A zipper foot is a narrow presser foot that lets the needle sew right beside the zipper teeth. You clip it on so the foot sits on the side away from the teeth, sew one side, then move it to the other side of its pin (or move your needle position) and sew the second side. That's the whole trick. The rest of this page is the setup in detail, the other feet in your box, and how to make sure a new foot fits your machine. Feet are only one kind of add-on; the rest are in our guide to sewing machine accessories.
How a zipper foot works
A standard foot is wide, with the needle hole in the middle. Try to sew next to a zipper with it and the foot rides up onto the teeth, pushing your stitching away from the zipper. A zipper foot cuts the foot down to one narrow toe and puts the needle beside it, so the foot runs on the fabric and the needle runs along the teeth.
How to sew a zipper with a zipper foot
This follows Brother's own instructions for inserting a side zipper with zipper foot "I", written for any machine. Your manual may show the pin and needle positions slightly differently.
- With the regular foot, sew the seam up to where the zipper opening starts, then switch to a long basting stitch to the top edge. Press the seam allowance open.
- Line the zipper up under the seam with the teeth centered on the basted seam. Brother leaves about 3 mm (1/8 inch) between the fold and the teeth.
- Remove the regular foot and snap the zipper foot on by one side of its pin. Use the middle needle position.
- Sew down the first side. About 2 inches from the end, stop with the needle down, raise the foot, and slide the zipper pull past the foot. Lower the foot and finish.
- Swap the foot to the other side of its pin. Brother's rule: for the left side of the zipper the needle drops on the right side of the foot, and the other way around for the right side.
- Sew across the bottom and up the second side, moving the pull out of the way again near the top.
- Unpick the basting so the zipper opens.
Before every seam, turn the handwheel by hand for the first stitch and watch where the needle lands. Brother's manual warns that if the needle hits the zipper it can break and cause injury, and a metal zipper will snap a needle instantly.
Regular, invisible or adjustable: which zipper foot
| Foot | What it's built for | Get it if |
|---|---|---|
| Regular zipper foot (snap-on) | Standard and lapped zippers, piping, cording | Your machine didn't come with one, or you lost it |
| Invisible (concealed) zipper foot | Invisible zippers: grooves underneath uncurl the coil so the needle sews right in the fold | You sew dresses, skirts or cushions with hidden zippers |
| Adjustable zipper foot (screw-on slide) | Slides left or right of the needle on a bar, no swapping sides | Your machine has no needle positions and you sew lots of zippers or piping |
A universal snap-on zipper foot for low shank machines covers the first row for most home machines. For hidden zippers, a concealed invisible zipper foot is the one to add. The SINGER 2123 vertical needle zipper foot is the adjustable kind: it fastens with a side thumbscrew and adjusts to the left or right of the needle. Singer lists it for its vertical-needle machines and other brands that use a side-fastening thumbscrew.
The other presser feet, and what each one is for
Brother marks most of its feet with a letter, which is handy once you know the code. The letters below come from the included-accessories list in a Brother operation manual; other brands use their own names or numbers, so match by shape, not letter.
| Foot | Brother letter | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Zigzag (all-purpose) | J | Straight and zigzag seams; it's the one on your machine now |
| Zipper | I | Zippers, piping, cording |
| Buttonhole | A | One-step buttonholes (Brother also lists darning and bar tacks) |
| Overcasting | G | Finishing raw edges with the overcast stitch, a serger-style edge without a serger |
| Blind stitch | R | Blind hems on trousers and skirts |
| Button fitting | M | Sewing on flat buttons |
| Monogramming | N | Satin and decorative stitches, lettering |
| Free-motion quilting | O | Free-motion quilting with the feed dogs down |
| 1/4-inch piecing | (no letter) | Accurate 1/4-inch quilt seams |
| Walking (dual feed) | (no letter) | Quilt layers, plaids, knits, anything that shifts |
| Non-stick (Teflon) | (not in Brother's standard box) | Vinyl, faux leather and leather that grab a metal foot |
| Rolled hem | (not in Brother's standard box) | Narrow rolled hems on scarves and napkins |
The walking foot is the one most sewers end up adding. If you have a Brother, our walking foot guide for Brother machines lists the ones that fit. Singer's walking feet differ by machine group; see walking feet for Singer machines. The overcasting foot from the chart above is explained with settings in our zigzag stitch guide. For free-motion work, see free-motion quilting for beginners. For leather and vinyl, the non-stick foot matters more than the machine; our leather sewing machine guide explains why.
Will a foot fit your machine? Shank and attachment
Two things decide fit: the shank height, and how the foot attaches.
- Low shank, about 1/2 inch: most home machines. SewGuide's presser foot guide puts it at about 90 percent of them. Generic snap-on feet are made for these.
- High shank, about 1 inch: some higher-end and older machines. Low shank feet won't fit.
- Slant shank: old Singer slant-needle machines only, with their own feet.
Changing a snap-on foot takes seconds: raise the presser foot lever, press the release button or lever on the back of the foot holder so the old foot drops off, line the new foot's pin up under the holder, and lower the lever until it clicks. Turn the handwheel by hand once to make sure the needle clears the new foot, especially with zipper, buttonhole and narrow hemming feet, where a needle in the wrong position will hit the foot and break.
Then the attachment. Snap-on feet clip onto a foot holder (the shank adapter) that screws to the presser bar. Screw-on feet, such as most walking feet, replace the holder entirely. If your machine only takes screw-on feet, a low shank snap-on adapter with a starter set of feet converts it, but only if it's low shank. Not sure what you have? The manual's accessories page tells you, and so does our Brother comparison chart for Brother models.
Which feet to buy first
Most machines ship with a zigzag, zipper and buttonhole foot. What to add depends on what you sew:
| You mostly sew | Add first | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Garments | Invisible zipper foot | Blind hem foot (for trousers; see hemming pants), rolled hem foot |
| Quilts | Walking foot | 1/4-inch piecing foot, free-motion foot |
| Bags and home decor | Walking foot | Non-stick foot for vinyl, adjustable zipper foot for piping |
| A bit of everything | A boxed set from your machine's brand | Single specialty feet as projects need them |
Big generic sets are tempting. The Madam Sew 32-piece presser foot set includes a low shank adapter and a printed manual that identifies each foot, and the Aiskaer 48-piece set is sold for low shank home machines (not industrial or mini machines). Both have thousands of Amazon ratings; expect to use a handful of the feet. Singer owners can start smaller with the SINGER 9-piece presser feet kit: blind hem, cording, darning, walking, gathering, narrow rolled hem, overcasting, satin stitch and straight stitch feet, plus a twin needle. Singer lists it for low-shank models including the Heavy Duty 4411, 4423, 4432 and 4452.
Sources, checked October 13, 2026: Brother's operation manual pages for zipper insertion and included accessories; Peekaboo Pattern Shop and Itchin' for Some Stitchin' presser foot guides (shank measurements). Product details come from each Amazon listing. How we research · Affiliate disclosure