Straight-line quilting with a walking foot
The easiest machine quilting: evenly spaced straight lines.
Step by step
- Fit a walking foot and set a longer stitch, around 3 mm.
- Test on a scrap sandwich and check the stitches look even on both sides.
- Mark one line through the centre with a fabric marker or masking tape.
- Sew the first line, letting the machine feed the quilt. Do not push or pull.
- Use the edge of the foot or a guide bar to space the next lines evenly.
- Roll or fold the bulk of the quilt so it does not drag on the needle.
Bobbin's tip
Start in the middle and work out to each side so any slack moves to the edges.
Start in the middle and work out to each side so any slack moves to the edges.
Watch
Beginner Machine Quilting with a Walking Foot - Easy Quilting Tutorial with Leah Day (11:16)
By Leah Day Quilting · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: an 11-minute video from Leah Day Quilting on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
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Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.