Brother Sewing Machine Feet - By: mspence

I really enjoy sewing now, but when I first started I was a little overwhelmed by all the different Brother sewing machine parts that were available. I never realized how many different presser foot options there were. Plus, how would I know which one to use and when to use it. Good thing I had a friend. who was experienced at sewing, to help me, That, at least, made it a little easier to handle. I would like to share some of that information with you now.

For example, a walking foot replaces the standard presser foot with one that moves along and guides the material along with it. A sewing machine may have a single walking foot or, sometimes, have two walking feet with alternating action. A walking foot may also be combined with another feeding device, such as a drop feed or a needle feed.

Only a few of the household sewing machines have a walking foot, but this type of feed is pretty common in industrial heavy duty machines. However, almost all household sewing machines use a standard connector for their presser foot and there are many add-on walking foot attachments available. Just keep in mind that the presser foot holder needs to be correctly installed, otherwise the thread tension will be incorrect.

Now, I would like to provide a few examples of the types of stitches you can do with the walking foot. The first one is a straight stitch that can be used to do basic stitching, attaching zippers, sewing gathers or pintucks. Then, there is a zigzag stitch that can be used for overcasting and attaching appliques and a piecing straight stitch to do piecing straight stitching with a seam allowance from the edge of the presser foot. For quilting, you can use a zigzag stitch (for quilting) with the walking foot for applique quilting, free-motion quilting, satin stitching and button sewing.

Next, I will give you some information about of the other types of Brother sewing machine feet and their uses. This will help you to choose the most appropriate sewing machine foot for your specific project. For instance, a braiding foot allows you to attach up to 3/16 inch (5 mm) wide braids, ribbons, tapes, or cords. An open toe foot provides better visibility in the needle area and is deal for securing the edges of appliques, sewing curves, and top-stitching.

If you are planning to sew clothing or home decor items, the gathering foot works best on thin to medium weight fabrics. Use the clear-view foot where the visibility, of seams or pattern markings, is desired. The ruffler foot is ideal for producing ruffles with evenly spaced tucks and gathers. The quilting foot is great for darning, quilting, or free-motion because it raises and lowers with the needle to allow fabric to be moved between stitches and holds the fabric in place while stitches are created. If you want to do some patchwork, then the 1/4" piecing foot is best for quilt and patchwork piecing with a 1/4" or 1/8'' seam allowance.

Whatever project you have planned, there is sure to be a sewing machine foot to fit your needs.

About the Author

You don't have to feel overwhelmed, if you are a beginner. The many different types of Brother sewing machine parts and accessories available make it easy to customize your sewing machine. There are lots of sewing machine feet options to choose from.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/mspence/202416

Additional Articles From - Home | Home & family | Sewing