PatternReview.com online sewing community
Join our community of 579,279 sewists!
SIGNUP Membership is free and includes 1 free lesson
Login |
Join our community of 579,279 sewists!
Signup | Login
To participate in the PatternReview.com forums please Login or Join PatternReview
12 
Member since 4/15/08
Posts: 2
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 1:10 AM ET
I'm into machine quilting, but I taught myself how to sew, so I don't know all the technical stuff relating to machines and quilting. I just purchased a new machine (Bernina Aurora Anniversary) and am trying to decide if I need a walking foot for my quilting. One salesperson told me to try my machine and see how it quilts without a walking foot before deciding if I need one. Another said it is a necessary foot for quilting. And another website I saw said that a walking foot is only good for certain fabrics and that for others it can feed them through too fast. I've never used anything but a regular foot to quilt with (probably the equivalent to the Bernina #1 foot), and I do have a few problems with the fabric shifting and folding over on itself (usually it gets bunched up on the bottom side where I can't see that it isn't lying flat). Would a walking foot help, or are these problems caused my technique since I've never had any training on how to machine quilt? What do people use walking feet for, and if I used it for quilting would I use it for piecing, quilting, or both? Thanks!
  
Member since 4/22/04
Posts: 7282
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 2:24 AM ET
In reply to quiltinggardener
A walking foot is also called an even feed foot. It does help fabric from shifting and slipping and helps keep the bottom layer of fabric from coming up short. It also helps in matching plaids and stripes and used for slippery fabrics.

You might want to invest in a walking foot not only for quilting but to use for difficult fabrics and matching stripes etc. I think you would probably have more use for the foot while quilting than piecing because of the layers involved but maybe some quilters use the foot for both.
I'm not a quilter but have done some quilting and have a growing interest in it. I have a Pfaff with the built in dual feed that I use but I also have other machines and have a walking foot for them but I have not needed to use it while piecing and the fabrics matched up very well with nice corners, including stretch fleece.
I hope you continue to enjoy your quilting, I find it is very relaxing and I look forward to doing it more and more.
-- Edited on 4/30/08 2:30 AM --
  
Member since 11/9/06
Posts: 410
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 2:33 AM ET
In reply to quiltinggardener
It acts like upper feed. It moves the upper and lower fabric at the same time so there is no shifting of fabric during the feed. It is used for piecing and quilting, but it is most valuable when piecing as your fabric will not shift and it comes out even and seams will match nicely. When quilting it prevents bunching up that can happen again a real plus for this. Most quilters use a walking foot at sometime or another, but if you are happy with what you have done without one than that works for you. Once you are use to using one you will find it a very useful tool. Ask the dealer if you can try one on one of their machines just so you can get the feel of it. A walking foot for a Bernina is not cheap so you don't want to buy one if you are not going to use it. I use one quite a bit, I use it for more than just quilting. But do test drive one first.
-- Edited on 4/30/08 11:53 AM --
------
John 3:16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." NIV
  
Member since 7/8/06
Posts: 947
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 3:37 AM ET
In reply to quiltinggardener
Quote:
I just purchased a new machine (Bernina Aurora Anniversary)
I have this machine and the walking foot came with it. I did buy it in New Zealand, but it was packaged with the walking foot. I previously owned a Bernina 1230 and used the walking foot a lot. Whenever there was a possibility of the seam moving I used it. Sorry I'm not a quilter, but I would highly recommend buying it. But check out first that you should have got it with the machine.
------
Life is too short to stuff mushrooms
  
Member since 5/25/05
Posts: 264
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 9:21 AM ET
In reply to quiltinggardener
The others have explained the walking foot so I'd like to ask about your quilting technique. By the way, I've been quilting for years and never use a walking foot.
First, how do you secure the layers of your quilt? Do you pin? If the backing fabric is pulled perfectly flat and held in place with clips or tape while you put down the batting and quilt top, then pinned with safety pins every few inches you should have minimal bunching on the back.
There are many ways to secure the layers of a quilt but this is the most satisfactory for me. I use only cotton fabrics so haven't encountered problems with slick or slippery fabrics.
There are several inexpensive books showing the pinning technique. Eleanor Burns 'Quilt in a Day' series shows it well.
Good Luck with your wonderful new machine!
  
Member since 4/11/07
Posts: 100
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 10:21 AM ET
To tag onto the original question: I just finished a lycra top and when I put a line of stitches in, the fabric bunched A LOT behind the presser foot. Is this what a walking foot would help with?
  
Member since 11/9/06
Posts: 410
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 12:01 PM ET
In reply to Yvonski
You know I am with you, I thought that the walking foot came with this machine? I just did some checking and this machine comes with the following feet:

No. 1 – Standard Presser Foot
No. 2 – Overlock Foot
No. 3a – Buttonhole Foot
No. 4 – Zipper Foot
No. 5 – Blindstitch Foot
No. 9 – Darning Foot
No. 20 – Embroidery Foot
No. 37 – Patchwork Foot
No. 50 – Walking Foot
No. 42 – BSR Foot
No. 20c – Open Embroidery Foot 9mm

OOPS, I see it was standard with the Aurora 440QE and not the anniversary edition, sorry for the mistake in my post. But none the less it is an optional foot that I personally would invest in. And be sure you buy genuine Bernina, some ladies at the store I work at bought one off ebay that was not a genuine Bernina part and they had problems with it, so in the end it cost them more.
-- Edited on 4/30/08 12:20 PM --
------
John 3:16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." NIV
  
Member since 4/22/04
Posts: 7282
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 12:02 PM ET
In reply to strasfamily
Changing the foot pressure on your machine might help the bunching. I don't use the walking foot on my machines because I have a Pfaff with the dual feed built in that I use for difficult fabrics. If changing your foot pressure doesn't help, then I assume a walking foot would help.
  
Member since 11/26/06
Posts: 2701
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 12:22 PM ET
I don't quilt, but I LOVE my walking foot for tricky (slippery or stretchy fabrics). In fact, I won't sew a hem on a knit without it. I forgot to switch feet to hem a t-shirt for DS last night and boy, did I regret it.

Eve
------
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it - Chinese proverb
  
Member since 4/22/04
Posts: 7282
Send Message
Posted on: 4/30/08 12:54 PM ET
I remember when sewing with older machines years ago they sure didn't feed like some of the new models today with the 7 piece feed dogs and Superior Feed System that my machines have today. Many times I'm in awe at the way my newer machines handle different fabrics. So many nice feet come with the machines of today and using the proper foot and the proper good needles makes a difference too.

My Pfaff and my Viking don't have the wide feed of my other machines and truly when I disengage the IDT on the Pfaff when using it, my other machines do a better job. But the Pfaff with IDT can handle every material well so far that I have asked of it, so I can understand the advantages of using a walking foot.
My Viking does not have the feed system of my Brother Q nor my Kenmore and I have noticed that I would probably need to use a walking foot with it on some fabrics where there is no need with my other machines. I have a walking foot for the Q and Kenmore but not for the Viking which is the one machine of mine that could really use one. I haven't tried to see if either walking foot would fit the Viking but my Pfaff and it's IDT knows it's place in life... leaving my never used walking feet to have no life as yet.
  
12 
* Advertising and soliciting is strictly prohibited on PatternReview.com. If you find a post which is not in agreement with our Terms and Conditions, please click on the Report Post button to report it.
Selected Reviews, Classes & Patterns