Sewing Thick Fabrics? A Walking Foot Could Make Things Easier…
There’s something about autumn and winter sewing that makes me want to pull out all the lovely fabrics I’ve been saving.
Cosy fleece. Soft corduroy. Denim. Maybe even that piece of coating fabric that’s been waiting patiently in the stash for the right project.
But sewing with thicker or bulkier fabrics can sometimes feel a little different from sewing with your usual cotton.
The layers don’t always move as smoothly. One fabric might creep ahead of another. Seams can become bulky, and keeping everything lined up can feel like more of a challenge than it should.
Before you blame yourself, your fabric or even your sewing machine, there’s something worth checking.
Have you tried a walking foot?
What is a walking foot, and why might you need one?
A walking foot is a sewing machine foot designed to help feed the upper layers of fabric through the machine more evenly alongside the feed dogs underneath.
Normally, your machine’s feed dogs move the fabric from below while the presser foot holds it in place from above. With some fabrics and combinations of layers, the upper layer can move at a slightly different rate from the lower one.
That can lead to fabric shifting, layers creeping out of alignment or a finish that isn’t quite as neat as you hoped.
A walking foot adds its own feeding action from above, helping the layers move together more consistently.
It isn’t a magic fix for every sewing problem, but it can be a really useful tool when you’re working with fabrics that are thicker, bulkier or more likely to shift.
When might a walking foot be useful?
You might associate walking feet with quilting, but they’re useful for more than patchwork.
Depending on your fabric, machine and project, you might find one helpful when sewing:
Fleece: particularly when you’re working with several layers or fabric that tends to stretch or shift.
Denim: useful for keeping layers moving evenly, although very thick seams may still need careful handling.
Corduroy: where you want to reduce unwanted movement between layers.
Coating fabrics: especially when you’re making jackets and coats with thicker materials.
Quilted fabrics: where multiple layers need to feed through the machine together.
You won’t necessarily need a walking foot for every project made from these fabrics. Sometimes your usual foot will work perfectly well.
The trick is to recognise when your fabric isn’t feeding as you’d like and consider whether a different foot could help.
Before you start changing everything…
If your fabric is shifting or your seams aren’t coming out as neatly as you’d hoped, it’s tempting to assume you’re doing something wrong.
But sewing is often about understanding what’s happening and choosing the right technique for the job.
Before reaching for a walking foot, it’s worth checking a few basics:
Your needle: make sure it’s suitable for the fabric and in good condition.
Your machine settings: check that your stitch length and other settings suit the material you’re sewing.
Your fabric layers: make sure they’re positioned correctly and aren’t being pulled or pushed through the machine.
Your presser foot: consider whether a walking foot might help the layers feed more evenly.
And remember, a walking foot won’t solve every issue. If your machine is struggling with an exceptionally bulky seam, you may still need to reduce bulk, support the fabric or approach the seam differently.
Small adjustments can make a surprising difference.
You don’t need a new wardrobe every season
This is one of my favourite things about sewing your own clothes.
You can make pieces that fit your body, suit your style and work for the life you’re actually living. You can repair something you already love, alter a garment that doesn’t quite fit, or finally turn that fabric you’ve been saving into something you’ll wear for years.
As the weather gets colder, it’s easy to feel as though you need a whole new wardrobe. But sometimes it’s about looking at what you already have, finding that piece of fabric you’ve been saving, and thinking: What could I make with this?
Learning a new technique or getting more comfortable with a particular fabric can open up possibilities you might have previously avoided.
And if a walking foot helps you feel more confident sewing thicker autumn and winter fabrics, that’s another useful little tool in your sewing toolkit.
Not because you need more equipment for the sake of it, but because understanding your tools can help you get more from the ones you have.
Want to see how a walking foot works?
If you’ve never used one before, or you’ve got one tucked away in your sewing machine accessories and aren’t quite sure what to do with it, I’ve made a practical tutorial to help.
In my video, [How & Why to Use a Walking Foot | Sewing Thick & Difficult Fabrics], I explain what a walking foot does, why you might use one and how to get started.
You can see the foot in action and follow along before trying it on your own project.
As always, check your sewing machine manual to make sure the foot is compatible with your machine and to see whether there are any specific instructions to follow.
And one final reminder: you don’t have to master every sewing technique before you start a project. Sometimes you just need to understand what’s making something difficult, learn a little about why it’s happening, and try a different approach.
That’s how sewing confidence grows, one stitch at a time.
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