Cyndi - if you purchase a freemotion or darning foot, you will need to either drop your feed dogs or cover them in some way. The instruction manual for your machine should tell you if you have the ability to drop the feed dogs. If not, you'll need to find a way to cover them since you don't want them interfering with your fabric while doing free motion work.[/quote]

I quite often do NOT drop the feed dogs. It can give you more control moving the fabric when you are doing free motion quilting. The magic of this is to have the machine stitching fast and move your hands slow.

Also, instead of a darning foot you can get a 'Big Foot' which is a darning foot. Here is a link with a picture.

http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...t+combo+low.do

Are you sure you didn't get a walking foot with the Brother? I had one of those machines from WM and it came with a bunch of accessories, the walking foot was one of them.

Also, instead of a darning foot you can get a 'Big Foot' which is a darning foot. Here is a link with a picture.

http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...t+combo+low.do[/quote]

I just looked at that link, and it looks great. Will this work for all machines???
OOPS! I just looked at my machine....and it's a Singer! I said it was a Brother....but that's my daughter's machine!

OOPS...it isn't a Brother...that's my daughter's machine. Mine is a Singer Advance 7422.

I just looked at that link, and it looks great. Will this work for all machines??? [quote]

I have a big foot and use it all the time...have a total of four of the regular free motion feet but never use them. You still have to determine if you have a short shank or long/tall shank machine, but there is a big foot for both. The reason I prefer the big foot is that it doesn't catch on my basting pins like the smaller feet do, and the clear plastic foot lets me see everything. In addition, tho I haven't used it, the opening is designed with a quarter inch section to the side so you can use that edge to go quarter inch echo stitching.

The machine is a Singer Advance 7422, so does anyone know if that's a low or high shank? Someone said I needed to know that before I get one of these feet....

Found this link which tells you how to determine if your machine is a high or low shank. It also tells you how to modify the big foot for more visibility but it works so well now that I don't think I'd do anything to it. The price the have for their big foot is about the same I've seen other places...I suggest that you also check with a Singer dealer to take a look at the darning/free motion foot they have so you can compare the two styles.

http://www.daystyledesigns.com/bigfoot.htm

Mine is called a darning foot. Sometimes they are called a free motion quilting foot. Mine is used when I embroider too. Also if your feed dogs can't drop see if you can find a darning plate to cover them or use a playing card with a hole cut our for the needle.

I hate to sound stupid, but could you post a picture of each of these feet? I am trying to learn what kind of foot to use for whatever project. Does anyone know of a place online that might describe the different types of feet and what they are used for?

You need a "walking foot" to quilt on you machine-the walking foot allows all three of the layers (top,batting backing)to move along at the same pace and not bunch up under the needle--you probably could buy a generic foot for your machine or get on-line to the Brother Co and ask them--the 1/4 inch foot is to keep your seams at the same width--some of the" quilting " feet are really for free motion quilting--