A walking foot, also know as an even feed foot,  is a weird crab looking sewing machine foot that comes in handy when sewing with fabrics that are prone to slipping, shifting or puckering while sewing. This would include fleece, minky, vinyl, leather, laminated cotton, silk, velvet, etc. This foot is also great for sewing thick sewing projects like quilting, as it encourages all the fabrics to move through the sewing machine at an even rate.

Watch the video below or read on to find out how the walking foot sewing machine attachment works.

or Watch it here on YouTube

How Does a Walking Foot (or Even Feed Foot) Work?

The main feature of a walking foot is the feed dogs that are built into the foot. There is a rod (or fork) that goes over the needle clamp screw and this helps the feed dogs to move and feed the top fabric through at the same rate as the bottom fabric. It will probably make more noise than other foot attachments, but it does a great job.

You should be able to get a walking foot specifically for your brand and make of sewing machine. Some more expensive machines have the walking foot like feature built into the machine. There are also generic ones that you can buy that should be suitable for any snap on foot type of set up with a top loading bobbin. Of course it is always advisable to see your sewing machine specialist for advice if you’re not quite sure.

In the video I’m using the walking foot that came with my Janome DC 4030 sewing machine, but I had a generic one for my Singer sewing machine, which I show you in the video.

How to Attach the Walking Foot to Your Sewing Machine

These instructions are for a low shank, snap on foot, top loading bobbin machine. Some machine may be slightly different, but you should still be able to get the general idea.

Step 1 – Loosen and remove the thumb screw to remove the foot holder and any foot attached.

Step 1

Step 2 – To attach the walking foot onto your machine, place the bar (or fork) over the needle clamp screw and place the the ‘claws’ around the shaft, ensuring the claws are going over the hole where the thumb screw will be put back in.

Step 2

Step 3 –  Replace the thumb screw and tighten by hand at first. Finish off by tightening the screw with your sewing machine screw driver.

Step 3

Now you’re ready to sew using your walking foot!

You can get a walking foot from your sewing machine specialist or you can buy one online from Amazon.

Keep a look out for my upcoming post where I will be showing you examples where I’ve used the walking foot compared to a standard foot attachment. You’ll be able to see the results for yourself. (See the post here).

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