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Sewing Machine Shank Types: Low Shank vs High Shank vs Snap-On Guide
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Sewing Machine Shank Types: Low Shank vs High Shank vs Snap-On Guide
Presser feet are not universal. I have had customers bring me bags of expensive feet they bought online that simply would not fit their sewing machine. The problem is almost always a shank mismatch. Here is how to figure out what your machine has and what works with it.
Low Shank: The Modern Standard Explained
Low shank is the most common standard on home sewing machines. The distance from the bottom of the presser foot bar to the bottom of the presser foot (with the foot down) is approximately 1/2 inch (12.7 mm). If you own a modern Singer, Brother, Janome, or Baby Lock, you almost certainly have a low shank machine.
Low shank feet are widely available, inexpensive, and interchangeable across brands — provided the snap-on or screw-on mechanism matches.
High Shank: Vintage and Industrial Machines
High shank machines have a presser foot bar that sits higher — about 3/4 inch (19 mm) when the foot is down. These are common on vintage Singer models (especially the 15-91 and 201-2), many industrial machines, and some European brands like Pfaff and Bernina.
High shank feet are less common and often more expensive. If you buy low shank feet for a high shank machine, the foot will hover above the fabric and will not apply any pressure. If you buy high shank feet for a low shank machine, the foot will bottom out against the throat plate before the presser foot bar even touches it.
Snap-On Shank: Quick-Release Explained
Many modern machines use a snap-on system where the shank itself is a quick-release adapter. The presser foot snaps onto a bar that is already attached to the presser foot bar. This lets you change feet without a screwdriver.
Snap-on systems come in both low and high shank heights, so you still need to know your shank measurement. The adapter clips onto the presser foot bar and the feet snap onto that adapter.
How to Measure Your Shank Height?
- Turn off your sewing machine.
- Raise the presser foot using the lever.
- Remove the current presser foot (unscrew the thumb screw or unclip the snap-on foot).
- Lower the presser foot lever so the presser foot bar comes down.
- Measure from the bottom of the presser foot bar (where the foot attaches) straight down to the throat plate.
Low shank: 1/2 inch (12-13 mm)
High shank: 3/4 inch (18-20 mm)
Some industrial machines: 1 inch or more
What Happens If You Buy the Wrong Shank Type?
Wrong shank type feet simply will not work. They will not contact the fabric properly, the feed dogs cannot advance the fabric, and the stitches will be a mess. In some cases you can bend the presser foot bar by forcing a foot that is too tight.
If you accidentally bought high shank feet for a low shank machine, you can buy a high-to-low shank adapter. If you bought low shank feet for a high shank machine, the adapter goes the other way but is harder to find.
Related Guides
- Sewing Machine Presser Foot Guide
- Sewing Machine Needle Guide
- Sewing Machine Feet Compatibility Guide
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