3plus2granny

I have a featherweight 221. I got a walking foot from another quilter, who had bought it for her featherweight. It didn't work for hers, so she let me try. It doesn't work well either. I have trouble keeping it straight. I have used them before on my Bernina's with no problem. Has anyone had this problem too?

Annz

No not at all it is a wonderful tool.

kwiltkrazy

No, I use it for piecing, but lol I don't use it for quilting, just my darning foot. I've worn out my third walking foot.

Shaz

Some machines have IDT built in, these have been developed especially so they move as fast as the foot shaft does and co-ordinate with the movement of the lower feed dogs.
With a walking foot, it is reliant on the lifting lever responding to the up & down motion of the foot shaft.
If there is any slack in time for reaction to this movement you can get a grinding of the teeth (wearing) when meeting on thinner layers of fabric. Where as with thick layers of fabric & batting, the idea is that it only assists in the movement through under the foot.
It is always best to check your machine manual or your local machine mechanic as to what is appropriate for you specific machine. After all they cost too much money to make a simple mistake that could prove costly.

Gal

My machine manual says not to use any 'backward or sideways' stitches with the walking foot on!

Gal

katei

Me too! :wink:

Ellis' Granny B

I had spend over $100 for the walking foot for my machine and there it sat in the box for almost a year. When I had the courage, need and sense to hook it up I was simply amazed by the ease and beauty of the stiching and finished product. I love the perfect and effortless fancy stiches without the fabic bunching up or the thread getting stuck in balls of confusion underneath the project.

Use that walking foot and add even more joy to your quilting experience!!!

Ellis' Granny B

Holice

The walking foot was originally designed to sew difficult fabrics such as plaids, velvets and other stretchy fabrics. Quilters discovered it had more uses.

Dee

I didn't know you could use the walking foot for regular sewing. I have never used mine. Sounds like I've done things the hard way. Do you lower the feed dogs for this foot also? May sound dumb, but thought I'd ask anyway. I have learned so much from this board.

lab fairy

You need your feed dogs engaged for a walking foot to work. The purpose is to feed the top fabric evenly with the bottom. Lowering the feed dogs means that the machine doesn't feed any fabric through, top or bottom, so the walking foot would be useless.

The best foot for lowered feed dogs is probably a darning foot of some sort. I'm sure there are more people with a lot more expertise on the FMQ end of things. I've done a lot of free-motion embroidery and I'm pretty sure the process is very similar.