Sister's Choice Quilts

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Terrific, Awesome Tool for Machine Quilting

Through the suggestion of one of my extremely brilliant readers (Grandma Goose/no blog), I have discovered a new tool that has completely changed machine quilting for me.

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My sewing machine is a Bernina, and I have loved it for probably 15 years now.  It is a great machine, and when I buy another one, it will be another Bernina.  It came with a walking foot attachment that has two sole plates.  One is a closed toe foot and the other one is an open toe foot.  The open toe foot is at the top of the picture, the standard closed toe foot is in the middle.  On the bottom is the new tool I am so crazy for.

It is a "stitch in the ditch" foot!

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Here it is, attached to my walking foot.  See the screw on the side of the walking foot?  You just loosen the screw and then you can interchange any of the sole plates to the walking foot.   I know.  Who knew?

What you get when you order the stitch in the ditch attachment is just the sole plate with the blade.  It costs around $31 and is worth every cent.  Your Bernina dealer probably has them in stock, and if not, can order one for you.  Attaching it to the walking foot is super easy, and after you are finished quilting, you can replace it with the standard or open toe plate to use your walking foot for other purposes.

Here is a view from the opposite side of the walking foot.  See the blade on the lower right below?

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That blade fits right into the "ditch" in your seam intersections and sews a perfect, unwobbling line of stitching exactly where you want it.

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I am using my seam ripper to point out where the blade will fit as it glides along the ditch.

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Here I am, happily stitching along.

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And here you see my perfect stitches right smack in the ditch where they belong.  Look Ma, no wobbles.  This little gizmo has revolutionized machine quilting for me! 

Here is a YouTube video that you must watch to see how it is used.  Great instructions and visuals.

Now, I realize lots of you may not have a Bernina sewing machine, and are scratching your heads, saying, "But I want one too".  Janome, Brother and Viking all make a version of this foot!  Check it out, maybe there is one available for your sewing machine.

 

 

40 responses to “Terrific, Awesome Tool for Machine Quilting”

  1. I agree Nicole! I have this attachment for my walking foot (I also have a Bernina) and LOVE it!!. Last Christmas I made 15 table runners that required LOTS and LOTS of stitching in the ditch and boy howdy did that little attachment pay for itself! The results are so rewarding as well. 🙂 Happy sewing to you today. 🙂

  2. I agree Nicole! I have this attachment for my walking foot (I also have a Bernina) and LOVE it!!. Last Christmas I made 15 table runners that required LOTS and LOTS of stitching in the ditch and boy howdy did that little attachment pay for itself! The results are so rewarding as well. 🙂 Happy sewing to you today. 🙂

  3. Oh wizard!!! I sincerely need one of these jewels! Thanks for the pictures and information!
    I wish my non-computerized Bernina would accommodate a stitch regulator. Sigh!
    Hugs!

  4. Oh wizard!!! I sincerely need one of these jewels! Thanks for the pictures and information!
    I wish my non-computerized Bernina would accommodate a stitch regulator. Sigh!
    Hugs!

  5. Well, what do you know?? I’ve got a Bernina too, and will have to check out this foot. I do have this same type of foot for my Featherweight, but it is to make a perfect 1/4″ seam. It has the same little guide.

  6. Well, what do you know?? I’ve got a Bernina too, and will have to check out this foot. I do have this same type of foot for my Featherweight, but it is to make a perfect 1/4″ seam. It has the same little guide.

  7. Thanks for the recognition but most importantly you purchased the attachment and it works. Pfaff also makes a stitch-in-the-ditch foot for some of its machines.

  8. Thanks for the recognition but most importantly you purchased the attachment and it works. Pfaff also makes a stitch-in-the-ditch foot for some of its machines.

  13. I have a new Elna that has a built in walking foot (like the Janome Horizon) and I saw that foot among the possible accessories for my machine. I immediately put it on my MUST buy list. It’s about $31 dollars for the Janome/Elna machine as well. I thought it was super cool.
    I don’t do much machine quilting but I think I still need to buy it sooner that later, so that I have it in my arsenal in case I feel the itch to do my own quilting.

  14. I have a new Elna that has a built in walking foot (like the Janome Horizon) and I saw that foot among the possible accessories for my machine. I immediately put it on my MUST buy list. It’s about $31 dollars for the Janome/Elna machine as well. I thought it was super cool.
    I don’t do much machine quilting but I think I still need to buy it sooner that later, so that I have it in my arsenal in case I feel the itch to do my own quilting.

  15. Don’t we bless the engineers of the world every time an invention makes precision more simple!! This is great. I will have to look into one for my Viking.

  16. Don’t we bless the engineers of the world every time an invention makes precision more simple!! This is great. I will have to look into one for my Viking.

  19. Oh dear. Do I have to be the one that doesn’t like it? I have a Bernina and the foot, but found that I do better without it.

  20. Oh dear. Do I have to be the one that doesn’t like it? I have a Bernina and the foot, but found that I do better without it.

  21. I *THINK* I have this foot already and have NO IDEA what it was for! I have a Brother machine. I’m going to go check it out now! Thanks for posting!

  22. I *THINK* I have this foot already and have NO IDEA what it was for! I have a Brother machine. I’m going to go check it out now! Thanks for posting!

  23. Nicole, My Janome Horizon came with a foot that works beautiful for Stitch in the Ditch…it’s wonderful and makes it so, sew much easier and much lovelier than I can do on my own. Hugs…

  24. Nicole, My Janome Horizon came with a foot that works beautiful for Stitch in the Ditch…it’s wonderful and makes it so, sew much easier and much lovelier than I can do on my own. Hugs…

  25. Funny – I just got home from a quilting retreat with friends in the lovely mountains of Invermere, B.C.. One of my friends had just purchased the stitch in the ditch foot and raved about it. After seeing it in action, it made the top of my list of must-have gadgets.

  26. Funny – I just got home from a quilting retreat with friends in the lovely mountains of Invermere, B.C.. One of my friends had just purchased the stitch in the ditch foot and raved about it. After seeing it in action, it made the top of my list of must-have gadgets.

  31. Hi Nicole,
    I have a 1090 (which I love to pieces) and this looks like a foot I must have. Thanks for the great tip! My machine quilting is getting better and better with with more practice and practice (duh!). Have a good one.
    Mary

  32. Hi Nicole,
    I have a 1090 (which I love to pieces) and this looks like a foot I must have. Thanks for the great tip! My machine quilting is getting better and better with with more practice and practice (duh!). Have a good one.
    Mary

  33. HELLO! THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU’RE THE BEST TO SHOW US ALL THIS! I LOVE MY BERNINA TOO+I’M GOING TO BE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR THIS ATTACHMENT! THANKS,MSSTITCHER

  34. HELLO! THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU’RE THE BEST TO SHOW US ALL THIS! I LOVE MY BERNINA TOO+I’M GOING TO BE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR THIS ATTACHMENT! THANKS,MSSTITCHER

  35. Yoweee – not only do I admit to having 3 Berninas, I’m getting one of these! Thanks for this very enlightening post, Nicole!!
    Cheers!

  36. Yoweee – not only do I admit to having 3 Berninas, I’m getting one of these! Thanks for this very enlightening post, Nicole!!
    Cheers!

  37. Who knew? This is a great tidbit to know. And to think I spent sometime Sunday ripping out some wobbly not snug in the ditch stitching! I think I will be paying a visit to my local Bernina dealer this weekend. Thank you!!!!!

  38. Who knew? This is a great tidbit to know. And to think I spent sometime Sunday ripping out some wobbly not snug in the ditch stitching! I think I will be paying a visit to my local Bernina dealer this weekend. Thank you!!!!!

  39. Well, now that is nifty. I’ll have to have a look at my newer 820 to see if the walking foot has one on it. Thanks for explaining its use. My machine even though not new, it is new to me. I’m still learning new things about it 2 months later.

  40. Well, now that is nifty. I’ll have to have a look at my newer 820 to see if the walking foot has one on it. Thanks for explaining its use. My machine even though not new, it is new to me. I’m still learning new things about it 2 months later.