subject: What Is A Walking Foot Sewing Machine [print this page] A walking foot sewing machine is used when sewing material with on the bias fabric, or when sewing material that requires an overly long seam, as in the making of drapery, so that there are no unnatural puckers in the material. Some specialty fabrics require the use of a walking foot sewing machine, such as fur, corduroy, and velveteen. Its also handy for sewing napped or silky fabrics or plaids. What the walking foot does is to hold the fabric correctly while you sew, in other words it controls the fabric, and unlike a regular sewing machine there is always one foot holding the material, hence the strange name. Thus, you can see why dealing in plaids would warrant the use of a walking foot machine, as matching the plaid is extremely difficult without this special piece of machinery.
There are special occasions that call for a walking foot. This could be when you work with piecing various fabrics together, for example. Thus youd need a walking foot sewing machine to quilt by machine instead of by hand.
Ordinary or domestic sewing machine manufacturers often tout whats called in the industry as plaid matchers as walking foot machines, but nothing could be further from the truth. True walking foot sewing machines are ordinarily used for industrial uses.
But what if you wish to sew leather? As long as you begin with a powerful, well-built, sturdy machine, you have a very good chance that with minor experiments with the settings on your machine, you should be able to sew all the way through reasonable thicknesses of denim, vinyl or leather, without a walking foot.
However if you are instead part of a mass producer of items made of these fabrics, and in essence think of yourself as a factory, then you definitely are going to need a walking foot sewing machine. You see, the ordinary person in using a regular sewing machine will pin together the fabric in order to handle it efficiently as its being sewn. But, those who are dealing with mass production cannot take the time to pin together the material prior to its being sewn.
In that particular case, the even feed of a walking foot machine allows two pieces that are being sewn together to feed through with minimal slippage. Thus it is easy for the maker/user to keep patterns together as well as cut pieces true even while sewing them. For example, those in the furniture upholstery business absolutely have a need for a walking foot machine. Another industry that would benefit from having a walking foot sewing machine would be a sail maker sewing through canvas or those who sew together thick portions of Naugahide or actual leather. Also, those who make awnings also need a walking foot machine.
Those who make homemade arts and crafts sometimes have a need for a walking foot machine because of the thicknesses of the materials used. This is actually the exception to the suggestion that only those who are in the business of dealing with sewing thick materials need such a machine.
