Uploaded May 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Sewing Bee Fabrics Tutorial
#DarningPresserFoot #StayHome #withme
How To Use A Sewing Machine Free Motion / Darning Foot
Darning & freehand embroidery foot is used to repair holes & tears, but can also be used for free motion embroidery, stipple quilting and creating monograms.
The free motion sewing machine foot (also commonly known as a darning foot, and less frequently as a quilting foot, hopping foot, stippling or embroidery foot) comes in various shapes and sizes.
The differences between them tend to come down to personal preferences. The main things to look out for are:
- Open toe or Closed toe - This means that the part the needle sits in is either in an incomplete oval (or square) or is completely enclosed. An open toe foot will make it easier to thread the machine and pull the bobbin thread up to start stitching a little. It also makes visibility easier as there is nothing between you and the needle. A closed toe darning foot however, has no edges to it. This comes as an advantage if you are sewing over something that would easily catch e.g. near fringing or trim, or over layered appliques, or textured quilts.
- Sprung or not - Some free motion feet come with a spring and others don't. This is exactly what you think - more or less movement. Your preference will depend on several factors such as whether you want to easily push it out the way to get a frame under. Also how steady you want the foot to glide vs how much you want it to move. For example, a fine embroidery may work better on your machine with little movement but the lack of movement when quilting with thick wadding may increase your chance of puckering. Some sewing machines also have pressure adjustments for the foot, or gliding functions to lift the foot. These may not require the spring as much as another machine without these features as you are able to make more internal adjustments.
- Large foot area in contact or hardly any - The larger the area, the more stability you have on your fabric (and the less you need to worry about watching your fingers). This is especially useful if you are quilting with a thick batting as it helps to hold it down and compress the layers in place as the stitch goes in, which reduces your chance of puckering. The larger foot areas are also usually plastic with markings on to help you with seam allowances, set distances between stitches and turning exact corners. However, the larger the foot area, the harder it is to get up close to the edge of embroidery frames.
- Plastic or metal foot - the base may be made of either. Plastic is usually completely see through which allows you to fully visualise your work which is useful for doing complex or very precise designs, however they are usually a little bulkier.
How to attach the free motion foot to your sewing machine
There may be slight differences with different feet, but on the whole, this is how most of them attach. First, you need to cover or lower your feed dogs as you can't sew in any direction you want if you feed dogs are pulling at your fabric.
Line the darning foot up so that the long bit of metal that sticks out at the top hooks over your needle bar (this is usually the bit you unscrew to release your needle to change it). Then the little claw like part hooks around the main bar and you can go right ahead and screw it in.
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics needle bar
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics how to attatch
You may find that a lower tension setting works better, but exact settings will depend on your foot, your fabric and your machine, so you might want to play on some fabric scraps first to find the best setting.
Lower your needle into your fabric and raise it back up. Pull on the loose end of the thread to lift the bobbin thread up to the top. Hold them out the way and your ready to go.
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics bring up bobbin thread
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics hold threads out the way
So what can you do with a free motion foot?
All sorts! You can move in any direction you like, over as many layers of fabric as you can fit under and make your needle easily go through. The main uses for this foot are embroidery and quilting.
Free Motion Embroidery
To embroider with this sewing machine foot, all you need to do is doodle! Its just like drawing with a pen and paper only you move the paper instead of the pen. It is much easier if you have marked out your design on the fabric first as mistakes are frustrating to unpick. I would also recommend having the fabric held in an embroidery loop. This makes it much easier on your hands as you are simply gliding a loop rather than trying to wrestle the fabric to maintain tension in all directions to stop puckering. The other alternative would be to use a light iron on interfacing or stabiliser to help.
Sewing Bee Fabrics Tutorial
#DarningPresserFoot #StayHome #withme
How To Use A Sewing Machine Free Motion / Darning Foot
Darning & freehand embroidery foot is used to repair holes & tears, but can also be used for free motion embroidery, stipple quilting and creating monograms.
The free motion sewing machine foot (also commonly known as a darning foot, and less frequently as a quilting foot, hopping foot, stippling or embroidery foot) comes in various shapes and sizes.
The differences between them tend to come down to personal preferences. The main things to look out for are:
- Open toe or Closed toe - This means that the part the needle sits in is either in an incomplete oval (or square) or is completely enclosed. An open toe foot will make it easier to thread the machine and pull the bobbin thread up to start stitching a little. It also makes visibility easier as there is nothing between you and the needle. A closed toe darning foot however, has no edges to it. This comes as an advantage if you are sewing over something that would easily catch e.g. near fringing or trim, or over layered appliques, or textured quilts.
- Sprung or not - Some free motion feet come with a spring and others don't. This is exactly what you think - more or less movement. Your preference will depend on several factors such as whether you want to easily push it out the way to get a frame under. Also how steady you want the foot to glide vs how much you want it to move. For example, a fine embroidery may work better on your machine with little movement but the lack of movement when quilting with thick wadding may increase your chance of puckering. Some sewing machines also have pressure adjustments for the foot, or gliding functions to lift the foot. These may not require the spring as much as another machine without these features as you are able to make more internal adjustments.
- Large foot area in contact or hardly any - The larger the area, the more stability you have on your fabric (and the less you need to worry about watching your fingers). This is especially useful if you are quilting with a thick batting as it helps to hold it down and compress the layers in place as the stitch goes in, which reduces your chance of puckering. The larger foot areas are also usually plastic with markings on to help you with seam allowances, set distances between stitches and turning exact corners. However, the larger the foot area, the harder it is to get up close to the edge of embroidery frames.
- Plastic or metal foot - the base may be made of either. Plastic is usually completely see through which allows you to fully visualise your work which is useful for doing complex or very precise designs, however they are usually a little bulkier.
How to attach the free motion foot to your sewing machine
There may be slight differences with different feet, but on the whole, this is how most of them attach. First, you need to cover or lower your feed dogs as you can't sew in any direction you want if you feed dogs are pulling at your fabric.
Line the darning foot up so that the long bit of metal that sticks out at the top hooks over your needle bar (this is usually the bit you unscrew to release your needle to change it). Then the little claw like part hooks around the main bar and you can go right ahead and screw it in.
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics needle bar
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics how to attatch
You may find that a lower tension setting works better, but exact settings will depend on your foot, your fabric and your machine, so you might want to play on some fabric scraps first to find the best setting.
Lower your needle into your fabric and raise it back up. Pull on the loose end of the thread to lift the bobbin thread up to the top. Hold them out the way and your ready to go.
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics bring up bobbin thread
Free motion darning machine foot tutorial guide sewing bee fabrics hold threads out the way
So what can you do with a free motion foot?
All sorts! You can move in any direction you like, over as many layers of fabric as you can fit under and make your needle easily go through. The main uses for this foot are embroidery and quilting.
Free Motion Embroidery
To embroider with this sewing machine foot, all you need to do is doodle! Its just like drawing with a pen and paper only you move the paper instead of the pen. It is much easier if you have marked out your design on the fabric first as mistakes are frustrating to unpick. I would also recommend having the fabric held in an embroidery loop. This makes it much easier on your hands as you are simply gliding a loop rather than trying to wrestle the fabric to maintain tension in all directions to stop puckering. The other alternative would be to use a light iron on interfacing or stabiliser to help.
