We are sharing our favourite items in our sewing toolkits! We also cover toolkit checklists for specific projects such as jeans-making and bra-making. Do you want to level up your sewing toolkit? We cover that too!
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Helen’s Favourite Sewing Tools:
- Applique/duckbill scissors
- Ergonomic thimble
- Omnigrid quilter rulers
- Purple Thread snips
- Chaco Liner Pens
Caroline’s Favourite Sewing Tools:
- Seam Gauge
- Glass head pins
- Small, sharp snips
- Chaco Liner Pens
- A good seam ripper!
Beginner Sewing Tools
- Scissors for cutting fabric! Use a separate pair of scissors to cut paper. Caroline likes these Fiskars Seamstress Scissors.
- Snips
- Seam ripper
- Tape measure
- Glass Head Pins (Caroline’s Fav) or Flower Head Pins (Helen’s Fav)
- Magnetic pin holder
- Fabric chalk
- Seam Gauge
- Self-threading hand sewing needles
- Thimble
- Pin Cushion
- Neutral colour threads – or the colours you use most often!
- A handful of bobbins
Intermediate Sewing Tools
- Cutting Mat
- Rotary Cutter
- Rotary Cutter Blade Pack
- Pattern weights (Caroline uses hockey pucks, and Helen uses washers!)
- Pinking shears
- Acrylic Ruler
- French Curve Ruler
- Point Turner
- Fabric Glue Stick
- Investing in feet! (such as: invisible zipper foot, edgestitch foot, felling foot, etc.)
- Collection of sewing needles for specific projects (stretch, microtex, leather)
- Pin wrist cushion
- Pressing Ham
- Sleeve roll or Sleeve pressing board
- Silk Organza Press Cloth
- Buttonhole cutter
- Fray check
- Tweezers for threading serger
- Lint brush for cleaning the sewing machine
- Sewing machine oil
- Mini screwdriver for machine maintenance/changing needle
- Needle Threader
Advanced Sewing Tools
- Dressform!
- Bias tape maker
- Loop turner
- Extension Table
- Expandable gauge for button placement
- Toothpicks for hand sewing coat buttons!
- Fashion Sketchbook
Hand-Sewing Tools
Jeans-Making Tools
- Hammer
- Wire cutters – used to trim rivets from appropriate size needed
- Tailor’s clapper
- Hump jumper
- Awl
- Point Turner
- Mini Anvil (or use a hard metal /cast iron surface)
Bra-Making Tools
- Tiny rotary cutter
- Applique/duckbill scissors
- 1/4 inch sewing foot
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Hi Caroline and Helen!
Love all the sewing essentials tips. I’ve been sewing my own clothes since I was 10 years old. Now, 40+ years later, I’ve tried and/or accumulated most of the tools you highlighted in Episode 116. Still need to give those duck-billed scissors a try though. One additional tool I thought I’d add to the roster is the Dritz 14-in-1 measuring gauge. It’s marketed for quilters, but as a garment sewist, I’ve found it immensely helpful for quick measuring of hems, top stitching, and marking measurements from 1/4″ to 2″. They’re available from Amazon. Check them out at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079TZHM7W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and buy a couple! It’ll make a perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite sewist!
MaryAnn, we are so happy to hear you enjoyed the episode! Ooo, this measuring gauge is definitely another good tool! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Totally agree! I use my measuring guage in every project. Just wish i could find a metric one I live in the Uk and am starting to think in cms.
Another tip for new sewers – DON’T roll up your plastic sewing tape measure into a tight roll – you’ll stretch it and then although you might be flattered by the measurements NOTHING will fit you as you expect. Just roll it loosely and let it make a mess of your sewing tray. I use a shallow lidded plastic box right next to my machine as somewhere to store all those little bits you just have to have to hand in every project, eg the seam ripper! Mine has a hinged lid so, if I go to a sewing class, I can just close the lid and, other than selecting thread and notions and anything special I need for that project, I know I will have most everything I need for the class.
Please can you correct my spelling? Sorry but I meant ‘live’ not ‘love’ and ‘think’ not ‘thinks’. In too much of a rush today.
We made these minor changes 🙂 Thanks for your comment and tip!
Hi Caroline and Helen, thank you for all your good work, I love listening to your podcast. First thing on a Tuesday morning!
Have you heard of these pad thimbles? https://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B001J5JN7G/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&psc=1
Really comfortable to work with and you can use them over and over again.
And have you ever worked with Japanese Kai dressmaker sheers? For example 7205. I never want to have anything else anymore. Expensive yes, but really sharp, a good handle and really comfy to work with. I use them to cut fabric with (or I use a rotary cutter for that), for trimming seams, etc.
Keep up the good work!
Judith, thank you so much for sharing your favourites here! We don’t have a lot of experience with these, but it is definitely something we look forward to checking out in the future. Thank again, and happy sewing!
Hi Helen and Caroline,
I’ve sent an email with a really unusual object I use in my sewing. I have a question for you. I have the seam gauge you mentioned. I really want to know what the two ‘u’ shaped attachments on the other end are for? I can’t attach a photo here, but aim assuming all the metal seam gauges are the same.
These little things have baffled me for ages!
Megan, we see that you have sent us an email and photo on this! We will take a look and reply via email with our thoughts 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Helen and Caroline. I met you at camp this year…half of the 1st confessional duo at the Castle. 🙂 I just started listening to your podcast and am so excited to have found something I can listen to while sewing. 🙂
Do you (or your friends/listeners/followers) have a recommendation on glass head pins for heavier fabric? I took Christine Haynes’ jacketmaking class at camp and I brought my Clover glass head pins (required supply/tool item) but they are fine and bent really easily with the canvas fabric. I had to borrow my table-mate’s heavier plastic head pins for the thicker layers. I love being able to iron over the pins but I want something more substantial.
Hello Carly! 🙂 We are so excited to hear that you have started listening to the podcast! For different pins for different projects, this Threads article does a good summary:https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2008/11/11/a-pin-for-every-purpose. Also, craft clips can also help with those bulkier, trickier fabrics too! https://amzn.to/34d9opG
Hi ladies! Thanks for another fun and informative episode. Was there a favorite iron either you would recommend?
Geniese, we are happy to hear you enjoyed this episode! 🙂 We would recommend the Black+Decker Steam Iron F67E: https://amzn.to/2peau5I
Hi Helen and Caroline! I really appreciated this episode and I have a question about the custom cutting mats. I have two mats currently and boy could I relate to Helen’s comment about cutting out pants! Looking to treat myself but not sure which way to hop, self healing or not. Comments or suggestions appreciated! Thanks so much, love the podcast!
Terri, this is so great! We would recommend the self-healing mat, particularly if you use your rotary cutter often (which we do!). If you are not a fan of the rotary cutter, then going with the non-self healing option is a possibility. We love using our rotary cutters with a self-healing mat! It makes the job a lot easier and faster! Thanks so much for your comment and for supporting the podcast!
I watched a video when I first got my Bernina 530 (thanks for that advice Helen, I think it was). On the video the woman said the seam ripper that comes with the Bernina is the best. If I hadn’t seen that I would have thrown it away as I have a Clover brand SR. I started using the Bernina SR and LOVE it. It is small and sharp and works so well. Try it if you can get ahold of one.
Ooo, thanks for the tip, Carolyn! Great to know this!