Types of Presser Feet for the Leatherwork® Sewing Machine
Knurled Foot & Feed Dog
Top right: front of presser foot. Bottom right: bottom of presser foot.
This is the foot and feed dog that come with your Leatherwork machine. The Knurled Foot is ideal for sewing leather and other materials that might scuff or show marks from a more aggressive presser foot with a sawtooth feeding surface. If you purchased a Leatherwork machine to sew veg tan, suede, belt leather, hair on hides and latigo leather, this is the presser foot you will use most often. Its knurled, slightly textured surface provides enough "grab" to feed the material smoothly as you sew without leaving permanent marks on the leather. You can also use the Knurled Foot and Feed Dog set to sew light home décor fabrics without the risk of bunching and feeding issues.
You can sew 8mm to the left of the needle and 6.5mm to the right of the needle.
Potential Uses:
- Leatherwork
- Suede
- Waxed canvas
- Delicate home fabrics or garment fabrics
- Clear vinyl
- Ripstop
Smooth Foot Set
Top left: front of presser foot set. Bottom left: bottom of presser foot set.
For the most delicate leather that mars and scuffs very easily, you'll want the Smooth Foot Set. This is the most gentle presser foot set we offer, and its incredibly smooth surface is ideal for sewing soft and delicate leather. This is a three-piece set consisting of an outside foot, inside foot and feed dog. Due to the fact that the feet and feed dog have no teeth or textured surfaces, this set does not climb up and down multiple layers of material as efficiently as our other presser feet. We strongly recommend the Smooth Foot Set for flat leather assemblies with no height transitions.
You can sew 8mm to the left of the needle and 6.5mm to the right of the needle.
Potential Uses:
- Very delicate leather
- Oil tanned leather
- Cork fabric
Smooth Left Foot Set
Top right: front of presser foot set. Bottom right: bottom of presser foot set.
Like the Smooth Foot Set above, the Smooth Left Foot Set is a three piece set consisting of the outside foot, inside foot and feed dog. It also features the same smooth surfaces and is intended for delicate leathers and materials that mar and scuff easily. The big difference between this Left Foot and the regular Smooth Foot is that the outside presser foot on this set is missing the right toe. What this means is that you can get incredibly close to the needle while sewing. This is crucial when installing zippers in leather bags or when you want your stitch extremely close to the edge.
Because the right side of the feed dog doesn't have a raised edge, you can place the Magnetic Sewing Guide right next to the inside presser foot. This enables you to sew within 1/8 inch of the edge of your assembly. This is a must when sewing wallets, coin purses and clutches — items in which sewing extremely close to an edge is needed.
You can sew 8mm to the left of the needle and 2mm to the right of the needle.
Potential Uses:
- Very delicate leather
- Oil tanned leather
- Bags and purses
- Loose knits
- Cork fabric
- Wallets
- Coin purses
Sawtooth Foot & Feed Dog
Top left: front of presser foot. Bottom left: bottom of presser foot.
This is our most aggressive presser foot and feed dog with a sawtooth feeding surface. If you are sewing something with a lot of height transitions or sewing materials of varying thicknesses, you will get the best results when using the Sawtooth Presser Foot and Feed Dog. The potential downside is that — if sewing leather — there is a chance the foot could leave marks or scuffs on the leather's surface. Choosing between the Sawtooth or Knurled foot is a decision only you can make. You need to weigh the benefit of a foot that can expertly climb and transition over varying material layers against a foot that will not potentially mar your material's delicate surface.
Typically, the Sawtooth Foot and Feed Dog are used to sew canvas, denim, upholstery fabrics and webbing. The presser foot has a built-in cording tunnel that is incredibly useful for sewing piping up to 1/4 inch. This means you don’t have to change the foot to sew your own piping for upholstery projects. Check out the list below for some common uses for the Sawtooth Presser Foot and Feed Dog.
You can sew 8mm to the left of the needle and 6.5mm to the right of the needle.
Potential Uses:
- Upholstery
- Denim
- Vinyl
- Cushion fabric
- Cover fabric
- Canvas
- Awning/canopy fabric
- General hobby projects
- Webbing
Left Zipper Foot
Top right: front of presser foot. Bottom right: bottom of presser foot.
Leather crafters who sew bags, backpacks and pouches will need the Left Zipper Foot for sewing zippers. This foot has the right side of the foot removed, allowing you to sew right next to the zipper teeth. This is crucial as you must sew through the zipper tape when sewing zippers, and it also gives your leather goods a sharp, professional look. The design of this presser foot keeps the bulk of your material to the left of your machine and free from under the machine arm so you have plenty of room to sew, another bonus.
The Left Zipper Foot features the same teeth as the Sawtooth Foot. This means that the teeth are more aggressive than the Knurled Foot. Therefore, you'll need to decrease the pressure on the regulating thumbscrew on the top of the machine in order to reduce the chances of the foot leaving marks on your leather. If you are sewing material other than leather (canvas, denim, upholstery fabric, etc.) there is no risk of the teeth marring the fabric. You can pair the Left Zipper Foot with the Knurled Feed Dog that came with your Leatherwork machine.
Needle Position: Right
Foot Position: Left
You can sew 8mm to the left of the needle and 2mm to the right of the needle.
Potential Uses:
- Bags and purses
- Garments
- Cushions and pillows
- Outdoor gear — tents, sleeping bags, etc.
Right Zipper Foot
Top right: front of presser foot showing 3mm material thickness restriction. Bottom right: bottom of presser foot.
The Right Zipper Foot is almost a mirror image of the Left Zipper Foot. With this foot, the needle is on the left side and the presser foot is on the right. Most zipper applications — bags and accessories, cushions, pillows, garments, etc. — will use the Left Zipper Foot. This is a foot that a leatherworker will probably never need, but there are always those special or unusual applications that require the Right Zipper Foot. So we offer it in case you ever need it.
The Right Zipper Foot has the same teeth as the Left Zipper Foot and the Sawtooth Foot. If using this presser foot on leather, you'll want to decrease the pressure on the regulating thumbscrew to reduce the chances of the teeth marring or damaging the leather. Because the foot attaches to the sewing machine on the left, there is a 3mm height limitation for what can fit under the foot. This is why this foot is not recommended for sewing close to bulky applications when on the left side of the foot. You can pair the Right Zipper Foot with the Knurled Feed Dog that came with your Leatherwork machine.
Needle Position: Left
Foot Position: Right
You can sew 2mm to the left of the needle and 6.5mm to the right of the needle.
Potential Uses:
- Bags
- Garments
- Cushions and pillows
- Outdoor gear — tents, sleeping bags, etc.
Shop Right Zipper Presser Foot
Double Cording Foot Set
Top left: back of presser foot. Bottom left: bottom of presser foot.
If you sew upholstery or are interested in upholstery work, this is a useful presser foot to have. The Double Cording Foot creates beautiful decorative piping that is used in upholstery projects. First, you use the upholstery leather or fabric of your choice to sew double welting cord to create your decorative piping. Then you staple or glue the double piping to the furniture piece, typically using the piping to hide the gap or transition between the upholstered piece and furniture frame. Decorative piping gives your upholstered furniture a stylish and polished appearance.
This presser foot consists of two pieces and sews 5/32-inch welting double cord. The two channels of the outside foot feed the double welting cord, while the "V" shape of the inside foot pushes the fabric down into the center of the double welting cord as the piping is created. You can pair the Double Cording Foot Set with the Knurled Feed Dog that came with your Leatherwork machine.
Potential Uses:
- Upholstery work
- Decorative accents
Shop Double Cording Presser Foot
Now that you have a rundown of presser feet and when to use them, you'll be able to take full advantage of all the Leatherwork machine's capabilities. Leather, canvas, denim, upholstery, garments — there's so much this sewing machine can do. All it takes is the right presser foot, along with compatible needle and thread, and you're off on a successful sewing adventure. Are there any other presser feet you'd like us to offer for your Leatherwork Sewing Machine? Let us know in the comments section below. We love getting input from our customers!
Footnote:
This blog was updated in November 2021 to include the Smooth Left Foot Set.