Sewing Machine Jargon Buster - No 2 - The Presser Foot & Feed Dog

Here is the second sewing machine feature that we explain a little more in detail. You can find more information on electric sewing machines at our website.

Presser foot (No 1 in the photo)

The presser foot holds the fabric flat under the needle and in place against the feed dog (the jagged teeth in the picture here) . This helps feed it through evenly as you sew.

There's a range of different presser feet available, designed to do different jobs such as inserting a zip or sewing blind hems.

Presser feet are either held in by a screw or a foot-holder clip, so it's really easy to change them.

Feed dog (No 2 in the photo)

The feed dog is a metal plate with tiny metal teeth that stick up through the plate under the sewing machine's needle. They feed fabric from the front to the back of the machine.

The feed dogs, needle plate and presser foot work together to keep fabric feeding smoothly through your sewing machine

As the needle comes up out of the fabric after making a stitch, the feed dogs rise up and grip the fabric against the presser foot, then slide backwards and pull the fabric with them.

Some sewing machines have a ‘drop feed dog' function. This means that you can fix the feed dog in the down position, letting you move the fabric manually under the needle in the direction you choose. This is useful for embroidery and mending.