sikesjj

I am making a strip wall hanging and I don't have a walking foot. I don't have time to hand quilt it! I am using warm and natural as my batting because it's the perfect size scrap. By dropping the feeder dogs should I be okay? I have ordered a new one foot, my kids have hid the old one from me.

DebraK

I did, for years.

PaperPrincess

You don't drop the feed dogs when you use a walking foot. a walking foot has teeth like the feed dogs and so it pulls from the top and bottom, which is why it's also called an even feed foot. i would try lowering the pressure on your foot and see if it feeds without bunching up.
You lower the feed dogs and use a hopping foot or darning foot to do FMQ, but I would really advise practicing on scrap sandwiches before attempting a 'real' project.

nativetexan

you can machine quilt with a regular foot. don't use too small a stitch and maybe use a foot with teflon or metal. so the quilt slides easily. we've all done quilts that way. long before walking feet/quilting feet were around.
have fun!!

judylg

You probably can quilt without the walking foot, I find though on small projects when I do not go to the bother of attaching walking foot, the quilt bunches up some under the foot, if I go slow it works, most times I take the time as the results are a lot nicer. Just my thought.

alleyoop1

A walking foot works beautifully on stitch-in-the-ditch quilting or lattice quilting. Use an embroidery or as PaperPrincess suggested a hopping foot or darning foot to do free motion quilting - that is when you want to drop the feed dogs so you can move the quilt any way you want and not be fighting with the feed dogs that are pulling the quilt through in one direction. Practice first and enjoy the learning process.

bigsister63

I do not use a walking foot when I am doing SID and other straight stitching. I lengthen my stitch and raise the tension on the presser foot and do not have a problem. So you CAN quilt withwout walking foot. You can also do gentle curves without a walking foot or freemotion foot. Just go slow.

Jan in VA

I've just finished a wall hanging with outline quilting and curved quilting using only my regular sewing foot on my Bernina 1031.
I spray basted this quilt first. The fabrics are all cotton and the batting was Quilters Dream Blend, a low loft batting. Not a problem in the world.

Jan in VA