Start your sewing adventure with us.    Join Seamwork

Articles on this site were all published prior to 2017 and this site is no longer updated. Please visit our current Articles, Patterns, and Classes for the most up-to-date content and products.

3 must-have Bernina presser feet and how I use them

3-must-have-presser-feet

Recently, while I was working on a new dress, I noticed just how many different presser feet I use over the course of one project.

It wasn’t always like this. Though machines I’ve had in the past came with a multitude of different feet, it realy wasn’t until I adopted my current Bernina that I realized just how vital they are to professional-looking sewing.

Sure, I’d use a zipper foot when I needed to, but mostly I stuck with the standard straight stitch foot for 90% of my sewing. Rarely would I switch more than once over the course of a single project.

All that changed when I got my Bernina. Partly, it’s because Bernina offers such a huge variety of presser feet and attachments that learning how and when to use them became a lot more fun.

But mostly it’s the quality of the parts. With other feet I’d used before, I just didn’t see a huge difference between using the speial foot and relying on my own hand-eye coordination. With my feet now, I know there’s a faster, easier, and more reliable way to do it.

So, today I’m going to tell you about my 3 favorite feet, how I use them, and how I store them. I’ll also include some links to great articles on Bernina’s blog, WeAllSew.com, where their experts go into even more detail.

1. The edgestitch foot (#10)

edgestitch-foot

Other than the #1 foot, this is the foot that gets the most use in my sewing room.

Though it’s called the edgestitch foot, it has tons of uses beyond edgestitching. I use it for edgestitching, topstitching, stitching in the ditch, joining with a zigzag and more.

edgestitch-hem

My favorite way to use it is to get even hems. After folding and pressing a hem in place, I always use the edgestitch foot to stitch the hem down from the wrong side. The vertical plate goes right up against the fold and keeps my hem tidy and even, without excess stitcking up.

Over at WeAllSew, this article explains 10 different uses for the #10 edgestitch foot.

2. The invisible zipper foot (#35)

invisible-zipper-foot

This is the first foot I bought for my Bernina (since it came with most of the basic ones).

I sew a ton of invisible zippers because I make a lot of dresses. This is hands-down the best invisible zipper foot I’ve used.

invisible-zipper-foot-close

Here’s what it looks like from the front. The foot has two diagonal channels that hold the teeth of the zipper perfectly in place while you sew.

I also like that you don’t need to adjust the needle position at all in order to sew the zipper in. That way, you don’t have to worry about stitching too close to the edge (so the zipper won’t close) or too far from the edge (leaving the zipper tape exposed).

finished-invisible-zipper

It works perfectly every time.

Bernina has a video tutorial on using this foot over on WeAllSew as well.

By the way, if you own a Bernina and don’t have this foot, it’s currently 25% off at participating dealers this month!

3. The blindstitch foot (#5)

blindstitch-foot

Last, I simply adore the blindstitch foot.

I love sewing blind hems. In fact, it’s become my go-to hem for most of my garments lately. The reasons I love it are:

  1. It gives a really professional invisible finish. It elevates the look of quality to the garment.
  2. It is a great was to sew a deep hem, so that you can lengthen or shorten the garment later on.

I’ve used other blindstitch feet before, but nothing comes close to the results I get with the #5 foot, quite honestly.

finished-blind-hem

In the past, I’d always dealt with a bit of uneveness in blindstitching, so that the zigzag stitches don’t quite bite into the fold of fabric. This would mean that the hem wouldn’t be completely secured, and I’d have to go back and tediously restitch some parts of the hem.

I rarely have that problem now. This foot works flawlessly almost every time, so these hems are a joy to sew.

Here’s a tutorial and video from Bernina on sewing the blind hem, over at WeAllSew again.

Those are my top 3 favorites, but of course it depends on the type of sewing you’re doing. You can learn way more about Bernina feet and see a bunch of video tutorials over on their blog.

Which feet are your must-haves when you sew?

Sarai Mitnick

Founder

Sarai started Colette back in 2009. She believes the primary role of a business should be to help people. She loves good books, sewing with wool, her charming cats, working in her garden, and eating salsa.

Comments

sewintheforest

May 14, 2014 #

Thanks for this post! I think it’s important to share which feet are practical to most sewists and especially how to use them! So many manufacturers make their feet for a very specific purpose and if you don’t do ‘that kind of sewing’, it’s easy to get lost in the plethora of optional feet and then just give up wanting to try any of them. My 2 favourite additional feet that I constantly use are the edge joining foot, like you, plus I love to use the quarter inch foot with the guide (called a patchwork quilt, even though I never sew quilts!). I have a Bernina, too, so they are #10 and #57. I sew a lot of bras so both of these feet are indispensable for so many tasks in this kind of sewing. BUT, I really like a smaller seam allowance and I find I am using the quarter inch foot almost as much as I am the standard zigzag foot (#0). Love to hear what other people are doing with their favourite feet, too!

Sarah

May 14, 2014 #

I agree on those three, though I have to add the 3mm rolled hem foot. :-)

Kristabelle

May 14, 2014 #

I echo Sarah…I bought a set of narrow hemming feet (4mm and 6mm) and, once I learned how, use the 4mm a LOT. It makes for such clean, tiny hems.

Elisabeth

May 14, 2014 #

Good info! I have a bunch of feet for my Bernina that came with it when I bought it from a friend. I haven’t really experimented with them aside from the zipper foot. Which is silly; if I have them, I should use them! So it’s nice to see which ones you think are most helpful!

Marie

May 14, 2014 #

I love my Bernina and have been using it for about 10 years, but it does seem that the feet are much more expensive than other models (seem to be twice as much as Janome for example) -I’ve been considering buying some so it’s good to know that they’re worth the investment!

Tina

May 14, 2014 #

I rarely change mine. I mostly use a wide see through foot and depend on my eyes, but I should probably use my others because I did buy them. I use a zipper foot, of course, and have used the button hole foot, a ruffler, and an overcast foot…I think that’s what the one that ensures the overcast or zig zag stitch wraps around the fabric is called…

I haven’t experimented beyond those, but I may have to try.

knitmo

May 14, 2014 #

I use my zip foots (both regular and invisible) and my quarter-inch foot a lot. But, I am just starting to use my edge stitch foot more. I have yet to use my blind hem foot — I haven’t taken the time to figure out how to fold the fabric to make that work. Instead, I tend to just hand sew those — it makes my family happy. I get everything pressed and pinned and then sit in the living room with the family and hem.

Katie Emma

May 14, 2014 #

I have my grandma’s old Riccar sewing machine from the 1970s with a bunch of different presser feet. I have one that works as my edgestitch foot and my blind hem foot, and seems to work pretty well for both. The machine was not given to me with an invisible zipper foot so I had to buy one – the only one the store had was a cheap plastic one. I’m definitely on the lookout for a metal invisible zipper foot that works with a variety of machines.

ShanniLoves

May 14, 2014 #

Bernina has an app that I’ve found very useful. It’s a resource showcasing all their feet, their uses and even has video tutorials. You can also record the feet you own and make a wish list of what you want!

Susan

May 14, 2014 #

I have a Bernina machine, and I agree with you about the quality of the feet. I find I am using the walking foot more and more. It is especially useful for slippery fabric, and long straight seams.

Amanda

May 14, 2014 #

I like my Bernina walking foot if I have thick layers or something tricky that has trouble feeding properly. I also LOVE my blindstitch foot.

Amanda

May 14, 2014 #

While I’m at it– I have the ruffler attachment and it makes lovely pleats too, but does anyone have a handy reference for math equations and settings w/ the ruffler foot?

–i.e. skirt pieces measure 48 inches cut, must be gathered to 27 inches. How do I make this happen without just measuring and measuring and measuring?

Heidi

May 14, 2014 #

Have you seen this free download about the ruffler? I think it may have the information you’re looking for in it. I love my ruffler too!

Heidi

May 15, 2014 #

Lady ID

May 14, 2014 #

The invisible zipper foot was also my first purchase. I use a lot of invisible zippers so I knew I would need one. When I picked up my new Bernina, I bought a walking foot. Between both machines, I have the blind hem, regular zipper, darning and a leather foot amongst others.

I can’t remember if I have an edge stitch foot but I do use the blindstitch foot for the edgestitch.

mezmerina

May 14, 2014 #

When I discovered the blind stitch foot I couldn’t believe it – I had been hand stitching all my hems for decades!

The Bernina feet are pricey, yes, but wonderful quality and really easy to swap.

Sophie-Lee

May 14, 2014 #

I have a Janome machine, but my most used feet are the main presser foot, the stitch-in-the-ditch foot, and and the invisible zip foot. I also really like the 1/4″ foot.

I do have a narrow hem foot which I used for a while but could never get a perfect hem – have ditched it and am doing narrow hems by hand, which I much prefer.

Lexi

May 14, 2014 #

This really makes me want a Bernina…

Heidi

May 14, 2014 #

I change the feet all the time now I have a Bernina and it’s so easy. I use my #5 for edge stitching and I also use the #20 a lot for sewing down areas with bulk in the middle.

Paola

May 15, 2014 #

I have a Bernina too. I use the blind hem foot for both hemming and top stitching etc. I also have a narrow hem foot that once I figured it out has been a great investment. And I bought a generic walking foot that fits the Bernina which has also been worth every cent. I’ve just been using it to sew a striped knit fabric and it has helped make sure the stripes match at the side seams.

Colleen

May 15, 2014 #

You know, I thought I was so brilliant when I bought a generic invisible zipper foot and I keep wondering why my zippers look so….awful. Reading this and researching quickly I’ve discovered that the plastic end isn’t heavy enough to keep the zipper in the grooves. I just bought a real Bernina foot for 40.00 on sale. So, thanks for this and I can’t wait to see if my zips improve!

Laura Reed

May 15, 2014 #

I absolutely agree about those three presser feet! My next favorite is #2 (2A for my Bernina), for overlocking. It makes the #3 stitch wrap around the edge of the seam allowance for a finish that’s close to what a serger can do. Since I don’t have a serger yet…

Juliana

May 15, 2014 #

Hi there!
I use a Singer at home, and I wonder if you could suggest equivalent of these presser feet.
Doing a quick search I already found one they call Edge Joining Foot, that performs the same as the edgestitching foot you use.
The invisible zipper one we have also, although it works differently – I always have to turn it and change the side of the needle. But even like that it is really helpful.
This last one I never saw, but I think you could add this info for Singer-users just like myself.
Thanks a lot for the tips :)
Greetings from Brazil
Ju

Heather Lou

May 15, 2014 #

My life changed with Bernie. The feet are a feat (ha!) of engineering. The rolled hem foot makes me roll around the floor in paroxysms of pleasure – perfect every time. I picked up that edge stitch foot during a sale but haven’t used it yet. And I’ve just added the blind hem foot to my want list….

Hanne

May 15, 2014 #

I always struggled with invisible zippers untill I bought myself a Bernina and an invisible zipper foot. It works like a charm every single time. I almost cried when I used it the first time and it worked as good as expected. I’m slowly exploring the other feet that came with my machine and I must say that the walking foot is equally amazing. No more stretched out knit seams!

Jennifer Shaw

May 15, 2014 #

You know I never even thought to use the edgestitch foot for topstitching! I only ever used it for finishing edges before . Thanks for the tip!

Alice Elliot

May 15, 2014 #

I have used the foot my old Bernina calls the blind hemming foot for edge stitching. It looks just like both the blind stitch foot and edge stitch foot you show in the photos. I can’t tell the difference! Love them and the woman who showed me how well that foot works when top stitching close to the edge! I also have the invisible zipper foot and couldn’t believe how perfectly it worked after struggling for so long!!

Lee Green

May 17, 2014 #

After a demo by our Bernina Rep. I have a whole new outlook on creativity! I made samples with all the feet I own and the new ones I bought so I can refer to and use the best foot for the job… Now go put your best foot forward!!!

Sedmondson

May 17, 2014 #

Agree with the 3 feet listed. What I love about the Bernina feet is that they fit both my 180 and 830 machine. Using the right foot makes sewing the project so much easier. I buy feet I do not currently have in my inventory when Bernina offers a 25% discount off of feet featured in some of their Webinars. I also have downloaded the free Bernina App to record the feet I have or want to my Iphone.

Susan

May 20, 2014 #

My favorite feet are the Bernina 10 and 2, followed by their 1/4″ foot 57 and the clear embroidery feet 34 and 39.

Alanna

May 25, 2014 #

I love my green silicone foot. Sewing laminated cottons, vinyl projects (such as rain hats and bags) has never been so easy !!

Care

May 28, 2014 #

I wanted to hear about how you store your feet, I think you forgot to put that in the post. Maybe a future post?

Magdale Coll

June 1, 2014 #

I have a Bernette E 66. My question is, can I use any type of foot that is design for all Bernette or Bernina models? Does Bernina make universal feet? or I have to buy only foot that fit Bernette sewing machines.

Thank you so much,
Magdalena Coll