If you are confused about what exactly a walking foot sewing machine is, you are not alone.
So, let’s clear up any misconception you might have about a walking foot sewing machine.
The first thing you need to know about this is that it’s built for industrial use.
In simple terms, a walking foot sewing machine is just another straight stitch machine that is designed specially to evenly feed in the materials,
Both the top and bottom pieces. The feet of the machine (flat piece surrounding the needle) are made up of two pieces.
They move separately from one another to achieve even feeding.
Plus, a walking foot sewing machine also has a foot that seems like it’s walking as you sew.
The walking foot is considered a special sewing machine foot that usually costs more than other feet.
Further, it can take some fiddling to put on too. There is also a little bar that normally fits over the needle tightening screw.
It would make a terrible noise if you don’t put it on properly and you would get to know right away that there is something wrong.
What exactly is a walking foot sewing machine
A walking foot is actually a bulky presser foot for the sewing machine. As most sewing machines do not come with a walking foot,
Therefore they will need to be purchased as an extra.
The walking foot usually has feed dogs on the bottom of the foot.
These operate in conjunction with the feed dogs on the metal bed of the sewing machine in order to pull the fabric through the machine.
The foot also features a lever on the side only when you raise and lower the lever, the feed dogs moving would clearly be seen.
At the time when you decide to attach the walking foot to the sewing machine,
It is always considered wise to position the lever on the side of the walking foot.
A walking foot operates as a mechanism for feeding the workpiece through a sewing machine as it is being stitched.
It is considered most useful for sewing heavy materials.
In addition, It’s also suitable for cushioned or spongy materials where lifting the foot out of contact with the material helps in the feeding action.
A walking foot sewing machine is also good for sewing materials with varying layers.
When a walking foot sewing machine is required?
The walking foot is a piece of excellent equipment and foot that is highly recommended purchasing for your sewing machine.
Many experienced users leave their walking foot on basic sewing machines most of the time and use them for the majority of sewing projects.
The walking foot is one of the must-have accessories for straight line quilting as it helps to keep the layers together and also prevents the top layer from getting pushed ahead of the bottom and middle layers.
As a result, It manages to prevent puckering and tiny pleats from occurring while changing the direction of quilted lines.
You can also use the walking foot whenever you are straight-line quilting, whether for a tote bag, quilt, mini-quilt, basket, or something else.
In case you make the use of walking foot while sewing on a quilt binding, it would provide ease in keeping the top layer of the binding from shifting ahead of the bottom layer.
This way puckers and wonky binding would be avoided.
A walking foot operates as a mechanism for feeding the workpiece through a sewing machine as it is being stitched.
It is considered most useful for sewing heavy materials.
In addition, It’s also suitable for cushioned or spongy materials where lifting the foot out of contact with the material helps in the feeding action.
A walking foot sewing machine is also good for sewing materials with varying layers.
What to look for while buying a walking foot sewing machine
First of all, it would be better to make sure you are buying a legitimate industrial-grade walking foot machine.
Or in other words, a “compound feed”. Take into account the reverse function while considering a walking foot sewing machine.
It gets difficult sometimes, but it’s recommended to test the machine before buying so you can get a feel for the controls.
Make sure that it’s a real walking foot machine. Some people don’t know the exact difference.
It’s better to call the manufacturer and inquire about the model if you are not comfortable and have doubts. Why is it important?
Well, one reason is that some models are only meant for draping other materials, whereas others are meant for upholstery.
It’s normal to get deceived by its appearance as it looks quite similar,
But a walking foot upholstery sewing machine will always have more power and enhanced ability to sew heavy projects.
