Originally Posted by
Cecilia S.
What sort of method do you use to determine the correct amount of pressure?
Good question. When I clean a machine and oil it I adjust the foot tension as follows:
1. Put fabric under the foot and lower the foot. Obviously with the needle up.
2. Without moving the needle, gently pull the fabric backwards.
If the fabric moves, increase the foot pressure until it stops. If it doesn't, decrease it until the fabric does move, then tighten it until it stops again.
This is just from trial and error. Too little pressure leads to crazy sewing patterns. Too much leads to puckering.
If I'm using a zigzagger or buttonholer it's really important to ramp up the pressure a little or it doesn't work well at all so I add an extra turn. I make a habit of checking before I sew a new fabric/project.
Really delicate fabrics will pucker very easily so minimise foot pressure if necessary.
Incidentally, too much upper thread tension causes puckering as well, so if you have this problem check both.