Stitch in the Ditch Foot: Video Part 16

Hi Everyone!  When I started my Video Series over a year and half ago featuring the Singer Quantum Stylist 9960, I never thought I would be on my 16th video!  I'm so happy that this series has been so helpful to many of you and grateful for all the kind comments and compliments.

The next special foot I'm sharing in this video is the Stitch in the Ditch foot.  This foot is another one of the special bonus feet that came along with the machine and is used in conjunction with the plastic shank/ankle.

Here's a list of the bonus feet that came along with this machine:

1. Adjustable Binding Foot

2. Welt Cording Foot

3. Stitch in the Ditch Foot

4.  Fancy Trim Foot

5.  Braiding Foot and Guide

6.  1/4" Foot and Quilting Bar
7.  Shank/Ankle

When I decided to demo this foot next in my video series, I thought, how can I make this very simple foot more interesting?  It only does one sewing operation.  Then I remembered  that The Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 comes with one foot that's designated as the Stitch in the Ditch Foot, but there's actually another foot that came with the machine that does this as well!  Several months back I did a review on the Blind Hem Foot, comparing the Singer version that came with the 9960 to my older model foot that came with my White ESP. The thing that I didn't like about the newer version of the Singer Blind Hem Foot is that it's missing the little toe that rides underneath the fabric as the machine stitches.  I've always found this to be an important part of the foot because it helps hold the fabric in place while stitching.  If you'd like to read my blog review and comparison of these two feet it's here.

In the blog I detail my experience by calling Singer with my concerns about the Singer Blind Hem Foot lacking the "toe extension". When Singer first told me that their intention with this "toe less" version of my favorite blind hem foot was to make it multi-functional, I was skeptical.  They felt by removing the "toe extension" the foot would work well for applique, blind hemming, and as a stitch in the ditch foot.  Now that I've tried this foot and compared it to the Singer Stitch in the Ditch Foot that came with the 9960 bonus feet, I get it! The Stitch in the Ditch Foot is fine for doing only that one operation. There's only a single hole in the center of the foot for sewing a straight stitch. With the Singer Blind Hem Foot/Multifunctional Foot, there are more stitching options. Unlike the Singer Stitch in the Ditch Foot, this foot works in conjunction with the metal shank/ankle that came with the machine.

Here are some of the advantages to using the Singer Blind Hem Foot as a Stitch in the Ditch Foot:

Demo #1  It's possible to set the needle in the left position while using the adjustable slide set to the center/ditch position, to do perfect edge stitching.

Demo #2  It's possible to use decorative stitches with this foot. Unlike the regular Singer Stitch in the Ditch Foot which has a single needle hole, this foot has a larger sewing hole width which allows it to accommodate wider stitch patterns. I will caution you that not all deco stitches work with this foot.  Foot B is used for most of the deco stitches because it has a depression on the underside of the foot so that the foot floats above the stitches without getting hung up.  I found that since the Singer Blind Hem Foot is flat on the bottom, that deco stitches with lots of back and forth motion didn't stitch as well.

Demo #3 It's possible to use this foot with a twin needle for top stitching.  The advantage to using this foot as compared to the Singer Stitch in the Ditch Foot is that you have adjust-ability. The slide bar allows you the option of placing the stitching line exactly where you want it. 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read my blog and view my latest video.  I hope you'll give these feet a try and see what you can do with them.

Have a Happy Creative Day!

Roxanne