Specialty Presser Feet for Sergers

Anyone who’s used a serger is no stranger to the versatility of an all-purpose presser foot. Like sewing machines, there’s an ever-increasing array of specialty presser feet you can use with your serger to create more intricate, elegant garments and projects. Here’s a look at some of the specialty feet available for use with your serger. Using these fun attachments will expand your creative options and help you take your serging skills to the next level.

Blind Hem Foot

If this invaluable presser foot isn’t included in your accessory package, picking one up for your serger is well worth the extra expense. This attachment creates an invisible hem on any sewing project. It’s especially useful when working with different fabric types, as a small metal screw on the foot can be easily adjusted to accommodate a range of fabric thicknesses. The foot also features a metal guide that helps keep your seams straight. This presser foot works best when using a 2- or 3-thread narrow hem stitch.

Gathering Foot

While it’s possible to create gathers without using a presser foot designed for the job, this attachment can gather one layer of fabric while attaching it to another layer. No more basting stitches and gathering fabric by hand! This one-step foot produces the best gathers on lightweight to medium-weight fabrics using a 4-thread overlock stitch. I will work on heavier fabrics, such as denim, but it will produce less ruffles.

Belt Loop Foot

This attachment will save you hours of effort when creating fabric loops or straps for any number of sewing projects. It automatically folds under the edges of bias-cut fabric strips as you stitch. But, don’t limit your creativity to belt loops. You can also make delicate dress straps, curtain tiebacks, drawstrings, purse handles and other decorative items.

Beading Foot

Attaching beading to delicate garments was once highly skilled, time-consuming hand work. This beading foot allows you to quickly attach strands of pearls, colored glass beads and other decorative trims to all types of sewing projects. The best stitch to use will vary with the brand of your serger, but that information is easily found in your manual.

Piping/Cording Foot

This foot creates lovely decorative stitching over all cording types on both single and double fabric layers. It eliminates the possibility of tangles by securing the cording flatly to the fabric and keeping multiple lines of cording perfectly even. The groove on the bottom of this presser foot offers such great thread control that you can use both hands to guide the fabric. The piping foot works well on any area of the fabric, especially when finishing edges.

Elasticator/Elastic Foot

Attaching elastic to fabric can often be time-consuming and frustrating, especially on a serger. This presser foot makes that job much easier because it allows you to adjust the pressure on the foot as you stitch. This gives you more precise control over the size and number of ruffles you create. The foot also controls the elastic by slightly stretching it as it moves beneath the needles, which prevents pull, missed stitches and too much pressure on the needles. A guide hole is built into the foot, which provides greater control when working with fishing line instead of thread.

Buttonhole Foot

Several late model sergers include this presser foot with the machine purchase, but it’s rare in older models. This foot is available in a range of sizes and styles, which should remove any problems in finding one for your serger. All of them make creating uniform, secure button and drawstring holes fast and easy. Many styles are computerized and include a memory feature that stores buttonhole sizes you use most often.

Ruffling Foot

This specialty foot is best used to create fine, precise ruffles on smaller projects such as baby clothes, pillows or sheer curtains. It’s designed to be used on shorter lengths of finer fabric, although it works well on all fabric types. As with a gathering foot, it produces looser ruffles on heavier fabrics.

Pintuck Foot

You can create pintucks without this foot, but why invest so much time and effort into it when this handy accessory removes any frustrations? With this presser foot and both needles, you can quickly create perfectly spaced pintucks on your handmade baby or children’s garments, lingerie or custom wedding gowns. These feet are available in a range of sizes, each of which creates a custom-size tuck on fabrics.

Lace Applicator Foot

This foot takes all the guesswork out of attaching one or more lengths of lace to your garments or other sewing projects. A 2-thread flatlock stitch is nearly invisible, whether attaching lace or ribbon. This foot is also versatile enough to attach other types of decorative trim to projects – especially when using a combination chainstitch and overlock stitch. An adjustment screw allows you to easily accommodate different widths of lace and ribbon.

All sergers naturally include one or several useful serger feet in their accessory packages. However, the types and range of specialty presser feet available to each serger are typically brand- or model-specific. Some universal feet can be used on a variety of machines. Your serger’s user manual will include a list of optional presser feet you can purchase. You might be able to find an even larger selection at your local serger dealer or on the website of your serger manufacturer. Depending on the type of serging you prefer – you may decide that one or more of these impressive presser feet are worth the investment.

See our list of the Best Serger Accessories