How to use the Cording Foot

Cording foot 1

The Cording Foot Snaps onto the existing shank and presser foot holder on your machine. The guide on the top of the foot has three slots in which to place cords. To load the cords into the slots on the top of the foot, simply slide the cords in from the right. Load the left cord first, then the center cord and finally the right cord.

Tip: Tie the ends of the cords together with a knot in order to keep the cords from slipping out of the back of the foot.

Any type of cord from yarn to thin braid can be used in the Cording Foot, as long as it is thin enough to easily pass through the slots on the top of the foot. The bottom of the Cording Foot has grooves which allow the cords and dense stitching to pass freely underneath.
Select a decorative stitch, with the stitch width set wide enough to cover the width of the cords.
Experiment with various types of stitches and decorative threads to create unique combinations.

Gathering Fabrics

Gathering with a cording foot

The Cording Foot can also be used to gather fabrics. Because the gathering cord is thicker than normal gathering stitches, there is less chance for the thread to break while drawing the fabric to gather it. Place a single strand of cord into the center groove.
Secure the cord by tying a knot in the end and bringing the knot behind the presser foot. Select a narrow zig-zag stitch that is just wide enough to sew over the cord, but not sew into the cord.
Stitch the cord to the fabric. When finished, pull the cord, which will draw up (or gather) the fabric. adjust the fulness of the fabric as desired, then knot the end of the cord to secure.




Texture Fabric
Textured Fabric with a Cording Foot

Combine rows and rows of cords to create an interesting texture to embellish fabric. To expose more of the cords themselves, try using monofilament thread in the needle.
This makes the stitching almost invisible. This textured fabric has been used to embellish a napkin ring. What will you use your textured fabric for?







Make Plaid
Plaid with a Cording Foot

make a fun plaid design by sewing rows of cords across the fabric horizontally, then sewing rows of cords down the fabric vertically. Vary the width between rows and combinations of cords to add interest to your plaid design.
Combine different decorative machine stitches with different combinations of cords for unique embellishments.