What is "presser foot"

Presser \Press"er\, n. One who, or that which, presses.

Presser bar, or Presser wheel (Knitting machine), a bar or wheel which closes the barbs of the needles to enable the loops of the yarn to pass over them.

Presser foot, the part of a sewing machine which rests on the cloth and presses it down upon the table of the machine.

n. (context sewing English) The part of a sewing machine which rests on the fabric and presses it down upon the table of the machine and against the feed dog.

A presser foot is an attachment used with sewing machines to hold fabric flat as it is fed through the machine and stitched. Sewing machines have feed dogs in the bed of the machine to provide traction and move the fabric as it is fed through the machine, while the sewer provides extra support for the fabric by guiding it with one hand. A presser foot keeps the fabric flat so that it does not rise and fall with the needle and pucker as it is stitched. When especially thick workpieces are to be sewn, such as quilts, a specialized attachment called a walking foot is often used rather than a presser foot.

Presser feet are typically spring-hinged to provide some flexibility as the workpiece moves beneath it. Presser feet have two toes, one to hold the fabric down on either side of the needle.