Walking Foot: What It Does and Which One Fits Your Machine

What a walking foot does

A regular presser foot glides over the fabric while only the machine’s feed dogs move it from below, so the top layer can lag. A walking foot adds feed dogs on top. SINGER: it has “built-in feed dogs that work with your machine’s feeders to grip and move the top layer of fabric in sync with the bottom.”¹ Janome describes the result: no more “underlayer of fabric coming up short.”⁴

The names vary: “walking foot”, “even feed foot” and “dual feed foot” describe the same idea. SINGER: “The SINGER Even Feed Foot, also known as a Walking Foot”.¹

When to use one

• Quilting: keeping the quilt sandwich together.¹
• Plaids and stripes: keeping the lines matched across seams.^1,7
• Knits and slippery fabrics: JUKI names knits, SINGER velvet and “some knits that tend to slip”.^1,2
• Vinyl and leather-like fabrics: JUKI names vinyl-coated fabric; Husqvarna Viking says leather, suede and vinyl “flow easily”.^2,5
• Topstitching: Janome says it avoids the irregular stitching caused by seam bulk, “especially around collars and sleeves.”⁴

How to attach it

The steps are much the same across makers. Brother’s instruction sheet:⁷

1. Turn off the machine; raise the needle and the presser foot.
2. Remove the presser foot, the presser foot holder screw and the holder.
3. Fit the walking foot’s fork onto the needle clamp screw.
4. Lower the foot and tighten it to the presser bar with the holder screw.

Brother adds: turn the handwheel slowly toward you before sewing to check the needle doesn’t touch the sole, and “Sew between low and mid speed.”⁷ SINGER’s steps are the same: remove the foot and its ankle, set the arm over the needle clamp screw, and screw it to the shank.¹

Will it fit? Shank and stitch width

Walking feet are sold by shank height and stitch width. Brother, on its SA140 page: “Brother offers several Walking Feet which differ for the width of the feed dogs, shank height, etc. Please check your manual or the machine listings on this website to find the correct Walking Foot to fit your machine.”¹⁰ Brother’s open toe walking foot “can be used for only 7 mm (stitch width).”¹¹ Janome lists separate versions for low and high shank and for 5-7, 7 and 9 mm machines.⁴ Most Brother machines are low shank; Brother says a machine that comes with a Dual Feed Foot is high shank.¹²

Walking feet by brand, as their makers list them

Brand	Foot	Fits (maker’s list)	Limit stated
Brother	SA188 open toe walking foot	7 mm machines on Brother’s list3,11	Listed stitches only; low to mid speed11
JUKI	Walking Foot, HZL series	HZL series, part numbers per series2	Not stated
SINGER	Even Feed / Walking Presser Foot	Low-shank SINGER machines, Heavy Duty included1	Avoid stitches with many backward stitches1
Husqvarna Viking	Walking Foot; Dual Feed Foot	ONYX, Emerald, Eden Rose 250M, Tribute; groups 5, 6, 75,6	Dual Feed Foot: stitch length up to 6, zigzag up to 7 mm6
Janome	Even Feed Foot (several versions)	By shank and stitch width; model list after login4	Not stated

Five walking feet

7 mm Brother machines

Brother SA188 open toe walking foot

Type

open toe walking foot

Stitch width

7 mm machines only

Adapter

included, for one holder shape

Strengths

• Open toe for visibility
• Adapter included for one presser foot holder shape

Drawbacks

• Listed stitches only, per Brother
• Sew at low to mid speed

Good fit: you own a 7 mm Brother on its list and want to see the needle while you sew.
Skip it if: your Brother is a 5 mm or high-shank model: check its manual first.

JUKI home machines

JUKI Walking Foot, HZL series

Type

walking foot with upper feed dog

Machines

HZL series, part numbers per series

Uses

knits, vinyl-coated fabric, quilting, nap

Strengths

• Prevents bunched stitching and uneven feeding, per JUKI
• Part numbers by machine series

Drawbacks

• Sold through JUKI dealers

Good fit: you own a JUKI HZL machine.
Skip it if: you own another brand.

Low-shank SINGER, Heavy Duty included

SINGER Even Feed / Walking Presser Foot

Shank

low

Machines

SINGER groups CA, CB, EA, MA, MB (Heavy Duty)

Attach

screw to the shank, arm over the needle clamp

Strengths

• Heavy Duty models in the chart
• Sold on SINGER's US and Canadian sites

Drawbacks

• Avoid stitches with many backward stitches, per SINGER

Good fit: you own a SINGER Heavy Duty or another listed SINGER.
Skip it if: your SINGER is high shank or not in the chart.

ONYX, Emerald, Eden Rose, Tribute

Husqvarna Viking Walking Foot

Machines

ONYX series, Emerald series, Eden Rose 250M, Tribute 140M/145M

Other option

Dual Feed Foot for groups 5, 6, 7

Strengths

• For plaids, quilts, leather, suede and vinyl, per Husqvarna Viking

Drawbacks

• Check the accessory group (1 to 8) before buying, per Husqvarna Viking

Good fit: you own one of the listed Husqvarna Viking models.
Skip it if: your Viking is in another accessory group.

Several versions by shank and width

Janome Even Feed Foot

Versions

5-7 mm low shank, 7 mm high shank, 9 mm, high speed models, front loading

Fit list

on janome.com after login

Strengths

• Also good for topstitching, per Janome
• A version for each shank and width

Drawbacks

• Several versions: the wrong one won't fit

Good fit: you own a Janome and know its shank and stitch width.
Skip it if: you can't check which version fits: Janome's list needs a login.