set with a screwdriver. If you own a new machine that hasn’t had its screws undone, it’s highly likely that the screws may be a bit hard to undo. In that case, apply some grease and retry. If you can lay your hands on one, a magnetic screwdriver should make your job easier.

Step 4: Remove your Foot Adaptor from the shank( vertical presser bar) and keep in a safe spot. It is important that you do not lose your Foot Adaptor as you’ll be needing it when it’s time to attach the snap-on feet.

Step 5: It’s time to attach your Walking Foot. To do this, hold the Walking Foot and try to raise the Foot’s lever. Hook the foot around your machine’s shank while still raising the lever. Line the foot with the hole by sliding it up and down until it’s perfectly lined so you are able to attach the set screw. Insert the set screw and use a screwdriver to tighten it. Check to ensure the Walking Foot is securely attached. When all that’s done, your sewing machine should be ready to use with your Walking Foot.

Note: If you have followed this process religiously and attached your Walking Foot correctly, the Foot’s lever should appear on top of your sewing machine’s needle clamp. If this is not the case, then you should reassemble or try to find an expert who can help.

How to Choose a Walking Foot

Most walking machines come with Walking Foot that has been attached by the machine’s manufacturer. If a machine doesn’t have one, it could be offered to you as an optional accessory.

Sometimes, people complain that they’re unable to attach their new Walk Foot to their sewing machine only to realize that they purchased a foot that isn’t compatible with their sewing machine model. It is, therefore, important to have a knowledge of your sewing machine’s make and model.

Alternatively, you may look at a few stores to find generic models that can be used with different sewing machines.

While the price may vary from store to store, you’re bound to pay more to buy a new Walking Foot than you need to on other sewing machine accessories. While you may be paying a steep price, you’re sure to get good value for your money.

Can I Use A Walking Foot For Regular Sewing?

Yes, you can use a Walking Foot for regular sewing. However, it is not recommended that you use your Walking Foot as a multipurpose foot. You can use the other feet at your disposal for the kind of jobs they are designed for.

Can You Backstitch With A Walking Foot?

No, you can’t. You may do a zig-zag or straight feet with a Walking Foot, but never a backstitch. The reason is that the arm that is attached to your machine’s needle clamp moves the fabric forward. This ensures that the stitches that go backwards cannot be done with a Walking Foot.

Does Walking Foot Break Or Wear Out?

Yes, your Walking Foot may break or wear out. Since your Walking Foot is mechanical, it is bound to wear out after excessive usage which could result in the bottom breaking off.

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Jessica

I'm Jessica Flores, a professional fashion designer and an expert seamstress.

Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years.

I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills.

It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.

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