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I taught myself how to sew several years ago. It’s been a lot of fun, but there has also been a lot of frustration involved. I’m by no means an expert, but here are the sewing must-haves I think all sewists and seamstresses need in their toolkits: shop the Amazon List.
The Small Stuff
A good seam ripper – when you mess up, and you will mess up, you’re going to need a seam ripper. I started out with a super shitty plastic one that came with a cheap sewing kit, and I learned pretty quickly that it just wasn’t going to cut it. Do yourself a favor and get something ergonomic, so you hand doesn’t cramp up!
Clips – sometimes you just have to use pins, but 98% of the time I definitely prefer clips. They’re too big to accidentally go through the machine, and they can’t stab you!
Pins – unfortunately, clips don’t work well for things like appliquรฉs and zippers. This is where pins come in! Make sure you have a good pin holder or cushion, and be careful!
Rotary cutter – cutting out patterns and fabric is probably my least favorite part of sewing. Using a rotary cutter is so much easier than tracing a pattern onto the fabric and cutting it out with shears!
Ruler – a 6.5″ x 24″ ruler is absolutely a necessity. It will help when cutting bands, creating your own patterns, and hemming!
Fabric shears and small scissors – not everything can be cut with a rotary cutter. Keep fabric shears on head when a rotary cutter won’t cut it (pun intended). Small scissors are great for snipping thread.
Furniture, Storage, and Tools
Cutting mat – do NOT use a rotary cutter without using a cutting mat. You will scratch your table. Please don’t ask me how I know this ๐คฆ๐ปโโ๏ธ I use a 36″ x 48″ cutting mat. If you don’t have space for one that big, you can use a smaller one and move your fabric and pattern around as you cut.
Iron – I HATE ironing, but some fabrics and patterns require it.
Ironing Board – just a small table top board will do.
Steamer – steaming is much easier than ironing, and sometimes it’s all you need.
Bins – you will have a lot of knick knacks and fabric scraps that need to be stored.
Shelves – I use cube shelves to store most of my fabric. They stay relatively organized, and I can see all of my prints.
Machines
Standard Machine – this machine does standard stitches with 2 threads. You can get by with just a standard machine, but seams will lack the professional finish that you can get with an overlock and a coverstitch.
Overlock Machine – this machine uses 3-4 threads and creates finished seams, like the ones you see in store-bought clothing.
Coverstitch Machine – this machine used 3-5 threads and creates many seams, including the hem you see on store-bought clothing.
Did I miss anything? Let me know which sewing must-haves you can’t live without in the comments!