The Sewing Place

Extra narrow presser foot

WildAtlanticWay

Extra narrow presser foot
« on: July 03, 2020, 12:00:20 PM »
I’ve just been watching a YouTube bag making tutorial.
The lady is using an industrial machine and a very narrow presser foot which she can use for the zip and everything else without changing the foot.
It looks like a marvellous Multitasking foot to me.

Can you buy these feet for ordinary low shank domestic machines?

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BrendaP

Re: Extra narrow presser foot
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2020, 12:28:20 PM »
Most presser feet are wide to fit over the feed dogs.

Vintage straight stitchers have the feed dogs much closer together and the feet are correspondingly narrow. The regular straight stitch foot on my Singer201 is 11mm wide and the little adjustable zipper foot is 6mm wide.

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Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
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WildAtlanticWay

Re: Extra narrow presser foot
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2020, 12:37:37 PM »
@BrendaP

I love that you know these things.  :loveit:

Yes, I can see that makes perfect sense as I didn’t consider the width of the feed dogs at all. I’d better stop procrastinating  and get back to some actual sewing.  :)

Helen M

Re: Extra narrow presser foot
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2020, 17:28:28 PM »
I have the foot that is in @BrendaP's 2nd picture and it's my favourite foot for zips (normal), stitching in the ditch and anything that you only want a foot on one side of the fabric.

It must have come with my first New Home machine (circa 1975) and it fits low shank machines by removing the bit that your regular feet snap into. You position the arm round the shank and screw it up. The back screw allows you to move the foot to the left or right and as close to the needle as you want it to be.

I think Brother may still sell them or list them as spares but it's a long time since I searched for one. A good foot to have.
Stash Busting 2024 - Goal: 25 metres
So far:  1.5 metres  ------ Donated : 0 metres
Items decluttered: 55

Mr Twingo

Re: Extra narrow presser foot
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2020, 20:05:33 PM »
Those narrow feet are wonderful. You can't fit industrial feet onto a domestic machine - industrials have a high shank presser foot, whereas domestics have a low shank. However, you can fit the old domestic feet to newer machines, though you will have to remove the quick-release widget.

Summary:
Industrial feet ==> Domestic machine X
Old domestic feet ==> Domestic machine

Alternatively, if you're handy with a (metal) file, you could buy one of those cheap feet from eBay and file it down to fit your needs.

Ann

Re: Extra narrow presser foot
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2020, 11:36:33 AM »
I have those feet to use on mom's Singer Featherweight. They are wonderful to sew with. But I can't use them on my new machines.

I play a lot with the feet on my machine. I have a long zipper foot that I will use for top stitching but have found the regular zipper foot to be better. I move my needle to the position I want it at and the wider foot hold the fabric in place nicely. I use other feet for what they aren't suppose to be use for. It works for me. But, I do use the invisible zipper foot for invisible zippers.

I spent quite a bit of time playing with the different feet I have for my machine and trying them out for things other than what they were suppose to be for. You will be surprised at what you can do especially with top stitching.
Stash Busting 2023
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Helen M

Re: Extra narrow presser foot
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2020, 14:34:21 PM »
For anyone interested the bottom foot in the picture which is a zipper and piping foot is sold by Brother as an accessory and will fit low shank machines (you unscrew the bit where your 'snap on' foot attaches itself to. I saw it in J Lewis last week.
Stash Busting 2024 - Goal: 25 metres
So far:  1.5 metres  ------ Donated : 0 metres
Items decluttered: 55

Esme866

Re: Extra narrow presser foot
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2020, 17:18:01 PM »
While we're discussing feet...

I broke down and ordered (from Amz but Ebay has them, too) the Box o' 32 feet for $17.99, a couple of years ago. First off, NO felling foot included in the set and the needle on my Kenmore/Janome just barely touches the backside of the opening of each foot. Meaning I will need to file the needle area on any foot I should choose to use.

I haven't tried them on the 15 yet. We'll see. But my Kenmore is quite generic and rarely temperamental. It even uses class 15 bobbins - any make. Has a drop in bobbin with a clear plastic cover, but came with metal bobbins. Thought those were silly 30 years ago, as they blocked my view of the bobbin thread and bought some plastic ones. Yep, that machine sewed just fine with class 66 bobbins for 3 decades.

Didn't catch my mistake with the bobbins until those cheap feet didn't work. Changing to class 15 bobbins didn't help the feet any, either.

I have bought a generic teflon foot from a local sewing machine shop and had no problems. So, it's the cheap feet, I think.