How to Use an Industrial Walking Foot Sewing Machine
Industrial sewing machines are the machine of choice when sewing heavy materials, such as leather, upholstery fabrics and canvas. Regular sewing feet are stationary and can cause puckering, but an industrial walking foot sewing machine has a pressure foot that moves at the same rate as the bottom feed dog, helping to sew thick materials by gripping and pulling the fabric under the needle. Learn how to use an industrial walking foot sewing machine so that you can take advantage of the benefits of the walking foot.
Instructions
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Raise the walking foot by either lifting the pressure foot lever or pressing your knee against the knee foot lift, if you have a knee foot lift installed.
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Pull up the bobbin thread by turning the wheel with your right hand until the needle lowers and rises one time. Hold the loose end of the top thread and pull gently, and the bobbin thread will pull out from the feed dog. Take the loose ends of both of the threads and push them away behind the needle.
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Insert the item you are sewing under the walking foot. Lower the walking foot by either lowering the pressure foot lever or releasing your knee pressure from the knee foot lift.
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Use your right hand to turn the wheel far enough to make one stitch in the material. Turn the top of the wheel toward you to sew in a forward direction. Keep turning the wheel by hand until the needle rises and begins its downward motion. At the same time, increase your foot pressure against the sewing pedal to engage the motor.
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Allow the motor to take over powering the needle, using just enough pedal pressure to move the needle at first. Remove your hand from the wheel and guide the material with your hands.
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Increase the pedal pressure, gradually, after the first five needle strokes. Continue to increase the sewing speed until it reaches a speed you are comfortable with and can control.
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Avoid pushing the material under the walking foot. Guide the material with your hands to keep the stitch line straight, and let the walking foot pull the fabric. The needle bar, the walking foot and the feed dog are all timed to work together. Pushing or pulling the material can cause the components to work out of sequence, causing needle breakage or even throwing the machine out of time.
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Stop the sewing machine at the end of your stitching by releasing the pressure on the foot pedal. If your walking foot machine has reverse, push the reverse lever down and hold it. Give the foot pedal just enough pressure to engage the motor and sew five stitches in reverse. Take your hand away from the reverse lever and it will automatically resume its forward position. Sew five stitches forward to lock the end of the seam.
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References
- Photo Credit sewing machine image by styf from Fotolia.com
