All About Presser Feet

We’re back with another guide, and this time we’re focusing on presser foot attachments! One of the most important pieces to any sewing machine and project, presser feet come in a variety of types and just as many functions. Knowing how each one works, and what ones are available for your use, can save you a lot of time and struggle as well as improve your experience working through your project! Take a scroll down below to check out the different kinds available, from standard pieces to specialty ones!

 

Universal Foot

An all-purpose and standard presser foot that is included with every sewing machines upon purchase. This foot is your basic foot, and it can be used for some decorative stitches in addition to both straight and zigzag stitches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zipper Foot

Zipper Feet are a necessary investment for anyone who wants to get into fashion sewing, because it just makes installing zippers so much less of a hassle.

Zipper Feet are designed in a way that allows you to get a clean stitch as close to the zipper teeth as possible and as cleanly as possible. Technically speaking, you could install a zipper with a Universal Foot, but it is difficult and there’s the risk of getting a messy or uneven stitch along the zipper, or the stitch is too far away from the edge of the teeth and the zipper will be too visible. The difference is noticeable, trust me. Plus, using a Zipper Foot helps ensure that the zipper will work properly after installation.

 

Button Hole Foot

There are a few different types of Button Hole Feet, but their main purpose is to ensure uniform installation of buttons on your garment quickly and easily. This type of foot is useful if you enjoy making button up shirts, skirts, dresses, or anything that closes with buttons.

With the Mood Brand Lia Sewing Machine, a Button Hole Foot is included with the initial purchase, and it is designed to automatically install the size button hole you need to fit your buttons onto your garment. It’s really convenient!

 

 

 

 

Blind Hem Foot

A Blind Hem Foot creates a nearly invisible hem on your garment. A blind hem is useful when sewing projects such as curtains, dress or skirts, shirts–anything where you’d like the hem to be as hidden as possible.

It is important to note, however, that in addition to a Blind Hem Foot, a machine also needs to be capable of using a blind hem stitch setting for your sewing machine to stitch the blind hem. If your machine already comes with one or is compatible with the Blind Hem Foot for your service provider, this shouldn’t be an issue.

 

 

 

 

Overlock Foot

Over-locking Feet are great for when you’re finishing hems or seams made from knits and woven fabrics. If you don’t have a serger available for your project or using one won’t work for what you’re making, an Over-locking Foot might just be the ticket you need. It’s a great alternative, and it helps clean up and lock in your seam edges on slippery and loose knit and woven fabrics.

 

 

 

 

 

Invisible Zipper Foot

This type of foot is considered a specialty presser  foot, though if you install invisible zippers often, you might consider it as basic as your Universal and regular Zipper Feet!

Invisible Zipper Feet are used to install invisible zippers quick and easy. The presser foot actually sits right on top of the zipper as it guides through, and so the needle is able to sew as close to the zipper teeth as safely possible (which is what you want!). It’s incredibly handy, as most invisible zippers cannot be properly installed without this type of foot.

Invisible zippers are great on garments like dresses, skirts, suit pants, or other pieces where you’d like the zipper to be hidden from sight.

 

Edge-stitching Foot

The Edge-stitching Foot is kind of like the Blindstitch Foot in that it’s used on the edge of a hem, but this presser foot’s purpose is to produce clean, perfect top-stitching for your project.

I personally love top-stitching and the decorative appeal it has, so I’m a huge advocate of this specialty foot! Top-stitching is really nice on coats and dresses, but you can also use top-stitching on things like shirts, pockets, or accessories (like scarves or leg warmers!).

 

 

 

 

Open-Toe Embroidery Foot

The Open-Toe Embroidery Foot is a specialty foot for the practiced embroiderer. Its design is labeled as “open” because it’s easy to see where your stitching path is going underneath the presser foot.

Because of this design, this type of presser foot is used for more free-form embroidery. If you have steady hands and trust your own guidance to do the job, give this presser foot a try! An Open-Toe Embroidery Foot is great for securing edges, applying more complex top-stitching designs, and sewing curves.

 

 

 

Pintuck Foot

The Pintuck Foot is one variety of sewing feet which uses the double needle attachment on a sewing machine, and the grooved plate it uses comes in four plate styles—3, 5, 7, and 9-grooved. These different plates produce a range of pintucked designs and provide a nice variety to choose from and use on your project.

Pintucks are commonly used on shirts and skirts, but they also look nice on things like baby garments.

 

 

 

 

Jeans Foot

The Jeans Foot is great if you enjoy sewing jeans or working with other heavier types of fabrics similar to denims. Using it helps you sew clean, straight seams when working with those heavier fabrics!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Straight Stitch Foot

Straight Stitch Feet are wonderful specialty equipment for using with fine cottons and shirtings if you’re struggling with the fabric getting caught in your machine’s throat plate while using shorter stitch settings. When combined with a straight stitch plate, it keeps your fabric safe from getting caught up and allows you to move through your project without a hitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nonstick Foot

This is another specialty foot that’s handy when sewing with sticky-type fabrics like leather, faux leather, and vinyl!

These types of fabrics can cause friction on metal sewing machine feet, making it difficult to guide your fabrics through smoothly. This can set you back in your project, and if you’ve ever worked with faux leather or vinyl before, you know that once the needle goes though, the puncture shows up forever!

So going with a Nonstick Foot can be really helpful! They’re are often made of Teflon which prevents the friction between the fabric and the foot. Useful, right? It would be really good to look into purchasing one if you plan to work with these kinds of fabrics in the future!

 

 

Patchwork Foot

A great tool for when you’re quilting or need to work around exact seams, this specialty presser foot helps you maintain consistent ¼” designs and top-stitching. It’s often advertised to quilters and sewers who enjoy patchwork projects (hence the name), but it’s also useful for smaller crafts like doll clothing or smaller, decorative stitches on shirts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rolled Hemmer Foot

A Rolled Hemmer Foot is a presser foot where using it allows you to easily and quickly sew up rolled hems for your garments. The rolled hem guides underneath the foot itself and keeps it steady as it slides through so the sewing needle can sew a neat and clean stitch for the hem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fell Foot

This specialty presser foot makes sewing a felled seam a breeze! If you’re not sure what a felled seam looks like, click here to check out our guide on seams: All About Sewing Seams! Some manufacturers produce different types of Fell Presser Feet that allow you to finish your seam at different widths, but not all manufacturers provide this option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking Foot

Walking Feet are great for when you’re working with fabric, or fabrics, that risk moving around too much during the sewing process. Working with fabrics like knits or layered pieces like during quilting projects can be frustrating, as knits stretch too easily and layers might move around without the proper support under an option like the Universal Foot. With a Walking Foot, its wide, steady plate ensures that your fabric or project behaves as you guide it through, and you’ll spend less time correcting mistakes and your patience because of it!

 

 

 

Gathering Foot

And lastly, the Gathering Foot! This nifty little presser foot is great for when you want to gather fabric for a part of your project. The presser foot does all of the hard work for you and produces lovely gathered sections of fabric that you feed through it. It’s also unique in that it allows you to sew a piece of fabric you want to keep flat to a piece of fabric that you want gathered—it does two jobs at once! Fabric that is fed underneath the presser foot piece stays flat while fabric that goes through the piece itself gets gathered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you learn anything new about presser feet from our guide? Perhaps about a presser foot you hadn’t known about yet? We hope you did–perhaps you found the presser foot you’ve been looking for to finish that project! Or start a new one! Sewing machine and presser feet accessories have come a long way. Make sure to try out a few and expand your sewing expertise, and don’t forget to share what you learn with us!