Tarp ridgeline fabric length issue

[WaffleBox]

I've been trying to find a base plate for straight stitches for my machine but have had no luck. It's a Brother Innovis 500D.

[WaffleBox]

So after a series of mishaps which cascading from my initial incorrect installation of my walking foot, I finally got some practice with it this morning. It seemed to do a very good job of feeding two pieces of silpoly at the same rate.

However, it seems that the walking foot prevents me from using reverse stitching. The fabric just stays in the same place. How should I reinforce the stitches at the beginning and end?

[ksbcrocks]

Sometimes at the end of a stitch I just taper it off the fabric. About an inch from the end of the fabric I start to bring the stitch length down until it's essentially as short as it can go at the end of the piece.