Embroidery Feed Dogs

Whenever most people hear the phrase feed dogs, they think of taking a dog bowl and filling it with kibble and adding water in order to feed their dogs. However, those who sew, or perhaps use an embroidery machine, know that feed dogs are the metal teeth in a sewing machine that are used to pull the material along in the machine, and enable the machine to make its stitches. Sewing machine feed dogs were invented by trial and error between 1850 up to 1854 by Allen B. Wilson.

Why mention feed dogs, other than to educate someone about embroidery machinery? Because the way that feed dogs have come along, is what enables many embroidery machines to perform small miracles!

For instance, embroidery machines with embroidery feed dogs now come with approximately 7 different widely set embroidery feed dogs. This enables the embroiderer to hardly have to guide the material no matter what kind of stitches the machine is set for. In this respect too, having 7 feed dogs working for you means that practically any material will be handled extremely well by the machine. Embroidery feed dogs have come a long way since Mr. Wilson envisioned them!

What these embroidery feed dogs have done besides handling any type of material well, is that you can now straight sew in 8 different directions without having to actually pivot the material. If you wish to use the zig zag function, you may also sew in 4 different directions now.

Embroidery feed dogs will not stop you from doing free machine embroidery either. You will need to do one of two things, either find a way of lowering those feed dogs so that they no longer catch the fabric, or cover the feed dogs for the same reason. A good cover may be a credit card thickness of plastic for example. Often various companies that made the machine will sell feed dog covers that fit your machine exactly too.

It will then be necessary to anchor your work somehow. There are two different way of accomplishing this too, either use a darning foot, or you could also utilize a spring needle. Only experience will tell you which is the best for you. Should you purchase any free machine designs, be sure that you purchase those with the proper extension at the end, be it ART, DST, EXP, HUS, JEF, PCS, PES, or SEW.

In doing this kind of work using free machine embroidery any design that you can come up with is a good design for this kind of embroidery. In effect you are allowing your sewing machine to become a paintbrush for the artist in you! You will be able to create your own scenes, geometric designs, and perform some of the most wonderful florals you’ve ever seen before. You will be able to utilize color and texture so that you create casual, sophisticated or extremely formal works.  Above all, you’ll be able to have fun with your embroidery machine!