Replies

1. 
   Josefly | Jan 16, 2007 06:01pm | #1

   Hi, Leslie. I recently bought a walking foot for my ancient but still-pretty-good Singer. One of the things I don't like about the foot is that it is quite a bit wider than other feet I use, so I couldn't use it to top-stitch parallel lines of stitching, for example (which is what I bought it for). I don't know how the IDT and Accufeed affect the presser foot width on their respective machines; I think the width of the walking foot must be wider to make sure the fabric is fully in contact with both the feed dogs and the upper feed on the walking foot. I'm eager to read answers to your question about the effectiveness of each method.

2. 
   wghmch | Jan 16, 2007 11:41pm | #2

   Although they are used for the same reasons in most cases, the method that they use to accomplish it is quite different. With the Pfaff & Janome system, the upper feed works in conjunction with the lower feed, helping to pull the fabric thru while the presser foot still "tries to hold it back." With the attachments, they have no ability to feed, but virtually eliminate anything that would resist the feeding motion of the feed dogs. The attachment has two parts to the presser foot, that alternately hold the fabric down. The portion that is holding it while it is being fed is floating free except for a gentle spring that will return it to its starting point after the stitch. When the feeding stroke is complete, the other section of the foot grips the fabric, the floating section rises, and is pulled back to where it can repeat the process.

   It is not difficult to make an argument that either system is superior, but the end result is all that really matters.

   Bill Holman

1. 
   lesliec4000 | Jan 17, 2007 11:56pm | #4

   Thank you for this information!

   Leslie

1. 
   Betakin | Jan 19, 2007 10:09am | #5

   Pfaff has many feet for using the IDT and they are of normal size. I have seen posts that the Janome Acufeed foot is a much larger foot. Pfaff had their patent expire for the IDT and Janome came out with the Acufeed with only the one foot for the Acufeed but have since come out with more. I have seen that Janome now has a ditch foot and a straight stitch plate for the 6600P and possibly has added more.  I haven't seen the Janome 6600 because I have no local Janome dealer but I have followed much about the machine on line. 

   IDT is much like the indsutrial machines in feeding difficult fabrics precisely. It prevents puckers, and helps to match plaids and stripes evenly.

   To use a machine without built in dual feed and having to put on the extra large walking foot can be time consuming and then having to remove it again. A machine with IDT is much easier to engage or disengage the dual feed by just connecting or removing a lever behind the foot with 2 fingers.

3. 
   Brine | Jan 17, 2007 04:32am | #3

   Leslie, Bill Holman has characterized the differences for you very well. I would like to add that if you use a walking foot you are limited to that one foot, but there are usually several different types of feet which work with the IDT. For example, three additional feet (hemming foot, felling foot and blind stitch foot) in addition to the regular sewing foot could be used with the Pfaff 1222's IDT

4. 
   KimK | Jan 21, 2007 04:14am | #6

   Hi Leslie,

   I had a walking foot with my old Singer.  I upgraded to a Pfaff with IDT about 10 years ago, and I remember being feeling that the IDT was superior to the attachment, particularly when matching stripes.  I was able to reduce pinning by at least half with the ITD.  You might try sewing a long seam with stripes with one of the machines you're considering to see for yourself.  Without a reference like that, it might be difficult to judge the difference.

   Kim

1. 
   lesliec4000 | Jan 22, 2007 05:29pm | #7

   Thanks for the input.  Great idea.

   Leslie