Dear Geraldine,
Do I really need a walking foot??
I'm a beginning sewer and quilter, and have just purchased a sewing machine and quilting supplies. My budget is stretched.
I've read they are handy, but do I really need a walking foot if I want to start quilting?
-Strapped in Seattle
Dear Strapped,
Welcome to the fold!! (LOL a little fabric humor there...)
I'm all for being thrifty, even for quilting!
I don't know what kind of machine you purchased, but do check if it has a built in walking foot feature. Or perhaps it came with a darning foot- that can be used in a pinch for free motion quilting.
But if it's straight-ish line machine quilting you're after, you will, in fact, probably need a walking foot.
Without it, your machine is likely not going to be able to feed your quilt under the presser foot evenly, resulting in uneven quilting stitches and other snafus.
The GOOD news is that walking feet don't have to be expensive!! You many have gotten scared off by the price of the brand name walking feet that are sold by sewing machine dealers.
But lucky for us, there are Universal walking feet for a fraction of the price!
They fit most machines- just check the product listing. Here is a link. These even comes with a free guide you can use for quilting perfectly parallel lines!
I hope that helps, and I wish you a lifetime of fun and happiness with the wonderful hobby of quilting.
XOXO, Geraldine
10 comments
I admire you for learning to quilt It is a great stress reliever and makes time pass so quickly and you have something to be proud of when finished Just take your time Do you have a quarter inch foot That is the greatest When i was a beginner I got a quilt book found an easy pattern Hugs dear Friend
I have one for both of my machines (a Brother Dream Machine and a large Janome [I can’t remember which model it is]), and I rarely use either of them!
They are nice to have when you want to evenly feed multiple layers through your machine or if you want to do straight-line quilting rather than doing free-motion quilting. Again, they can be nice to have available to you, but they are far from essential for constructing a quilt block or an entire quilt.
I’m a beginner at sewing, I have phaff and huskavarna. Wishing you all the best!
I am moving soon so not adding to the contents now. Planning to purchase a walking foot for my Huskavarna when I get my Sewing room established.
I am moving soon so not adding to the contents now. Planning to purchase a walking foot for my Huskavarna when I get my Sewing room established.