Foot Note: How to Attach a Walking Foot

The walking foot is great to use anytime you want to keep your fabric layers from shifting and sliding. We usually think about using it for quilting so the quilt top, batting, and backing all go under the needle and feed at the same speed without shifting, This helps you avoid puckers and tucks that are caused when the layers don’t feed together. It’s also great for matching plaids, and for stitching hard-to-feed materials such as leather, plastic, microfibers, and more.

Attaching the Walking Foot

But before you can use the walking foot, you have to attach it to the machine. I’ve made a quick little Foot Note video that shows you how. It’s a bit bulkier than other presser feet and it has an extra step to getting it attached, but it’s not so hard once you know how. Click here to see how to attach the BERNINA Walking Foot #50. Here’s an extra tip for the BERNINA walking foot: Use your Freehand System (knee-activated presser foot lifter) to give you more room to slide the foot onto the machine. When you lean on the FHS, the lift is higher and the feed teeth drop to give the most room available in the needle area.

Don’t be put off by the walking foot. Once you learn how to easily attach it, you’ll use it all the time!