You can do more than straight stitchng with a walking foot. I use a side to side stitch to machine applipue or outline stitch around applique. I've also printed patterns on onion skin paper, pinned to the quilt & used the walking foot to stitch. You just have to go slow & if necesary raise the foot multiple times when going around sharp curves & making turns. Hopefull your machine has the "needle down" option.