October’s Foot of the Month is perfect for sewing with leather, coated cottons, oilcloth and other sticky fabrics–all 4 variations of Teflon Feet!
I nerded out a little and did (minor) research on the history of Teflon. Well, I checked out Wikipedia. Teflon is a high-molecular-weight compound consisting wholly of carbon and fluorine. It is very non-reactive, partly because of the strength of the carbon–fluorine bonds. When used as a lubricant, PTFE (the fancy abbreviation for Teflon) reduces friction, wear, and energy consumption of machinery. This makes a great coating for those materials that the traditional metal sole would stick to.
Teflon feet are available as a zig-zag foot #52, straight stitch foot #53, zipper foot #54, and open toe embroidery foot (like the #20) #56. Consider the types of projects you plan to work on and find the foot (or feet) that would be most useful to have on hand. I plan on getting a #52C, #53, and #56 for my 580.
Stop by Bolt and see what fun prints you can find in coated cotton. Some project ideas for this water resistant fabric–
- raincoats
- ponchos
- zippered pouches
- snack bags
- bike seat cover
- umbrella!
- rain hat
- bibs
- tote bag or diaper bag
- table cloth
- Bohemian Carpet Bag. I made one for Erin McMorris you can see here. (It’s closer to the end of the interview.)
I also love this simple leather fold-over clutch on the BERNINA website. The tutorial shows you how to utilize the #56 foot for topstitching. Plus, I think this simple shape would look great for everyday and elegant enough for date night. If you haven’t been to Oregon Leather yet, check it out as a local resource for leather. We do have leather needles in stock too. The angle at the tip is designed to pierce through easily. I would also lengthen my stitch for a nice look that doesn’t perforate. Lengthen your stitch for coated cotton as well, but a heavier 90/14 topstitch or universal needle should suffice.
All 4 Teflon feet are 25% OFF through the rest of October! Get a jump on the rainy season here in Portland and discover tools that make sewing leather and coated cottons effortless.