A presser foot fits your machine if it matches the shank — the bar the foot attaches to — and the stitch width. Most Singer, Brother, Baby Lock, Janome, Kenmore, Juki home machines and EverSewn are low shank with a snap-on ankle; most industrials and some older machines are high shank; vintage Singer slant-needle machines are slant shank; Bernina uses its own old-style and new-style shank; Pfaff feet are made for the IDT dual-feed arm. Measure from the bed of the machine to the center of the thumbscrew with the foot down: about 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) is low shank, about 1 inch (25.4 mm) is high shank. Then pick the foot for the job from the table below, and buy it from the page that names your model.
Identify your shank
| Shank | Bed-to-screw height | Typical machines | Feet to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shank, snap-on | ~12.7 mm (1/2 in) | Most Singer, Brother, Baby Lock, Janome, Kenmore, Juki home, EverSewn, Necchi | Snap-on low-shank feet; screw-on low-shank attachments fit with the ankle removed |
| Low shank, screw-on | ~12.7 mm | Older domestic machines without a snap-on ankle | Screw-on low-shank feet, or a snap-on ankle adaptor |
| High shank | ~25.4 mm (1 in) | Industrials, some older Kenmore, Pfaff industrial, long-arm | High-shank feet |
| Slant shank | Needle bar angled | Vintage Singer 301, 401, 403, 500, 503 and similar | Slant-shank feet only |
| Bernina old style | — | Bernina mechanical models (pre-1990s) | Bernina old-style feet or compatible |
| Pfaff IDT | Low shank with rear cut-out | Pfaff machines with IDT | Pfaff / Pfaff-compatible feet with the cut-out |
Stitch width is the second check. Feet are made for 5 mm, 7 mm and 9 mm maximum zig-zag widths; a 7 mm foot on a 9 mm machine can be hit by the needle on a wide stitch, and a 9 mm foot on a 5 mm machine has a slot wider than it needs. The product page states the width where the distributor does.
What each foot does
| Foot | What it does | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Zig-zag / all-purpose (J, A) | The standard foot with a wide slot | Everyday sewing |
| 1/4-inch (quarter-inch, piecing) | Guides an exact 1/4 in seam; with a flange it rides the fabric edge | Quilt piecing |
| Walking / even-feed | Drives the top layer in step with the feed dogs | Quilting layers, binding, plaids, vinyl, slippery fabric |
| Stitch-in-the-ditch | A center blade rides the seam | Quilting in the seam line, topstitching next to a seam |
| Darning / free-motion | Hovers; feed dogs down; you steer | Free-motion quilting, darning, thread painting |
| Zipper | Narrow foot sews beside zipper teeth, left or right | Standard and metal zippers, piping |
| Invisible zipper | Two grooves hold the coil open | Invisible (concealed) zippers |
| Blind hem | Adjustable guide for the blind-hem stitch | Invisible hems on trousers, skirts, curtains |
| Rolled hemmer (2–6 mm) | Scroll folds a narrow double hem | Scarves, napkins, shirt hems |
| Buttonhole | Sized to the button; often automatic | Buttonholes |
| Button sew-on | Holds a flat button under the needle | Attaching buttons by machine |
| Overcast / overedge | A pin stops the edge curling under a zig-zag | Finishing seams without a serger |
| Ruffler | Pleats or gathers at a set interval | Ruffles, gathering yards of fabric |
| Gathering | Gathers lightly as it sews | Light gathers |
| Binder | Folds bias tape around an edge in one pass | Binding quilts and garments |
| Piping / cording / welting | A groove holds the cord | Piping on cushions, bags, upholstery |
| Non-stick (Teflon) / roller | Glides on sticky fabric | Vinyl, leather, laminates |
| Open-toe / clear | Full view of the needle | Appliqué, decorative stitches, following lines |
| Edge-stitch / stitch guide | An adjustable guide for parallel rows | Topstitching, edge stitching |
| Ruler foot | Round, tall foot rides against a 1/4 in template | Ruler-work quilting |
Original or compatible?
A compatible foot is made by a third party to the dimensions of the brand’s foot and is usually cheaper. For simple feet — 1/4-inch, zipper, open-toe, blind hem — compatible feet work well. For a walking foot, a ruffler, or anything with moving parts, the manufacturer’s foot tends to be better finished and the safer buy on a newer machine. Every foot here says which it is and names the models it fits; a foot that only names the shank type is a generic fit, and you should check the stitch width yourself.
The five feet worth owning
- 1/4-inch foot if you piece quilts
- Walking foot if you quilt, bind or sew anything slippery
- Zipper foot and invisible zipper foot if you make garments or bags
- Blind-hem foot if you hem trousers
- Open-toe or clear foot for appliqué and decorative stitches
Shop the parts
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my machine is low shank?
Lower the foot and measure from the bed to the center of the thumbscrew: about 1/2 inch is low shank, about 1 inch is high shank.
Will a snap-on foot fit any low-shank machine?
Most modern low-shank machines share the snap-on ankle, but stitch width and brand quirks differ. Buy from the page that names your model.
Do I need a walking foot for quilting?
For straight-line quilting and binding, yes — it stops the layers creeping. For free-motion, use a darning foot instead.
What is a Bernina old-style foot?
The screw-on foot for Bernina mechanical machines before the 1990s; newer models use the new-style clip shank.
Can I use generic feet on a Pfaff?
Not with the IDT engaged — the foot needs a rear cut-out for the dual-feed arm. Use Pfaff or Pfaff-compatible feet.
Why does my foot sit crooked?
Wrong shank height, a bent ankle, or the foot is a 9 mm foot on a 7 mm machine. Check the shank measurement first.
What is a ruler foot?
A tall round foot that rides against 1/4-inch quilting templates; it must match the template thickness and your shank.