Sewing kit essentials

When it comes to sewing there’s a lot of equipment and paraphernalia available to buy, so it can be easy to end up with a bunch of fancy looking devices that you’ll never actually need to use. If you want to know the absolute essentials you should have in your sewing kit then read on...

Scissors

There are a few different types of scissors which are particularly useful to a seamstress:

• Bent handled shears: These are essential for cutting fabric as they allow you to keep the scissors flush against the table or cutting board for precision cutting.
• Sewing scissors: Keep a small pair of sewing scissors handy for trimming seams and snipping away pesky loose threads.
• Pinking shears: Cutting the edges of fabric with pinking shears creates a zigzag that prevents fraying, so they’re particularly important when you don’t have an overlocker.

Tape measure

Make sure you have at least one tape measure in your sewing kit as you’ll be using it a lot for measuring patterns, taking body measurements, and calculating seams. A retractable tape measure will make your life even easier, and a clear plastic ruler will come in handy too.

Marking tool

A marking tool such as tailor’s chalk in block or pen form is essential for marking out patterns ready to be cut. There are other marking tools available, but chalk is the easiest to brush off afterwards.

Pins and cushion

Every good seamstress needs a good supply of pins to hand! They are essential for tacking your work together ready to be sewn. Opt for ones with coloured heads as they’re easier to see in fabric and if they get dropped on the floor, and keep a pin cushion handy for storing your pins in.

Needles and thread

Make sure you have a supply of sewing machine needles and hand sewing needles in a variety of different sizes to enable you to carry out a range of products. It’s a good idea to have plenty of spare bobbins in your sewing kit too.

Seam ripper

Even the most experienced seamstress need to unpick a seam from time to time. It’s much easier to do this with a seam ripper rather than with scissors.

Sewing sundries

Have a large box dedicated to storing all of your sewing equipment together, and ensure everything is put away when you’ve finished using it. Keep the manual for your sewing machine and some sewing books in your box too for reference.