What Type of Foot Do You Use On Your Sewing? Machine??
 

I am thinking about ordering extra feet for my sewing machine. I received several new feet with the purchase of my machine but have since purchased a quarter inch foot with the attached sewing guide. I am thinking about ordering one without the guide and possibly another more narrow foot that I would use only when the needle is set in the center position. I notice that there are now clear see-through feet available as well. Does anyone own one of these and do you like it better than the regular all metal foot? All of the feet I received with the purchase seem so wide and I think a more narrow foot would work better for me. Just wondering what others use.

What machine do you have.

Is your machine a 9mm one, one thing to watch for is that foot will cover your feed dogs. If it doesn't, the feed dogs will have problems feeding the fabric. I like open toed feet for some things like applique so you can see where the stitches go. I do have some clear feet and I sort of like them if I am doing something where I need to be precise but actually like the opened toed metal one better most of the time. If your machine has some videos online with specialty feet, that might be a good place to check first. I have a Bernina and they have an online catalog for all their feet, most of them also have a video showing you how to use them.

I use the open toed foot unless I need the quarter inch foot. The open toe gives good visibility and it's my favorite.

Some machines have a "single hole needle plate" available - it is used only for straight stitching - with a single hole presser foot.

Some people say that it improves the quality of their straight stitching.

For my Brother 1500S, the 1/4” foot is for all the sewing. For FMQ there are 2 feet. The one with the machine has great visibility. Since it’s not round, a Judi foot is used for echo quilting.

For Bernina 770 with 9mm, the quarter inch foot is difficult for me to be accurate. I use the clear foot and move the needle right 2-3 clicks. This gives the fabric plenty of feed dog coverage for better fabric movement.

I have a Brother CS5055. Thank you for mentioning about coverage of feed dogs. That is something I had not considered before.

I use what I think my manual calls the patchwork foot (I have a Juki computerized). It is the foot that goes with the straight stitch plate; it is cut away on the sides and gives excellent visibility. I use the edge of it to adjust my seam. The all-purpose foot is clear and wide, but I can't really see through it very well. I feel like I'm sewing blind when I use it.

I actually use my walking foot while piecing - it helps to evenly feed the fabric through the machine. Try it, you might like it.

I have stopped using the quarter inch foot with the flange or guard. After measuring completed seams, I have found this foot is NOT giving me a good quarter inch. The fabric is going under the flange just slightly. But that little bit adds up and my blocks were not accurate, so I'm back to my open clear foot for now on my Janome computerized machines. I just got a straight stitch machine, Janome HD9V2 and I am using the narrow foot. I think I, like this one much better for piecing.

"For Bernina 770 with 9mm, the quarter inch foot is difficult for me to be accurate. I use the clear foot and move the needle right 2-3 clicks. This gives the fabric plenty of feed dog coverage for better fabric movement.[/QUOTE]"

I had problems using the quarter inch 97D foot, so I on a whim, bought a plain 97 foot which does not have a cut out in the back for the dual feed drop down foot. I think I get a better quarter inch seam with the plain foot as the back of the foot is solid. I think maybe the dual feed foot actually interfered a bit when doing piecing and putting a new piece of patchwork in. It worked fine though on longer 1/4-inch seams. So, now I have at least 5 different ways using different feet to stitch a 1/4 inch seam on my Bernina 590

The 1/4" foot with sewing guide (flange) is my favorite. and truly accurate on my Bernina. For scrap piecing, my basic foot works okay, and I use the zipper foot when I need a narrow foot.

I use an open toe foot as I have had the same problem as Lady Diana with 1/4" foot with the flange. I move the needle to the right and use the lines on a note card to make sure I am getting a scane 1/4" (the lines on the note card are 1/4" apart so I can get a more consistent 1/4" seam).

I have several plastic ones and NO I do not like them. 2 have chipped and therefore they are no longer in the sewing box. I had at the time a Brother but it was used and so when we received the stimulus payments I bought a Singer 4423 Heavy duty. I love the machine and all the feet I bought for my brother also fit my 4423. I bought all the feet from brother and they came in a box with the name/size of each foot on the box but the names were on the wrong side of the feet.
However so far with my singer I have used the attached foot. I have not changed any of the stitch setting either. I like the tiny stitches for my doll clothes as well as the clothes for babies.

I have stopped using my quarter inch foot. It was hard to keep it on a 1/4" because of the shape of the foot as it wanted to constantly pull the fabric to the right (foot is wider beyond the 1/4 width of the 'fork' in the front on the right side - bigger in the back than in the front). Also, my 1/4" foot is 1/4" on one side and 1/8" on the other side of the 'fork' foot, so it was a pain to have to always have the fabric a certain way when it would have been less bulk to sew along the straight on the left.

I started using my general purpose foot, when I realized that it also sews a 1/4" and 'fork' is the same on both sides. It is a little harder to see exactly where the needle falls when I need to put the needle back on the sewn thread line (after changing bobbin, etc) to start again, but with some good light, I'm getting it in the right spot.