Feed Dogs & Needle Plates

Shop Sewing Machine Feed Dogs & Stitch Plates.

Start your sewing with a solid foundation when you choose WAWAK for all your replacement sewing machine parts, including Needle Plates & Feed Dogs. The needle plate, sometimes called a throat plate or stitch plate, sits below the needle, providing an opening for the needle and feed dogs to pass through. Why change a needle plate? If the throat plate is nicked or damaged, it can cause the bobbin thread to get caught while sewing and cause tension issues. If this is the case, you’ll definitely want to replace your needle plate. You can also swap out different needle plate styles depending on the type of sewing you’re doing—a zigzag needle plate, for example, has needle openings that are more suited to zigzag sewing.

Feed Dogs sit below the needle plate and “feed” the fabric through the machine. Like Needle Plates, they’re available in different styles so you can optimize your sewing process. If you’re working with lightweight and heavy-weight fabrics, standard Feed Dogs might have trouble pulling the fabric through the machine, so you’ll want to try lightweight or heavy-duty feed dogs to match. Shop all Needle Plates and Feed Dogs here, and don’t forget to check out our other Sewing Machine Parts for any other replacement parts you might need.

Frequently Asked Questions About Feed Dogs & Needle Plates

What are feed dogs on a sewing machine?

Sewing machine feed dogs are the movable metal teeth that sit below the needle plate. The feed dog's ridges grip onto the fabric and feed it through the machine as you sew. 

Do sewing machine feed dogs wear out?

Yes, sewing machine feed dogs can wear out. Over time, the teeth can wear down and become too smooth to grip the fabric, which can cause issues with how the fabric feeds through the machine.

What is a zigzag needle plate?

A zigzag needle plate is a style of sewing machine throat plate with wider openings than a standard needle plate to allow for zigzag stitches.