If you've ever looked at those extra presser feet that came with your sewing machine and wondered what they're for, you're not alone. Many sewers stick to the all-purpose foot for everything, never realising that the right presser foot can transform a challenging technique into an easy task.
Presser feet are the unsung heroes of sewing. These small, interchangeable attachments hold fabric flat against the feed dogs, and different designs make specific tasks dramatically easier. Understanding your presser feet options opens up new possibilities for your sewing projects.
How Presser Feet Work
The presser foot applies downward pressure on fabric, holding it against the feed dogs (the textured metal teeth that move fabric through the machine). This pressure is adjustable on many machines—lighter pressure for delicate fabrics, more pressure for heavy materials.
Different presser feet are designed with various shapes, sizes, and features that accommodate specific tasks. Some have grooves on the underside to accommodate decorative stitches, others have guides for maintaining consistent measurements, and some have mechanisms that help fabric feed evenly.
Essential Presser Feet Every Sewer Should Have
All-Purpose Foot (Standard Foot)
This is your everyday workhorse foot. It accommodates straight stitches, zigzag stitches, and most basic sewing tasks. The standard foot typically has an open centre or a slight groove to allow room for the needle to move side to side during zigzag stitches.
When to use it: General sewing, straight seams, topstitching, and any task without a specialised requirement.
Zipper Foot
The zipper foot is narrow, allowing you to sew close to zipper teeth without the foot hitting the zipper. Most zipper feet can be adjusted to sit on either side of the needle, making them versatile for different zipper installations.
When to use it: Installing all types of zippers (regular, invisible, and concealed), adding piping to seams, and sewing close to any raised edge.
When installing a zipper, position the foot so the needle sews right along the zipper teeth, not on top of them. The foot should ride alongside the zipper, keeping the stitches perfectly parallel.
Buttonhole Foot
Most machines include a buttonhole foot, though designs vary. Basic versions guide fabric for consistent buttonholes, while automatic buttonhole feet measure your button and create perfectly sized buttonholes in one step.
When to use it: Creating buttonholes of any size. Even if you rarely make buttonholes, having this foot ready means you can easily add functional closures to any project.
Blind Hem Foot
This foot has a guide blade that helps position fabric for blind hems—those nearly invisible hems seen on professional garments. The guide keeps your fold consistent while the needle catches just a few threads of the outer fabric.
When to use it: Hemming trousers, skirts, curtains, and any project where you want the hem invisible from the right side.
Specialty Presser Feet Worth Investing In
Walking Foot (Even Feed Foot)
A walking foot has its own set of feed dogs on top that work in synchronisation with your machine's feed dogs below. This prevents layers from shifting, making it invaluable for quilting and working with slippery or stretchy fabrics.
When to use it:
- Quilting through multiple layers
- Sewing velvet, vinyl, or leather
- Matching plaids and stripes
- Sewing fleece and minky fabrics
- Any situation where layers tend to shift
If you only buy one additional presser foot, make it a walking foot. It's versatile enough to improve many projects and solves the common frustration of fabric layers shifting while sewing.
Quarter-Inch Foot (Patchwork Foot)
Essential for quilters, this foot has a guide that positions your fabric exactly a quarter inch from the needle. Consistent seam allowances are critical in quilting, and this foot takes the guesswork out of the equation.
When to use it: Piecing quilt blocks, any patchwork project, and precise seaming where consistent measurements matter.
Free-Motion Quilting Foot (Darning Foot)
This specialised foot works with lowered feed dogs, giving you complete control over stitch direction. It hovers slightly above the fabric, allowing you to move the fabric in any direction while stitching.
When to use it: Free-motion quilting, stippling, thread painting, and any decorative technique requiring curved or irregular stitch paths.
Rolled Hem Foot
This clever foot rolls fabric into a tiny, even hem as you sew. It's much faster than folding and pressing a traditional narrow hem, and produces professional results on lightweight fabrics.
When to use it: Hemming scarves, napkins, handkerchiefs, and any lightweight fabric where a narrow, neat hem is desired.
Teflon Foot (Non-Stick Foot)
Coated with a non-stick surface, this foot glides over sticky or grabby fabrics that would otherwise cling to a metal foot. It's essential for working with vinyl, leather, and some synthetic fabrics.
When to use it: Sewing vinyl tablecloths, pleather, sticky laminated cottons, and any fabric that drags under a regular foot.
If you don't have a Teflon foot, you can apply a thin strip of sticky-back Teflon tape to the bottom of your regular presser foot. It's a temporary solution but works well in a pinch.
Edge Joining Foot
This foot has a centre guide blade that keeps two fabric edges perfectly aligned as you sew them together. It's excellent for joining lace to fabric, creating flat-felled seams, and precise edge stitching.
Cording Foot
Designed with grooves that hold cords, piping, or multiple threads, this foot lets you couch decorative trims onto fabric or create your own piping. Some versions hold a single cord; others accommodate multiple threads for decorative effects.
Gathering Foot
A gathering foot creates gathers automatically as you sew. The foot gathers the bottom layer of fabric while the top layer feeds through normally, making it easy to attach ruffles to flat fabric in one step.
Understanding Presser Foot Compatibility
Not all presser feet fit all machines. There are several attachment systems:
- Snap-on: The most common system for modern home machines. Feet click onto an ankle adapter.
- Low shank: Feet screw directly onto a low shank holder, common on older and some current machines.
- High shank: Similar to low shank but taller, found on older machines and some industrial models.
- Proprietary systems: Some brands (like Bernina) use unique attachment systems requiring brand-specific feet.
Before purchasing presser feet, determine which system your machine uses. Your manual will specify this, or you can measure the distance from the screw hole to the needle hole—low shank is approximately 12mm, high shank is approximately 25mm.
Caring for Your Presser Feet
Presser feet require minimal maintenance but benefit from occasional attention:
- Wipe off lint and thread fragments regularly
- Store in a dedicated case or organiser to prevent scratching
- Check for burrs or rough spots that could snag fabric
- Replace any foot that shows signs of damage
Expanding your presser foot collection opens up new techniques and makes challenging projects manageable. Start with the essential feet included with your machine, then add specialty feet as your interests develop. Each new foot is an investment in your sewing capabilities—and many sewers find that the right foot makes all the difference between a frustrating project and an enjoyable one.