Beginner help
 

Hi there,

I am brand new to quilting and as I do not have anyone to teach me I have been using the lovely internet to self team. Unfortunately I am Lost when it comes to choosing the appropriate quilting foot for my machine.

I have a Singer Fashion Mate 5560.

Can anyone recommend a basic foot that is compatible with this machine? I will be starting with learning to quilt using straight lines.

thank you!

ps. if you could mention specific feet (include link or picture that would be amazing!)

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan. I am unfamiliar with your machine. Do you have a control that moves the needle from the middle to the right side? Many zig zag machine have this capability. If so try moving the needle to the right side and measure from the edge of the current presser foot to the placement of the needle. Or even use a piece of painter's tape to make the throat plate where that 1/4" will lay. This is the first thing I would try before investing in a part you may not need. I know that this is what I do with the majority of my machines. I will lay odds that someone here has the same or similar machine that can help you a bit more. As a beginner there are a lot of little details that you think might trip you up. If necessary and you are not sure on that 1/4" you can always make your sewn pieces a bit bigger and cut them down. I tend to do this especially with 1/2 square Triangles (HST). Again welcome to the QB. Jump right in and enjoy learning and sharing with all of us.

Welcome from Tennessee. I looked up your machine. You can get a walking foot at joann’s. They sell singer machines and it is referred to as an even feed foot. It helps pull the top of your quilt through as the feed dogs on your machine pull the bottom

Welcome from Texas. It looks like your machine came with an all purpose foot & also a Sew Easy Foot. I think you could use the Sew Easy Foot for your 1/4" seams & your all purpose foot for general use. A walking foot is really helpful when you start to do the actual quilting like cjsews recommended. It keeps your top & bottom fabric moving together at the same time. Below is a link to each of those feet. I don't know what series your machine is but you should be able to easily find feet to fit your machine. Looking forward to see your first quilt!
https://www.singer.com/sew-easy-foot...=global_search
https://www.singer.com/search?title=...e+Presser+Foot
https://www.singer.com/Even-Feed-Wal...=global_search

I looked at the Singer website - if you have the package of accessories that come with the machine, the foot on the far right should work for quilting because you can set parallel lines with the attached guide.


https://www.singer.com/en-ca/Fashion...=global_search

Of course, a walking foot would maybe work better...but for starting out, give this a try.

Welcome to the QB

Welcome from Michigan!:)

Your machine manual should show you available feet you can purchase for quilting the (2) most important feet to have are a walking foot and a darning foot. The darning foot ( also called a hopping foot or free motion foot) is the one for free motion quilting. The walking foot is for straight line quilting ( gentle curves) it literally walks along - many people use their walking foot for applying binding too- it is made to stitch the 3 layers together- handles the bulk.

for piecing many people find a 1/4” foot helpful, but it is not required.

you should be able to look up walking foot and darning/ hopping foot to see them and locate ones for your machine. If you plan to start with straight line quilting the walking foot is the one you need first.

Welcome to the board and the wide world of quilting.

It may not seem very fun but getting that right seam allowance and sewing consistently will be a big help as you go along. There are many styles and many ways to do things, find what works for you. In some ways being self taught and starting when I did (back in the late 1970s before rotary cutters) has helped me a lot. In other ways I have 40 years of mistakes and how not to do stuff to share.

I'm a big fan of a quilters foot that has all 1/4" marked, foot is meant so you can use the seam from left/right/front/back.

Thank you so much, I will definitely try and see if the presser foot that came stock works (I also have an easy sew foot that came along). I'm just doing a basic block patchwork quilt made from my kids old clothing so while it is an "easy" quilt I really do not want to mess it up given the materials i'm using. Thank you!

thank you! From Manitoba Canada!

That would be very helpful! I'm not sure where to start in finding a foot that is compatible with my machine. Do you have any specific recommendations? Thank you so much <3

I just want to say thank you to everyone for giving their suggestions! This is very heartwarming to see so many people willing to take the time and help a new quilter out :)

We all started at some point! Some people make marvelous things from their first try, others of us have to work up to it a bit. Coming from a garment construction background (or at least home ec in the early 70s), that 1/4" seam looked so impossibly tiny and by now I can spot whether it is right on, scant or large but I used a 1/2" seam my first few quilts. Back then we really didn't have many directions, mostly just block diagrams.

Some people mark a line on their machines with tape to help them, old style brown masking tape can bake on and become nasty over time. I used a kid's fancy small bandage at the appropriate place on my old vintage metal machine, the little bump of gauze helped me guide my fabric.

I've been quilting 40 years now but I started young, made my first quilt as a senior in high school to take to college. Don't come from a quilting background and I was rather intimidated by the little old quilting ladies. Now that I've become one and having seen both sides, I can say there is nothing to fear from most of us! Maybe I'm biased but quilters come from all walks of life and backgrounds and are often fascinating people. And the beauty of the internet is we can share this where ever we are and whatever timing is convenient for us.

Welcome to the board from NE Ohio.