All About BERNINA Sewing Feet

Presser Feet! They're not just tedious accessories that get tucked in a drawer! Today I want to tell you all about the BERNINA Presser Feet & help you understand how they're made, why they're made that way, and clue you in on what the heck all those markings and numbers/letters actually mean (if you don't already know!) There are nearly 100 different feet options available and it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Read about the 10 BERNINA sewing feet you should own to help get your shopping list started.

What Are Presser Feet?
Presser feet hold your fabric against the feed dogs and guide it in a straight line as you sew. That's why you have to raise the presser foot when you want to move your fabric out from under the needle. Lots of great sewing with just the standard foot that came with your machine, however, some techniques can be a bit of a challenge with a standard or basic universal foot.

How Are BERNINA Presser Feet Made?
Watch this and find out!

In 1954 the first model 530 featured a patented clip-on presser feet. More than 60 years later this unique clip on style foot is still being used!

Why Are There Indentations, Markings, and Holes in Some Feet? 
Most often you'll find indentations on the sole behind the needle opening. This allows the stitched area to easily pass below and out the back of the foot. Any indentations in a foot on the front of the foot before the needle opening are a good indicator that the foot can be used for forward/reverse/multi motion stitch patterns. Larger 'tunnels' and grooves are cut from feet to allow cording and trims to pass through.

Have you ever seen a foot with a hole it? These feet are generally used for embellishment- and indicate something is fed through there. It could be used for cords, elastic, or other trim.

Markings or engraved notches on the foot serve as visual guides and markers.

Understanding the Letters on A BERNINA Presser Foot 
Each foot is numbered but it may have one or two additional versions with a letter following the number.

No Letter: These feet are made for BERNINA models with a maximum stitch width of 5.5mm but are compatible with models that have a 9mm (but the maximum width of the stitches you can use is 5.5mm)

The Letter "C":  These feet are made for BERNINA models with a maximum stitch width of 9mm. The "C" stands for Coded and refers to the sensor on the foot. The sensor works with the electronics of the machine to engage the wider stitch widths available. The soles on these "C" feet are designed to fit wider feed dogs.

The Letter "D": These feet are made to be used with the Dual Feed feature on selected models. They help you to feed all layers at the same speed and are extremely helpful for precision piecing.


Do you have a favorite foot you own & love? Leave a comment below and tell me which one it is and what you use it for.

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