Fancy Feet...

Rikka, from Ricochet and Away, has announced her latest challenge... the Fancy Feet Sewing Challenge. To quote, Rikka... March's challenge is all about those tricky sewing machine feet that sit in our sewing boxes and never get used.

Hmmm.... I have one or two, or three or .... fifteen sewing machine feet, or presser feet. Yikes!!! That's a lot and I know I haven't used them all.


Some I use on a regular basis. The Reverse pattern foot is my everyday presser foot. It's just the standard foot that comes with the machine. The other foot I just couldn't do without is the Zipper Foot. When I bought my first machine many moons ago, these were the only two feet that I had. To be honest, I could make everything I wanted with these two feet.

However, further down the track and two machines later, there are all sorts of fancy presser feet available. These are the ones that I frequently use. They're not absolutely necessary, but they do make sewing easier.

• Patchwork Foot - This makes sewing 1/4" seams easy.
• Open Embroidery Foot - I use this one whenever I do appliqué, as it makes it much easier to see the stitching.
• Zig Zag Foot with non stick sole - sometimes called a Teflon foot because it has a teflon coating, just perfect for sewing leather.
• Bulky Overlock Foot - As the name implies, this foot is used for sewing bulky knits. It can also be used for sewing piping and that's what I've used it for. It's good for thin piping, but the groove underneath is not wide enough for all piping, in which case I use a zipper foot.
• Buttonhole Foot with Slide - This makes sewing buttonholes a breeze!!!
• Jeans Foot - for sewing denim or other tough, heavy fabrics.
• Walking Foot - for quilting.

There are 8 more presser feet, that I've never used, in my tool kit.

• Blindstitch Foot - for sewing blind hems.
• Edgestitch Foot - for topstitching or edgestitching, to keep the stitching equidistant from the edge or seam. I topstitch all the time and didn't even know there was such a foot. I must try this one, although I don't know if it will be worth the time to change the foot, not that it takes long. I'll let you know.
• Invisible Zipper Foot - It's been a long time since I've sewn an invisible zipper.
• 7 Groove Pintuck Foot - I must check this one out next time I do pintucks. This foot is for fine pintucks.
• Freemotion Embroidery Foot 

There's one more foot in my toolbox that I haven't used and that's the one I think I'll try out for the Fancy Feet sewing challenge... the Roll and Shell Hemmer Foot, which is for doing a rolled hem on fine fabrics.

Source ~ Bernina Presser Feet for every occasion

I've been saying for ages that I want to sew more for myself. Perhaps I could make a blouse with a rolled hem. Am I old fashioned calling it a blouse? Perhaps I should call it a top or a shirt. Anyway, we'll see what I end up sewing. The challenge is open till the end of March, so I have LOTS of time to change my mind and I usually do.

Thanks to the time spent researching the presser feet I own, I would now like to look into buying four more feet. No, I haven't been paid or sponsored by Bernina to write this post (although perhaps they should... LOL!!!). I own a Bernina and so naturally I've looked at their site. You'll have to research to find whether any of the feet I've mentioned are made for your brand of sewing machine.

These are the four feet I'm interested in buying:

• Overlock Foot - Yes, I do own an overlocker, but that's a post for another day. I think not having to change machines could be an advantage.
• Zigzag Hemmer Foot - for doing a rolled hem using a zigzag stitch, on fine fabric.
• Zigzag Hemmer Foot - same as the foot above, but for medium weight fabrics.
• Foot #90, with Cut 'n' Sew Attachment 

If you've used any of these presser feet, I'd love to hear whether you think they're worth it.

This will be the tenth challenge I've done with Rikka, each time learning something new.

• Retro Pillow Challenge
• Solids Only Tote Challenge
• Naughty Notions Challenge
• Typography Challenge
• I Will Wear It in Public Garment Sewing Challenge
• 2 in 1 Challenge
• Fab Folds Challenge
• Ring Your Neck Scarf Challenge
• Curved Seams Dress

If you'd like to learn to use a presser foot that's lying unused and unloved in your sewing toolbox, join me for the Fancy Feet Sewing Challenge.

... Pam