Sewing Accessories : Frequently Asked Questions

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My sewing machine came with plastic bobbins but I prefer metal bobbins. Why didn't I get metal bobbins?

Newer sewing machines are designed differently from previous machines. Using a metal bobbin in a machine designed for a plastic bobbin will damage the bobbin case and may also spoil the timing of the machine.

Replacement parts and spares are available in the sections on sewing machine bobbins and sewing machine bobbin cases.

I have an old sewing machine and I need a foot control. How do I find it?

There are over 250 current machines being sold this year. Keeping track of all possible parts for them and older machines is a challenge. While we do our best to locate parts for your machine, we do need certain information to find the proper item.

Before you call, please find out who made your machine and find out the model number. For some foot controls, emailing us a clear picture of the machine socket with a ruler included for scale makes it much faster to find the proper control. Please check the Sewing Machine Foot Control section for additional information.

I have lost the presser foot for my sewing machine. How do I know which foot to order?

Presser feet must be matched to the Presser Foot Shaft. There are three different shafts – four, if you count certain Sears Kenmore machines) – known as:

• High Shank: Where the distance from the needle plate on the flat sewing surface to the center of the screw holding the shank or ankle is one inch.

• Low Shank: Where the distance from the needle plate on the flat sewing surface to the center of the screw holding the shank or ankle is one-half inch.

• Slant Shank: These are almost exclusively Singer brand machines such as the Touch N Sew models made during the 1960s through the 1980s.

More information is available at sewing machine presser feet.

My machine manual states that it uses snap-on feet. What does this mean?

Snap-on feet are a wonderful innovation. The presser foot may be changed without removing the screw which holds the shank onto the presser foot shaft. Just lift the presser foot lever, press the tab or button on the rear of the shank, and the existing foot simply falls off the shank onto the needle plate.

Then put the new foot with the shank bar under the ankle shank and slowly lower the presser foot lever. This will position the ankle shank on the new foot and it "snaps" into place.

More information is available on the page of Sewing Machine Snap On Feet.

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