There are tons of sewing tools on the market that are made specifically for quilting (pre-cut quilt squares, quilting cutting mats, and quilting rulers and ruler racks, just to name a few). All of these tools are certainly useful, but without a doubt, one of the most best quilting sewing essentials is a stitch regulator. Essentially, this tool is a small computer that attaches to your sewing machine and always adjusts the stitch speed to allow for the speed of the sewing fabric when you’re in the midst of free-motion stitching, which allows the fabric remain balance and ensures that your stitches are an equal length apart.
When free-motion stitching is being used, the feed dogs of the machine are dropped down and a presser foot is used instead of a floating foot. This change allows you to sew in any direction you wish; all you have to do use your hands to control the direction of the material and use the foot pedal to control the speed. A stitch regulator simplifies the process by letting you stitch at the speed that works the best for you and in any direction you choose without having to use a foot pedal because the computerized sensor within the stitch regulator can read how fast the fabric is moving and then alters the stitching speed so that it matches the speed of the fabric, thereby making the stitches even. By using a stitch regulator, you will be able to move the material that you are working with in any direction you would like without turning it, and without lifting and lowering the presser foot, which allows you to add embellishments to the fabric faster than you normally would.
There are several ways that you a stitch regulator can be used. Some of the different free-motion techniques that you can do with a stitch regulator include:
- The creation of new fabric. You can use a stitch regulator to create one-of-a-kind fabric or trims from different pieces of fabric or yarn, so you can put all of those scraps to good use!
- Outlines and echo. Use a stitch regulator to create echo stitching or outlines, which will really give your craft a one-of-a-kind look and will be sure to attraction attention.
- Raw-edge appliqués. Add a collage of patterns to your fabric by using a stitch regulator to create a raw edged appliqué.
These are just a few of the examples of the different ways that a stitch regulator can be used. The options really are endless!
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