Which of the following is an essential application of the foot pedal in sewing?

The use of a foot pedal in sewing is primarily to start and stop the operations of the sewing machine. When the foot pedal is pressed down, it sends a signal to the machine to begin sewing, allowing the user to control the machine's speed based on the amount of pressure applied to the pedal. Releasing the pedal stops the sewing process. This hands-free operation is crucial, as it allows the sewer to maintain focus on guiding the fabric through the machine while controlling the speed of the sewing process simultaneously.

While other functions such as tension adjustments, cutting fabric, and selecting different stitch types are important parts of sewing, they are not directly controlled by the foot pedal, which serves a distinct and vital purpose in the overall sewing operation.