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Getting beyond the basics with presser feet can open up a whole new world of sewing fun! But all the different types of presser feet available can be overwhelming! Plus, how do you ensure that any new presser feet set you purchase will actually fit your sewing machine?
We’re getting into all of that today — in this article you’ll learn everything you need to know about shank height and presser feet for sewing machines.
Contents
What is a Presser Foot for a Sewing Machine?
The presser foot is the attachment below the needle on your sewing machine. Its primary and most basic purpose is to flatten and smooth your fabric as it passes through your machine. It presses the fabric down against the feed dogs, allowing them to pull your fabric under the needle evenly.
While a basic presser foot that helps guide your fabric through your sewing machine is perfect for most applications, you can find a wide variety of specialty presser feet available. These specialty feet help to make specific sewing processes easier and faster. Examples include the zipper foot, invisible zipper foot, gathering foot, buttonhole foot, rolled hem foot, and many more!
The possibilities are endless with a good collection of specialty presser feet! However, it’s important to make sure that any presser feet you buy will fit your specific sewing machine.
The first step to determining what presser feet will fit your machine is to figure out if your sewing machine has a low shank or a high shank.
Low Shank vs High Shank Sewing Machines
Most sewing machines have either a low or a high shank. The shank is the straight metal bar that attaches the presser foot to the main body of your sewing machine.
In high shank sewing machines, this bar sits higher above the throat plate and feed dogs. The bottom of the shank is very close to the throat plate in low shank sewing machines.
High shank machines are great for sewing bulky fabrics because there is more space under the presser foot to fit thick layers of fabric. However, the majority of home sewing machines are low shank machines. High-end and industrial sewing machines are more likely to have a high shank than a basic home sewing machine. But keep in mind that there are a few lower end machines on the market that have a high shank.
If you’re not sure if your sewing machine is low or high shank, there’s an easy way to find out!
How to Tell if Your Sewing Machine is Low or High Shank
A tape measure and a screwdriver are all you need to determine if your sewing machine is low shank or high shank.
First, use the screwdriver that came with your sewing machine to remove the presser foot, along with the presser foot holder (if your machine has one). Machines that use snap-on presser feet will have a presser foot holder above the presser foot – make sure to remove anything attached to the screw!
Next, use the presser foot up-down button or lever to lower the shank into the down position.
Then, grab your tape measure and find the distance between the throat plate and the hole in the shank that the screw was attached to.
If this measurement is around ½ inch, your sewing machine has a low shank. However, if the distance is around 1 inch, you’ve got yourself a high shank sewing machine!
Most sewing machines will fall into one of those two categories – either low or high shank. But just to make things more complicated, there are some machines that don’t fit into either category. The first of those anomalies is Bernina.
Are Bernina Sewing Machines Low Shank or High Shank?
Bernina does their own thing and doesn’t follow the universal low or high shank models. They also utilize a clip-on presser foot system, meaning that their feet don’t even attach to the machine in the same way as other brands’ presser feet. Note that this only applies to actual Bernina-labeled machines, not Bernette sewing machines (which is a more affordable line of machines that are made by Bernina).
Bernina machines are only compatible with Bernina feet. However, you can get an adapter that will allow your Bernina to use universal presser feet.
Pfaff and Husqvarna Machines are a Little Different
While Pfaff and Husqvarna do make low and high shank sewing machines, universal snap-on presser feet do not fit on many of their models. The bar that snaps onto the presser foot holder is too narrow on universal feet to fit on most Pfaff or Husqvarna machines.
If you have a Pfaff or a Husqvarna sewing machine, you will likely need an adapter to fit universal snap-on presser feet.
Slant Shank Sewing Machines
Another category of sewing machine that doesn’t fit into the low shank or high shank mold is the slant shank type sewing machine. However, this type of shank is only found on some vintage Singer models – so unless you’ve got a Singer that’s 35+ years old, you don’t even need to worry about having a slant shank!
Snap-On vs Screw-On Presser Feet
Once you’ve determined if you’re working with a low shank or a high shank sewing machine, it’s time to talk presser feet!
There are 2 ways that a presser foot might attach to a sewing machine (excluding Bernina’s clip-on system). If it is attached directly to the shank with a screw, it is a screw-on presser foot. On the other hand, if the presser foot has a tiny bar across the top that can be snapped onto the presser foot holder, it is a snap-on foot.
Snap-on presser feet are easy to use and quick to switch out. Both high shank machines and low shank machines can use universal snap-on presser feet as long as they are equipped with a snap-on presser foot system.
Screw-on presser feet are a little more time-consuming to switch out, since you need to remove the screw, take the old foot off the machine, place the new foot, and reattach the screw. When choosing a screw-on presser foot, make sure you purchase a foot specifically made for either a high shank or a low shank machine because they will differ in size.
Also, if you have a sewing machine that is equipped only with a screw-on presser foot system, you won’t be able to use snap-on feet without an adapter. However, if you have a snap-on capable machine, you can use screw-on feet; simply remove the entire presser foot holder before attaching the screw-on foot.
What is a Presser Foot Adapter for Snap-On Presser Feet (and Do You Need One)?
If you want to be able to use universal snap-on presser feet, which is the most widely available type of presser foot – you might need an adapter.
Madam Sew sells a few different adapters so you can use their 32-Piece Ultimate Presser Foot Set with almost any home sewing machine.
Do you have a standard (non-Pfaff/Husqvarna/Bernina) low-shank machine with a snap-on system? If yes — you’re golden! Go forth and explore all the fun presser foot options! If no – read on to learn what type of adapter you might need.
Low Shank Snap-On Adapter
You will need a low shank snap-on adapter if your machine falls into either of these 3 categories:
- You have a low-shank Pfaff or a Husqvarna sewing machine
- You have a Bernina sewing machine (this needs to be used in combination with a Bernina adapter)
- Your machine has a low-shank and no snap-on system already in place
High Shank Snap-On Adapter
You will need a high-shank snap-on adapter if your machine falls into either of these categories:
- You have a high-shank Pfaff or Husqvarna sewing machine
- Your machine has a high-shank and no snap-on system already in place
Bernina Adapter
Finally, if you own a Bernina sewing machine (not including Bernette machines), you will need a Bernina adapter in addition to a low shank snap-on adapter to use universal snap-on presser feet.
Adapters for Screw-On Presser Feet
While snap-on presser feet are the most common, there are a few really useful screw-on feet you might want to try.
Unfortunately, there aren’t adapters for screw-on presser feet. This means that a low shank machine must be paired with a low shank screw-on presser foot and a high shank machine will only work with high shank screw-on feet.
You can use low shank screw-on presser feet on a Bernina machine with a Bernina adapter.
The Best Presser Foot Set
Now that you know how to pair the right adapter with your sewing machine to fit universal presser feet, it’s time to expand your sewing prowess with some fun new presser feet!
I highly recommend the 32-piece Ultimate Presser Foot Set from Madam Sew. It includes 32 specialty presser feet along with a low shank snap-on adapter. Plus, there is an app that tells you what each of the feet can do!
A few of the feet from this kit that I love and use all the time are the invisible zipper foot, the gathering foot, the zig-zag foot, the straight stitch foot, the rolled hem foot, and the blind stitch foot. I also really enjoy using the overcast foot for finishing edges when I don’t feel like pulling out the serger! You’ll find a lot of great uses for the presser feet in this kit!
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