What are feed dogs

This article is brought to you by Lizzsews.

What are feed dogs? How can that be on my sewing machine? Why am I feeding dogs??

No no no! You’ve got it all wrong! Feed dogs are on your sewing machine, and they are not actually dogs!

You don’t feed them, they feed your fabric through the machine!

-The feed dogs are the short thin metal bars that have ridges like teeth. They are placed underneath your fabric and used to guide the fabric through your machine. -

Now feed dogs, believe it or not, are actually optional, you can lower them, meaning that they are underneath the needle plate and they will not move your fabric at all.

They are very useful in sewing, for without them you would just be sewing in the exact same spot over and over... Which would create a huge knot... which you would have to then try to cut... ahhh I’m getting nightmares already.

But, and that’s a big but, there are times in sewing when you want to lower the feed dogs, this is for when you want to free motion quilt! This is because when free motion quilting, rather than the feed dogs moving the fabric, you are.

But make sure once you have completed your free motion quilting you go and lift the feed dogs back up.

To lower and raise the feed dogs, move the switch at the back to the right or to the left, each machine is different so refer to your manual.

Recommended: Learning to sew article course

Recommended read: How to sew a lettuce hem

Leave a comment below and let me know if you sewed this lettuce hem! And don't forget to subscribe to stay up to date with all of Lizzsews new articles. See you next time!

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