tips + tricks : plaid matching

We all know that plaid matching is sort of a pain in the ass.  You need extra fabric, spend a ton of time cutting everything perfectly, pin it all together with precision then after you sew it together something is still off.  This is where my super bff comes in...the walking foot.

As your fabric moves through the machine, both the top and bottom fabric are not actually moving through at exactly the same speed. The feed dogs cause the bottom fabric to move through just a fraction faster than the top fabric does (which can be very useful in some situations).

Usually this isn't a problem, but it's occasionally just enough to get your plaids out of order and initiate a serious fit of rage.  A walking foot keeps the layers in place and moves the fabric through at the same rate making sure all your meticulious prep work was not in vain.  Lets have a big round of applause for the walking foot, it's not just for quilters.