Favorite Gadget: Walking Foot

This is a must have if you sew on stretchy or slippery fabrics. Basically the foot acts as "upper feed-dogs" pulling the upper layer of fabric along with the lower layer. (You can see the white plastic "walking feet" in the second photo). With a walking foot, both layers move at the same rate so your seams don't pucker and the fabric pieces match up at the end.

I do all of my cashmere sewing with the walking foot.

You can buy universal walking feet like this one at JoAnns or online. I have noticed that many of the new "fancy" sewing machines come with walking feet built-in.