When I am putting together a quilt, I always have a few key tools right at hand. Included in those tools are three presser feet.
For those of you just beginning, technically you can make a quilt with just a standard presser foot. But these feet make things so much easier. Let's go through each one.
Quarter Inch Foot
The quarter inch foot is very convenient for 1/4 inch seams when piecing quilts together. It allows you to line up the edge of your fabric with the edge of the foot as you sew.
Make sure you verify where the 1/4 inch lands. Depending on the foot and needle placement, the 1/4 inch could land right under the edge, right at the edge, or right on the outside of the edge. This tiny amount of movement might not seem important, but when you are sewing thousands of pieces together, the minuscule amount adds up and could make your quilt inches off. You can verify the amount by placing a ruler under the foot with a 1/4 inch measurement directly under the needle. (Make sure your machine is off when doing this.)
Walking Foot
I use this foot when machine quilting straight lines or machine binding the quilts. This foot is like having an extra set of feed dogs on the top of the fabric.
It helps make the top layers of the quilt sandwich move through at the same speed as the bottom layers. This way, your quilt sandwich won't shift as much. This foot can also be used with leather and other bulky things.
Free Motion Foot
Like the name implies, I use this foot when free motion quilting. It is best used with the feed dogs down. It allows you to quilt in multiple directions without having to twist the fabric. It takes lots of practice to get the stitches uniform, but it is very fun to do. These are sold in clear plastic or metal. The one I have is clear plastic. I like that I can see where I am stitching better. Although the metal foot is more durable.
These feet are all for my basic model Brother sewing machine. Other brands may look differently, but they have the same idea and the same purpose.
In a future blog post, I will talk about the other tools I keep close when making a quilt.
Have fun quilting!