Ever wondered about sewing without a foot pedal? In fact, many sewing machine users are unaware that sewing is possible without a presser foot. You will also start believing this statement when you will know about the functionality of it.
Feeding the cloth at a stable rate is necessary, and presser foot is responsible for this. If your sewing machine doesn’t have it, don’t assume that the machine is not workable. Without a foot pedal, you have to take the responsibility to maintain the stable feeding rate to the machine. This way, you can sew without a presser foot.
The process of working with a sewing machine without a foot pedal is not a challenging task. All you need to do is go through this article to sew without a presser foot intently.
Can You Sew without a Presser Foot?
Due to the advancement of sewing technology, without a presser foot, sewing is possible. Manufacturers designed computerized sewing machines that work without foot pedal.
Well-known manufacturers named Janome, Brother Sewing Machine come without the foot pedal. These models are reliable and efficient in their performance. Also, don’t assume that you will not get the expected result from them. They are promised to deliver the required result.
Janome Sewing machine models such as DSK30, 230DC, MC6600 feature speed controller slide, which works to set the stitching speed. All you need to do is horizontally move the lever to your required position. Let’s say when you move the lever to the left; the speed will decrease. While the speed will increase when the lever is moved to the right side.
Brother Sewing Machines offer an additional feature which is “lock foot pedal.” Innov-is 1800Q, Innov-is 15, etc., are such types of sewing machine models available with highly responsive features and easy-to-use. These machines are electric-powered. Due to their easy-to-use feature, these machines are especially popular among beginners.
A few earlier models like Bernina had knee pedals instead of foot pedals.
There are also some other sewing machine models available that don’t contain foot pedals. Apart from presser foot, they consist of an electronic slider, dial selectors, pushbuttons, and touch screen.
The truth is, controlling the movement of the fabric for a steady feeding, presser foot is not the only method. Those, as mentioned earlier, are efficient and effective enough to provide the required sewing result.
How to Sew Without a Presser Foot?
In recent times, a variety of sewing machines come with the START/STOP button, which is one method of operating a sewing machine without a foot pedal. These machines generally have both foot pedal and START/STOP button. You can choose any of the options according to your preference.
The other method is free motion presser foot. We will look into both methods below.
Using START/STOP Button
You will need to keep in mind that when the foot pedal is plugged into a power source, the START/STOP button can’t be used. So make sure that the presser foot is unplugged when using the START/STOP button.
Using the START/STOP button is pretty simple in order to sew without a presser foot, press the button and start sewing. After finishing sewing the fabric, press the button again.
Using Free-Motion Foot
The darning foot is the other name of free motion foot. This method is beneficial for allowed free motion quilting that means feed dogs get released when sewing.
You will find different sewing feet of sizes and shapes. Oval or square-shaped with the open or closed-toe free motion foot is available in the market.
The open toe is the part that lies in front of the needle that makes the sewing and threading task convenient. On the other hand, the shape takes tums round the needle in the closed-toe.
Additionally, the presser foot has an attached spring that creates a foot hop along with every stitch. As a result, when stitching the fabric, the foot will trace it. Once you pause stitching, the foot will spring missing from the material. If the stitched fabric contains a dense coat underneath of it, this feature offers an additional benefit.
Springs are unavailable in a few free motion foot. Instead of hoping, these feet move over the cloth. Hoping is annoying for many sewing machine users, and they prefer floating foot.
You can get your expected stitch easily by the hoping feature since the fabric moves without interruption within any direction.
However, if the feed dogs are attached when sewing, the fabric can be moved either backward or forward. So if you want to sew with free motion, minor the feed dog and attach to the free motion quilting leg machine and you are ready to go.
With the above discussion, now you learn the answer can you sew without a presser foot? If your sewing machine foot pedal is damaged or not functioning correctly, don’t wait since you can sew without it.
Do All Sewing Machines Have Foot Pedals?
The simple answer is, all sewing machines don’t have foot pedals because sewing machines are manufactured following different preferences. The purpose of sewing machines also varies.
Some sewing machine models from 1950 come with knee pedals. Over time, the appeal of this feature has reduced, but these knee pedals are coming again in the market. Top-rated manufacturer Bernina introduced a few models of the sewing machine with a knee pedal.
The manufacturer Brothers also introduced a sewing machine with a push button. The foot pedal is unnecessary all the time; at least it is better to know the answer to the question: Can you sew without a presser foot.
Frequently Asked Question
Is foot pedal available in computerized sewing machines?
Computerized sewing machines have both foot pedal and without foot pedal models. The most foot pedal is available as an additional attachment in computerized sewing machines. According to the user’s preference, it can be removed or attached.
When do I need to replace my sewing machine presser foot?
If you see inefficient performance from your foot pedal, it is high time to replace it without making it late. Also, the foot pedal can get damaged and when it happens, replace it.
However, the presser foot is highly responsive, that you don’t need to press so hard to let it work. If its functionality gets poor, be sure that the cord might have worn.
Is it possible to interchange sewing foot pedals?
Sewing foot pedals are not universal. You can interchange them between the same model of sewing machines.
Most high-end sewing machine foot pedals are not interchangeable. If your sewing foot pedal gets missed, read the instruction manual, contact the manufacturer with the serial and model number.
Final Words
Hopefully, after reading this article, you will never look for the answer to the question, “can you sew without a presser foot.”
However, don’t think that foot pedals are not a mandatory part of sewing machines. In fact, it offers benefits to sewing machines. Without it, creating great cloth is quite challenging for many people, but because of the advancement of technology, foot pedals are getting replaced. It is good news for those who are physically disabled or can’t use the foot pedal for any reason.