My number one "sewing thing" you don't need: a dress form...if only I had a coin for every time I have been asked about dress forms! Ultimate non-essential.
I find them incredibly useful for making custom patterns instead of trying things on constantly and having my husband pin things for me. However! 100% agree they are nonessential and honestly don't serve a purpose if you aren't pattern making nonbasic designs.
@@gogreen2496 I make all of my own patterns too, so much better than commercial ones! I use flat pattern manipulation from blocks that already fit, so no additional fitting required luckily. After I learned pattern drafting at school there was no going back ✨✨
I find mine is great for 2 reasons. 1. Hemming I am short with a lot of butt, the hem will always need to be adjusted. 2. ADHD. I tried having a basket of mending but ignored it for years. Having a the garment I need to finish or repair on the dress form is a great way to keep me on track. It haunts me from the middle of the room until I finish it.
Insights gained from 60+ years of sewing, that you can take or leave. Re: rotary cutter and mat - if you are piecing patchwork or making quilts, the rotary cutter is worlds more accurate, giving you better matching. For garment sewing, not so much, only borderline necessary. Tailor’s ham - really useful for doing smoothly shaped sleeve caps, nice darts, and collars that lie flat (or stand up, if that’s what they are supposed to do).Nice to have, but if you’re making easy-fitting garments, not absolutely necessary. Thread - second-hand thread can be a problem, particularly if it’s old/vintage. It deteriorates over time, becoming much more fragile and prone to breaking. I’ll use for thread-marking or maybe basting, but I don’t put it in my machine where it’s subjected to quite a bit of tension and friction. Machine needles - for most garments, general purpose needles, sharp for wovens and ball point for knits/jerseys will suffice. If you want to sew denim or corduroy, you’ll want a heavy duty needle, and if you will be sewing fine, thin, slippery fabrics, like fancy silks and rayons, a finer needle will give better results without marking the fabric so much. It makes me so happy to see people just dive in and start making clothing. Go for it!
Such good tips! And here am I, having made a summer coat with (fine) corduroy and a rayon/acetate lining… (I used the normal needle, and the lining is really intensely patterned, so no marks visible 😉)
I second the needle threaders. Over-50, they’re sooooo handy. Thread wax also helps stiffen the end of thread to make it easier to push through the eye if you can see it. I repurposed a candle end and a tiny jar (Bonne Maman advent calendar) instead of schlepping out to locate the proper stuff. Personal favorite is easy-thread needles, where you pull the thread through the top into the eye. For some reason, those are stupid hard to find lately, though.
Re: pin cushion-yeah, you don't need that, BUT you urgently need and will fall in love with a magnetic garage bowl. It's a little metal bowl with a magnet underneath that car mechanics stick on the car while they are working on one and keep all those little nuts and bolts in. I use one of those for my pins, sewing needles, all sewing machine accouterments like feet and such. Get one, these are dirt cheap and allow you to just *literally* throw your pins in the general direction of the bowl, eyes stuck on the sewing machine foot with your project under, and THE MAGNET CATCHES THEM.
I actually got my magnetic bowl for free from Harbor Freight with a coupon. It is also great for picking up pins from the ground. I sewed for decades before I got a rotary cutter, I feel it's best for quilting and making bias stripes. I think buying long silk pins rather than those fancy pins. Safety pins are a great extra for fitting rather than using straight pins. Pressing is usually underrated and misunderstood by beginning sewists. A pressing ham and a sleeve roll really do take your game up a notch. Watch some videos and learn to use them. You can make a sleeve roll from a towel. I use a needle and thread to mark my pieces ( look up tailor's tacks).
Thats’s a good shout! I find the pin cushion with elastic attached to wear as a bracelet most helpful, again so you can grab/stab them while sewing without moving too much or stopping sewing in a steady rhythm. I think it cost about 50p in an end of season john lewis sale (recommend these to grab up fancier branded bits that are good quality, though in existentialism that is probs familiar to leena fans, I’m questioning whether the fact I get all my belongings in end of season sales is sustainable, cos it wouldn’t work if everyone did it…….)
My mum has always been using little bits of dried soap to trace patterns on fabric. 🙂 Works a treat and a good use of that little leftover soap bit at the end of its life. 😄
You absolutely need a seam ripper. I used to undo clothes to get the zip and the buttons before throwing the clothes in the bin. I did it a lot using a surgical scissor and everything that was a bit sharp. I win a thumb tendonitis and wasn't able to craft during half a year and now I often have pain in my thumb, and I need breaks. You need a seam ripper. For your life ! xD
my mom didn't know what a seam ripper was because in Bangladesh she used a razor blade. She still doesn't use a seam ripper because the blade still works for her.
As somebody who is in the middle of several projects of making a garment out of another garment I wholeheartedly concur! I must have ripped out about 150 meters of seams over the last three or four months and even with the seam ripper that is... a lot lol, I don't even want to imagine having to use a blade or scissors
Video Idea: Quarterly updates on your year of makedo. Like what have you made, repairded and what items have you decided after realising you had to make it that you no longer needed.
Most important tip for sewing: only buy stuff for a specific project. Know the project and buy the exact stuff you need. Furthermore, invest in good quality machine needles, good quality thread and have dedicated fabric scissors.
Yes. Stash is over rated. And you will inevitably end up with some just from scraps, mistakes and old bedding. You won't be left without something to sew, not even if we ever have another lockdown.
My only issue with this is that I buy/receive most of my sewing supplies second hand. For me the project follows from the material I find. So I do have a stash of second hand fabric. However, always buy thread to match the project!
Yes! I have lots of boxes full of once newly bought fabric gathering dust, just because i thought they were nice looking fabrics and bought 2 or 3 meters of it thinking I would "figure out what to make of it later"...... Don't do it! Waste of your money and materials. By the time you think of a project for it, it usually just isn't enough fabric or something else wrong with it, and it just sits there for 20+ years....
I agree....however I love buying fabric 😂 90% of my fabric is from opshops and tip shops, I've got probably thousands of dollars now but probably spent max $200 AUD (and I have a wardrobe full!). I've only bought a few specific bits of fabric otherwise!
Honestly for as affordable as flexible measuring tape is, they are a necessity for me. I find them for $1 US or less in second hand shops and I like to keep one in my purse to measure clothes especially with second hand stores having closed changing rooms. I do appreciate the point of using yarn or string and a measuring tape though.
Hi, I'm a ladys tailor and I mostly agree with this list for the absolute beginners! It's really interesting to me to see it broken down like this. I can barely remember how I started but had all the supplies from my mum. AND that is a tip I want to add: Ask people if they have sewing supplies they don't need. I have gotten tools, notions, fabrics and interfacing, lining fabrics and even an ironing board from several little old ladys who weren't able to sew anymore and wanted their things to someone who can and want to use them. the only thing I disagree with is the rotary cutter! That thing is a tool for weak wrists that cannot do a lot of cutting at once. My fabric scissors (very fancy and very good) are heavy and the motion can cause severe pain if you have to cut a lot of fabric. I find it a lot easier with the rotary cutter! A lot of the tools you unhauled have specific uses that are indeed not meant for beginners or for casual sewists. That bothered me for years! Thank you so much
I have had people giveing me sewing supplies off and on for years now. Last summer, my mom sent me a box with some of her things and my gandma's things, including grandma's wooden darning egg, and her magnet on a stick. Also my mom's excellent scissors. Mom died in March at 94. Most of my life I wore clothing that she made or I did. I still remember sgetting my first store bought dress, bought just for me, not a hand-me-down in 6th grade. I have also been blessed to do reviews of products for Amazon and I have so much sewing stuff now, Including I don't know how many spools of great thread., pins, ribbon, etc. I will never be able to use it all but I have a creative DIL and granddaughter as well as my cleaning lady is Mennonite and she sews.
Here to stand up for the pinking shears! They are the lazy way to finish your seams so your fabric doesn't fray, a straight cut won't work, especially for more delicate fabrics and sometimes I'm not arsed doing a zig-zag stitch the whole way down. Save yourself all that thread and just finish your seams with pinking shears 😄
If I'm working with a very fray-y fabric, I do all my cutting out with them too! It means the pieces behave themselves long enough to get them sewn and finished neatly.
The pressing ham, and by extension the sleeve role ABSOLUTELY will elevate your sewing. Pressing, particularly in process pressing, makes home sewn garments look much "cleaner" and more professional. The point of pressing hams and sleeve roles is to actually SHAPE the seam and the garment while ppressing.
I don't have one, but I was thinking the same thing. I have a sleeve ironing board and have been managing with wrapping things around the narrow rounded edge of it, but a ham does look very useful. I just havent' made the jump.
A pressing ham is actually filled with sawdust, the ham needs to be firm, not squishy. One side is cotton canvas, and the other is wool. This is because of the different ways they absorb steam.
a magnetic bowl for your pins will change your life. Pin cushions are fiddly. To be fair, you don't NEED a sewing machine. You can hand sew things! I learned how to hand sew first when I was a kid because my mom hand sews quilts! Bernadette Banner has some really excellent videos explaining hand sewing. It certainly takes longer, but you can do anything (some might argue you can do more) with hand sewing as you could do with a machine.
I loove Bernadette Banner! And her videos made me realise how calming and precise handsewing can be. I love to finish seems by hand on the train or bus :P
The more hand sewing I do- the more I enjoy it… with the exception of long simple straight seams, I’ve actually found hand sewing to be sometimes quicker than messing with the machine to get the settings correct, or having to troubleshoot.
Pinking shears allow for the fabric to not unravel. It can be helpful with fiddly fabric-leading to: less repairs being needed, less work in finishing your seams, AKA time saved. But, as you said-not a necessity.
My mum always used an old dried out bar of soap to mark lines on fabrics before she sewn it. She always said soap with wash out instantly instead of a fancy marker pen 😂
Before sergers (or at least before I ever knew of them), I used pinking shears to finish seams in cotton garments, but yeah I never use them anymore. Rotary cutters are really useful when working for really slippery fabric.
I also do cardmaking and dropped a die on the floor yesterday. My fingernails are super short and I couldn't pick it up. Got out my magnetic stick, that had been my grandma's who died about 58 years ago, and presto the die jumped onto the stick and I had it picked up. I think I will keep it in my card making spot now.
Sewing hampers, or baskets as we call them in the US, I see as for basic, quick, hand-mending. I have an entire sewing room, but I keep a sewing basket in my bedroom because that’s where I need basic supplies and a few basic colors of thread to replace a button, quickly fix a seam, stitch up a hole in a pocket, etc.
I LOVE my pinking shears. I do a lot of historical costuming, and I sew a lot by hand, so pinking shears are a MUST for me because it often means you don’t need to finish the seams. I think they are GREAT if you have a specific need for them, but for a beginner, they are not necessary.
Selecting projects that use beginner-friendly fabrics that will work with the beginner supplies you have available makes a world of difference. Jumping straight to knits, performance fabrics, silks, heavy denim, etc. really ups the difficulty even before trying to make do with a single pack 90-14 machine needles and a zigzag presser foot.
A note about machine needles for specific fabrics: I sewed for *many* years before I learned that tension problems (when the thread knots up under the fabric and jams everything) can be caused by the wrong type of needle or a dull needle! So I fully agree with buying as you go, you can save a lot of frustration (and money on unnecessary machine repairs) by paying attention to your needles!
Hint from my mom who had several kids and would remake patterns in different sizes; instead of cutting your pattern to size, cut the largest size and then fold and pin to the size you currently want.
2:51 Pinking shears: when you want to cut a fabric that frays really easily, like brocade. I suggest borrowing a pair from someone if you find yourself sewing fabric that shreds into pieces before you can finish sewing a seam. I learned the hard way.
for light-medium coloured fabrics I use those pilot frixion pens - the ink disappears with any sort of heat and I already have them for writing anyway.
In the hand embroidery groups I'm in lots of people use the pens, and have had zero issues, but a lot of people have stopped using them because they showed up again. They disappear in the heat, yes, but they return with the cold! And over time the ink will discolour. This isn't super important if the marks are on the inside of clothing, but this does matter if they're visible under your embroidery stitches. I prefer using a tailor's chalk mechanical pencil, or a very soft regular pencil. Both wash out, and both also disappear if you rub a little over the marks.
I agree with everything except the ironing board lol I used the towels and iron on my table and my kitchen counters and it left permanent marks on both. So I would say just double check what the surface you're ironing on is made of and opt for an ironing board or similar if you're unsure. So - not needed if you're confident you can safely iron on what you already own Need this or a similar item if unsure or don't want to take the risk
Re: needles . I agree buying as you go makes sense, but it makes a world of difference to have the right size for your fabric weight and type ( woven vs knits)
Markers: I bought a cheap box of Crayola washable markers and use those. They come in a lot of different colors, so they work for lots of different colors of fabric. Seam rippers: Some "fancier" items of clothing will sew pockets shut to allow the piece of clothing to hang or lay flatter, so having a seam ripper would allow you to open up those pockets to be able to use much easier than anything else you might have laying around.
I use the washable markers constantly. They have replaced my chalk 99% of the time (unless I need to write on black- in which case chalk it is). I love them!
I figured Crayola wouldn't sell fabric markers that were designed as washable, non staining that didn't work as promised. I used them, washed, dried then ironed the fabric to see if the markings came back. The final test was put the test samp!es in the deep freeze. They were a charm to use and much cheaper than what the fabric store sold to mark fabric.
My mother got me a tackle box, it's about two decades old at this point, and the plastic has degraded. Everything near it (and in it) started to stink of melting plastic, so I ended up buying a wooden sewing box in the end. Both work great, but I have to admit a fondness for the wood (nostalgia for a time I never lived in and a lack of smell).
I use a small kid's toolbox, that my mum saved from going to the trash bin, when her friend decluttered. It works great and fits perfectly into my sewing cabinet. I also much prefer the rectangle compartments over the square ones sewing hampers usually have. There is one compartment on my toolbox that is just the right size for my fabric scissors.
Way back when I was married to my ex, anytime I came over in something I had made my MIL would haul out her 1# coffee can and talk about how she has everything she needs for sewing in it, blah blah blah. She was doing this to dis me and my homemade clothes and she would talk about how homemade tops the the seams would be hanging down, etc. While saying this she would be wearing mismatched socks, a top with the shoulder seams halfway to her elbows. she was obviously the epitomy of fashion! LOL She did everything she could to make me hate her.
I would say router cutters and mats are more for quilting and patterning clothes and I think a lot of the videos I’ve seen of yours for clothes are the ones that are more free form so for that they don’t make sense. As for pins- I recommend finding the longest thinnest ones you can with a large flat colorful head on them. Changed my sewing game so much!!! Oh!! And vintage machines are amazing. Older machines that have been refurbished will work for you for a lifetime and probably your kids and their kids if you keep up the maintenance.
Re seam rippers: My mom (wartime kid) never threw away her machine needles or seam rippers. I learned since that both are to be replaced regularly because they loose their sharpness. I would not buy a fancy ripper every year unless I had hand trouble. BTW: Evelyn Woods has a real mind blowing video about seam rippers and their little red ball!
Pattern weights are nothing more than metal washers. You can buy loads for cheap in any ironmongers/B&Q/Homebase. If you are crafty and already have soft pastels - these are great for pattern marking. If you do make a pin cushion, stuff a bit of a wire wool in the middle. It will sharpen your pins every time you put them in. Flat magnets are usefull for SO. MANY. THINGS. while sewing. I can't believe I didn't know about the magnet hem marker thingy. I know about a lot of hacks to mark your hem widths but a lot of them use tape that leaves glue residue behind that is a pain to remove
I’d absolutely say you need a pin cushion, but I’d suggest one you can attach to your wrist. ESP if you’re hand sewing. Because you will put down your needle, and it will disappear. You can make them pretty easy, just a big circle of fabric scrap, add fluff and a bit of elastic.
@@helenm1085 I've done that lol then forget and wake up with a scratch across my face. I made myself a wrist one with a little magnet inside, so if I miss the cushion part it still sticks to it. I think it's cost me all of about £1.30 to make, as I used a fridge magnet from the pound shop. And a scrap of elastic from haberdashery.
@helenm1085 I‘m guilty of that, too! I also stick my needles flat like a pin in my clothes when I don’t have a cushion on hand. I TRY not to, because I know it’s risky but… it’s just so convenient 😅
Absolutely! Learning about ironing and pressing (yes, there's a difference) makes your garments looks just much more professional and clean! I now understand why there's a saying in German about "ironing out" a mistake - there's so much that can be hidden by shaping the fabric with a careful press... I love the videos by @EvelynWoods and by Bernadette Banner with her Swiss guest! I have a pressing ham, a small board for sleeves and some homemade clappers and find them, if not essential, then very, very important.
Sewing hams & rolls are also not stuffed with just regular pillow stuffing. The good ones contain sawdust. There's something magic about the properties of wood to help set a seam.
HARD disagree about pinking shears! They mean you don't have to use an overlocker or zigzag the edge of your seams, plus it's a fun and cute part of the process!
I started looking into getting an overlocker after I was unhappy with my zigzag edges- I'd had one in the past but couldn't move with it so gave it away to a community group. They've gone up in price MASSIVELY in the 6 years since, so now I'm learning to do nicer seam finishes like a Hong Kong finish, binding with bias binding, flat felled seams, and French seams. Saves me £500 on a machine, lots of stress with threading an overlocker, and means I get to learn a new skill.
Not me over here internally SCREAMING because I have everything on the list except that last metal seam guide, and it just may be the thing that gets me to finally sew because my problem is I still haven't learned how to sew straight. This may very well change EVERYTHING for me.
I was taught "kanten på pressarfoten på kanten på tyget" as a mantra for how to sew straight 😅 (Translation: the edge of the presser foot on the edge of the fabric)
I don't think I personally agree with the "you dont need fancy thread" comment. I used to just sew with whatever hand-me-down thread was in my family sewing kit or what was in the DIY/craft sections at thrift stores but once I was introduced to good quality thread it was SUCH a life changing experience. Now I almost exclusively use gutterman cotton thread. I used to have major issues with thread breaking or tangling and knotting while I was using my sewing machine. After I used better thread those issues stopped entirely with literally no other factors changing other than the thread I was using. Sewing is so much more enjoyable to me when I'm not constantly wrestling with my project to cooperate, and now that I just dont ever have to deal with machine jams and thread breaks its also way less of a mentally draining hobby.
RE: Pinking Shears - It really depends on your fabric. If you sew a lot with fray prone fabric they can be a godsend. The zigzag shape prevents the fabric from fraying as much while you work with is and can save you a lot of headache. However, if you dont sew those kinds of fabrics, you might not need them as long as you are finishing your seems properly.
I'm a quilter and the cutting mat and rotary cutter are critical with straight cutting, plus a quilting ruler). Purely because there is just so much cutting! My problem is I don't change the blade enough. That said I did piece and then quilt my first quilt, for a queen size bed, entirely by hand! Time consuming, but kind of soothing.
I 100% agree with the statement that everyone should own a basic seam ripper! Outside of sewing I mostly use mine for removing itchy or outrageously big labels from clothing - many times labels are sewn onto the serged seam with a separate straight stitch, which means you can often remove them without a trace. No itchy pieces left! However, I recently ‘splurged’ (8 euros or so) on a fancy seam ripper, and it made my sewing life SO MUCH BETTER. It has a rubber cap that clings to the ripped thread, so to remove all the little tiny pieces of thread you just rub the cap over them. Saves a lot of picking. Also, it is *actually* sharp, which saves both time and wrist / hand pain. To me, this is an item that’s definitely worth upgrading once you’re out of the ‘just trying it out’ phase.
I didn't know better seam rippers existed! It's going on my wishlist. I use my tiny uncomfortable one all the time to rescue things like zippers, and I always get so annoyed doing it....
Specific tools for specific tasks are only useful if you do that task regularly. This goes for most supplies really, things like very specialised presser feet for a sewing machine may seem ridiculous if you never do the thing it works for, but if you do do that thing often, a specific foot for a specific purpose can really help and make doing a project so much easier and faster. So while a beginner definitely does not need everything, it helps to consider what kind of project you are working on and which tools will work fine, which tools will work amazing, and which tools you don't need. You can always add to your supplies as you go. As a tip, invest in quality things if you can afford to. For example, cheap pins have burs that tear satin fabrics, or delicate farbics like organza and chiffon, and leave holes. Ask me how I know. Cheap needles have burs inside the eye, which shred the thread as you sew. Good quality pins and needles glide through any fabric, bad ones tend to get stuck on the fabric and don't glide smoothly through. In my experience the cheap pins tend to have plastic heads, while the more expensive ones have glass heads. And the quality makes all the difference. Pinking shears are so the cut doesn't fray. This is especially helpful for fabrics like satin that fray as you look at it. The zig zag doesn't completely stop the fraying completely, but it makes it so much easier to work with the fabric. I know that historically unfinished seams on the inside of clothes were pinked to stop the fraying as well, and the ends of ribbons too. If you work with fabrics that don't fray as much, or you finish your seams with a zig zag stitch, or a french seam, etc, then pinking shears are basically a novelty you don't really need. A pin cushion makes sewing and taking the pins out as you go easier for me. I can just put them away without looking and without stabbing myself on a pile of needles in a bowl. You can also buy table top iron boards with little legs, the steam/heat can go through the board, so you're not limited to a specific surface. Unfortunately you can't always know whether or not you need a tool unless you try it out first.
Pinking shears are to cut fabric that frays easily, the zig-zag pattern helps to disrupt the weave of the fabric so that it doesn't fall apart whilst you're handling it, if you work with silks & satins or other similar fabrics then they are an essential, if not then they're an easy time-saving way to finish seams. And sewing hampers aren't a necessity but you can find them really cheap at secondhand stores most of the time, or you can make your first sewing project a 'huswif' or 'housewife', the historical version of a sewing kit/bag made from fabric, they're so much more useful than bags to store your sewing supplies as things don't get lost at the bottom of it! Also for sewing machines I highly recommend buying antique hand-turned sewing machines, both of mine cost £10 from charity shops and are infinitely more reliable than my electric modern ones- things were made to last back then, and they're so much prettier too!
Highly recommend getting a magnetic pincushion which you can hover over the ground and pick up all the dropped pins instead of searching. Also, for me the rotary cutter is essential for cutting knits smoothly and for fabrics that tend to shift around a lot.
Re the bobble pins - go for glass head rather than plastic as you can iron over the pins without melting, the seam reaper is also great for getting dog hair out of the vacuum cleaner, for thread storage I made a thread holder out of an old picture frame, piece of wood and a load of screws and hang that on the wall (better that digging through a drawer to find the thread you need) and I made a tailors clapper out of a small leftover offcut of butchers block - it’s brilliant for getting seams flat (it’s the next stage after the tailors ham) I supposed that my top tip is that stuff can be repurposed 😀
I’ve been sewing for years and have plastic pins and have never had the problem of ironing over them 😂 if you pin perpendicular to the seam with the plastic ends on the outside then they’re really easy to avoid. I would say that I have some of the cheap supermarket pins but they’re really thick so if you’re sewing a slightly delicate fabric or one where holes will be more obvious I’d get some thinner pins
Was buying pins off amazon and saw one of the dumbest rating. They gave four out of five stars because the pins were too sharp. I will take sharp pins over dull anyday
Try using a high B pencil for marking fabric. If you're creative and draw, you probably have 4b pencil or higher. It's completely washable and usable in other situations. 8 B is my favourite for fabrics.
I don’t really comment often, but I wanted to share that you made me discover my love for sewing! Tried a couple of classes earlier this year, and now I can make my own (a little dodgy) clothing 🤯Thanks for all the sewing content!
If you are a beginner sewist and you want to start quilting, though, omfg, the rotary cutter, mat and acrylic ruler are totally worth it. Almost all starter quilting techniques are about straight lines, so it's easier than a dress pattern to use a rotary, but they also need so many squares or triangles or strips that it's a different conversation for quilting.
Number 1: Shoeboxes also are a good start. (My great grandma a professional bespoke seamstress used them to store her threads since I can remember and I still use her old shoe boxes for it - rip Oma ❤) Or odds are you already have some storage option sitting around unused or filled with stuff you wanted to declutter ages ago
I'm really glad you mentioned picking up things along the way - sewing is not like cooking, where you need to have all your ingredients on hand before you can start. You can start with the absolute bare minimum to complete (or even just to begin) your first project. You'll learn as you go what needs to be on your sewing wish list, instead of buying a whole bunch of stuff ahead of time you might never use. I've been using a rolled-up towel as a makeshift pressing ham - it works ok, but I'm learning that I do probably want to get one eventually because it keeps coming up with the projects I'm choosing.
A counter point to thread snippers: most sewing machines have a thread cutter build in. It's a groove on the side with a blade in. You might not notice it at first because its unassuming but very handy.
My machine has it build in, too, and as I started sewing I often used it. Now I‘that ve been sewing for a long time I rarely use it but use snippers (best because of how easy and fast) or scissors. That is because the built-in cutter leaves about a centimetre (~half an inch) of thread unless I’m really fiddly with it. It didn’t bother me when I started but now it does. And if I have to fiddle with the cutter to get the desired neatness I can just grab the snips really fast.
The first time I bought a fabric marker was when I was sewing my wedding dress and chalk turned out to be a bad choice for delicate, white fabrics. I bought one of those markers that disappear when wet. It was on the pricey side, worked terribly (they didn't pair well with my sweaty hands) and dried up mid-project. Recently I noticed a set of kids felt tip pens among my art supplies. It had a "machine washable" sign on the box. Turns out they work really well as fabric markers. I've had them for over five years and they're not dry. I'm sure they're not suitable for all fabrics, and I would always advise anyone to do a test before using them, but for now I love them.
12:15 I actually used biro when making my wedding dress and it was fine since it came out in the wash. Washable felt tip pens are also great. If in any doubt, make a mark on the fabric before you pre-wash and check afterwards.
I grow up seeing seamsters around me using piece of soap as a fabric marker. You justneed one that is thin enough that it will give you precision but still sturdy enough to not snop from little pressure. In my childhood it was the small pive of soap that was left after being used and was going to be thrown away ( i grew up in post soviet country with limited resources )
Rotary cutters are required for quilters, less so for garment sewists. I keep a magnet on my sewing machine for pins. As I take them out while sewing, I throw them in the general direction of the magnet and it 'grabs' them. Tool boxes and fishing tackle boxes make great sewing kits.
11:37 It’s possible that someone’s already said this in the comments, but I like to use a butter knife or something to sharpen a bar of soap and use that for marking. Tiny soaps from hotels are sometimes already squared off on the edges, so they don’t even need sharpening! I also like the little hand stitches-tailors tacks maybe?-where you sew through the fabric where the pattern indicates placement for darts where to set sleeves or other things. If you have double layers of fabric, you carefully cut the threads in between the two layers. The threads sometimes slip out, but usually it’s quite effective
The stitch is called a basting stitch, and the acting is called basting. 😊 I never do it because it takes a lot of time to stitch and it takes even longer to take the loose bits of thread out. 😁
I Love buying sewing notions 🙈 so I have a lot useful and not useful things. I love pins and hardly ever use clips. They are mostly too bulky for me. But i only use high quality pins. Which mean spending 7-8€ for a box instead of 1€. I love the long prym pins with yellow glass head. It makes such a big difference. Cheap pins are the worst imo. They are too short and too thick and don’t glide through the fabric like the expensive ones do. And I use a magnetic pin cushion which I love. I use the rotary cutter mostly for quilting not sewing clothes. But if I sew a very slippery fabric it’s good to cut out with a rotary cutter and a mat.
A seam ripper is SUCH a life saver! Especially when I was doing my first project, I made so many mistakes and using the seam ripper would help me get through much faster than if I had to do it with needles/scissors/my tears hahaha My seam ripper comes with a lid and a rubber end which you can use to rub the thread after ripping to help it come out of the fabric! Super helpful!
Contraversial, but I'm going to un-unhaul the washable fabric marker and unhaul the magnetic seam guide and tailors chalk! I find it way easier to neatly draw around my pattern than to neatly cut it, so I always draw my sewing lines (which means you might need to draw twice if your pattern has seam allowance built in) and then cut vaguely around them! A pen to get accurate markings that I can remove from the fabric after is essential for this method and my sewing improved 10000% as soon as I gave up on cutting neatly and just started marking sew lines instead!
I wanna add that the machine needles are important! as in there are different needles that work for different machines. I didn't discover this until recently that my needles kept breaking, turns out it was the wrong needle for my machine, so just check that it's recommended for your model. I just asked the clerk at the sewing store.
Marking fabric - I love the friction erase pens on sturdy weave fabrics! everything goes away when you iron. Really handy if you're tracing a pattern onto fabric to embroider - much more accurate than chalk. I use them for cotton's and sturdy weaves, leaving chalks for fluffier fabrics like wool/velvet.
Beware of the friction pens, they can discolor certain fabrics permanently only visible once ironed. Always do a patch test just to be sure. I usually stick to chalks and soap. If you sharpen them, they definitely can be even more accurate than friction pens (i find them a bit thick for my taste). Wax based chalk and soap translate beautifully onto sturdy weaves, clay based ones are better for wools. Either way the friction erase pens are still very good for beginners and if you want to make something over a period of time, because chalk is more easy to erase with just a brush.
my 5 cents: * there is a reason why older generations used large tins for their sewing things, they work fine * if you have kids you might have washable crayola markers laying around . I only use them to mark cotton fabrics in lighter colors * I use hand gauge a lot. Very cheap and handy * use good thread. If your sewing machine freaks out, crappy thread is often to blame * if you use your sewing machine heavily, take it once a year or every other year to maintenance. If it's cleaned, tuned and oiled regularly it runs better and you prolong it's lifetime. Same if you buy used machine, that should be the first thing you do
I 100% recommend a magnetic pin tray over a pin cushion. I own both, but I use my pincushion for slow hand embroidery projects. When at the sewing machine, it's faster to pull out pins as you go and drop them on the magnet tray without having to double check where they went. Then you can sweep the magnet over the surface you are using to catch any lost ones. And I just keep the pins on the magnetic tray to use them as needed.
I have a whole bunch of sewing knick knack because I've been sewing and quilting for years, but whenever a friend wants to get into sewing, I tell them to borrow their mom's or grandma's machine and buy some thread, fabric shears and a seam ripper. Everything else is superfluous and there's no need to spend your hard-earned money before you know you're ready to commit to the hobby.
If you wanna invest in The Good Stuff as a beginner, here's where I recommend putting your focus: - Needles. Especially hand-sewing needles, get the fancy John James, Bohin or Tulip ones. Go for 'Betweens' in a range of sizes. Seriously, upgrading your hand sewing needles is probably the biggest upgrade you can make from beginner/cheap products to investing in The Good Stuff (and it's not even that expensive, like maybe $5 for the fancy ones) - Pins. Go for glass-headed silk pins. Glass = it won't melt when you iron over it. Silk pin = finer and sharper, works for more kinds of fabric. - Scissors. Sharp fabric scissors are ESSENTIAL. - Seam Ripper. It's worth paying the extra money for a fancy sharp seam ripper like Leena's. Dull cheap seam rippers are rage inducing. - Thread. Cheap thread is a pain in the butt to sew with, and can cause tension issues in your machine (and your emotions lol). Be careful with thrift store/secondhand thread, as it can lose strength over time. (If you can snap thread without hurting your hands, don't sew with it.) Invest in good-quality thread like Mettler, Gutermann or Coats & Clark, it'll save you headaches and make your garments last longer. Clover is a good brand overall for pins, needles, and stitch rippers.
Pattern weights are also great for drawing seam allowances !!! You line up the edge of the pattern weight with a hard ruler and roll it across with your marker. But also, you could use any hardware store washers - and also there are lots of easy ways to mark seam allowance!
pin cushions are amazing if you stuff them with sand. it keeps your pins and needles sharp. they also stay put when you grab a pin because they have weight. love them!
I use a toiletry bag for my watercolor, plein air kit, and another for sewing kit. I found a really pretty one for each and they are better. Yeah, the quilting rotary cutter and cutting mat are only needed for acrylic rulers, that’s what hold them steady. For hand cutting, I still use X-acto and scissors. I do quilt so I have 5 rotary cutters in duplicate and different sizes. Cutting mat I need, I use due to X-act knife and rotary cutter.
Wish I’d learned this when I first started sewing. I had to buy every notion, pattern, fabric… I wasted so much money! A couple of years ago i decluttered an obscene amount of sewing supplies! Something I always tell my audience- your home is not a storage box!
Thank you Leena for this! I would advise strongly against buying the bobbin thread set because, as it turns out, each machine uses a specific size bobbin and those ‘universal’ ones won’t save you time, they only give you agony! Just get some extra bobbins the are for your machine, and wind the thread you’re using for the project onto them as needed. Speaking from experience. Save yourselves! 😅
I think it is worthwhile spending the money on a good seam ripper. I've used small cheap ones in the past but recently bought the Seam-Fix brand( here in Australia, I think it is also sold in Europe) It is larger making it comfortable to hold and an added bonus is that the cap is silicone which you use to pull along where you have just unpicked to gather up all the little bits of thread. Very well designed.
Great tips! My 2¢.... 1)No chalk? Use a tiny sliver of a soap bar that's at the end of its life. 2) A smaller, 28 mm, rotary cutter is easier for me to cut out patterns. 3) Having a wrist pin cushion is a must-have time-saving item for me. I make them, putting a small bit of flexible plastic sheet on the bottom so the pins can't push through and poke me. Clear plastic packaging, like deli containers, work well. Then attach to elastic.
Magnet for pins, you can sometimes use it as a pattern weight, but it also helps you find those lost pins! Pinking shears are a great finishing tool for anything that will fray, so if you're nervous about finishing starting out, simply pinking the edges instead of learning things like French seams or overlocking, those can be a game changer for people. I don't personally use them, but I know someone who swears she'd never have learned to sew if she hadn't been given that tool starting off, so results may vary on this one. But... the sewing machine, that's one that cracks me up because... I'm a handsewist! Given my options, I sew by hand. It's way slower, yes, but I absolutely love it. For all of my experience sewing (on and off for years, but steadily from 2020 on), I'm just now deciding to invest in a sewing machine. It can also drastically reduce your starting costs, if hand sewing is your thing (not everyone loves it, so that's also fair if you don't.) Also, rotary cutters and sewing clips were made for quilting, so it makes it much less of a learning curve if all you've got to do is cut through a couple of inches dozens and dozens of times. I hadn't discovered either until I discovered quilting, and honestly, I think the rotary cutter I wouldn't use otherwise. Regular shears are fine.
idk if it's because I learned to sew from my mom who taught me how to hand sew long before she thought I was worthy of the sewing machine but my one absolute non-essential item is the sewing machine. yeah, it will take about 3 times longer to finish anything but I don't mind it. And even to this day, whenever a pattern gets complicated, I always just switch to hand-sewing. as long as you baste your pieces before committing to sewing, you don't make too many mistakes
Also good to note that if you have a sewing machine, it will (or should) come with a little bag of bits and bobs, like how you said machine needles will come with it, and one of them is a little brush for getting rid of dust and lint from clogging up your machine, and most of them have a seam ripper in the handle of those wee brushes, so again, not a necessity (although admittedly I have several dotted around my work space 😂)
Also, fancy markers make it so much easier to sew darts! I draw the dart on the fabric and then pin, and it makes sewing a straight line so much easier!
Things I own and don’t use as an experienced sewist who makes my own patterns - a dress form. Pinking shears. Rotary cutter and cutting mat. I have more than that but so far I am 100% with Leena!
I am a quilter. I use both pinking shears. I trim the cut edges of my fabric before washing to prevent fraying. I buy a lot of fat quarters so the fabric is 18"×22". I also use a rotary cutter but there are a lot of straight cuts in quilting. Where when I am using scissors I can only cut one square out at a time but with the rotary cutter I can cut multiples at a time and the cuts are straighter and faster to cut.
While a of regular pin cushion isn't necessary, I'd highly recommend magnetic pin cushion. If you drop a pin and can't find it, just wave the magnetic pin cushion around the floor and you'll quickly find it! I once accidentally bought pins without heads and they spilled as soon as I opened the package, and it definitely saved me from 30 minutes of picking them up and poking my feet! It's also a hassle free way to store pins too!
A rotary cutter is actually really good for more slippery fabrics. I am left handed and it makes it a little easier for me to work with certain fabrics. Also, get pins with the glass heads! They don't melt when you iron over them.
Ok just to argue a bit I don’t sew but I can’t live without my soft tape measure. I use it for measuring ME which changes and it’s so much easier than trying to find non stretchy string that can hold taut and then making sure you measure it perfectly against. It’s also so much more convenient to take with you to the store for supplies or if you like buying vintage. It also measures around curves the first time so much easier. Just my thoughts and they’re cheap too!
Pinking shears are fabulous for trimming seam allowances along curves. I just recently discovered the joy of use pinking shears on curves. It was a game changer for me!
In place of a pin cushion, consider a pin magnet - they're also used in offices to hold paper clips - the advantage is that when you drop a pin on the floor, you can use the magnet to find and retrieve the pin
I love that you started with the hamper thingy, because I not only don't have one, but I store all my sewing things in the classic "grandma metal box" (not a cookie box, sadly, that would be perfect thematically) which I inherited from my mom when she gifted me my sewing machine hahahaha, which I think is perfect for the whole trying to DIY part of the hobby if that makes sense (but you did give me an incredible idea with the makeup/troiletry bag and all the little pockets, hmm). The pinsing shears I used from time to time for fabric that tends to fray. It's not a really big difference but it comes in handy sometimes. And the real necessity I now have is the magnetic side thingy; I've seen them before but I forgot about them but they seem SO useful!!!
Keep in mind, it all depends on your sewing hobby. Pinking sheers, rotary cutter, and mat are necessary if you’re a quilter. Pins are a necessity for precision work.
Be careful with old thread ! It can rot and therefore be completely useless. 😢 I inherited a lot of thread thinking it was amazing but alot of them are not sturdy anymore and would snap at any amount of pressure
The measuring tape is useful because it won't dig into our soft bits the way a thin piece of string or yarn would. The surface tension makes it easier to pull taut, while still getting the correct measurement. Also, if you're taking more than one measurement, I don't see how a measuring tape would not be the most efficient and accurate way.
Pinking shears are an essential in my kit!!!! I absolutely loathe when a tutorial says overlock or zig zag stitch the raw edges, i don't have an overlocker and cannot be bothered to zig zag. I love the way pinked hems look on the inside of a garment too :) I am however on your side with the seam allowance magnet, love mine
I got to say I absolutely love my rotary cutter, I got mine from my grandma and from an environmental point of view you can just replace the blade if they rust or go dule. They can also be better for hand fatigue if you do have some type of mobility issue or chronic fatigue syndrome. They do also sell blade sharpeners for scissors apparently, so if they do go dule they can be sharpened.
I wanna share my thoughts on some of them cause I've been sewing for almost 2 decades no. And as a beginner in something i always like different perspectives and reasonings to find out what fits for me so here i go: -Rotary cutter is very useful if you quilt and need a bunch of precise squares or have a bunch of straight edged pieces that you can cut along a ruler, otherwise you don't need it! -I own sewing clips but I'd say they are not essential pins work totally fine and i often default to pins anyway. I'd put it in the nice to have but you don't need them to start sewing category. -needle threading comes with practice. I have never had a needle threader but since they are super cheap I'd get one if i was as a beginner again. -A measuring tape while can be avoided by you method is super useful and i would definitely get one as a beginner cause they're cheap and take up very little space. -you don't need a sewing machine if you like hand sewing, you can make stable clean seams by hand it just takes very long Also you might not believe it just like everyone of us in the beginning of our sewing journeys ... but an iron is in fact an essential T_T
I would add, if you want a sewing machine, do not get a child's sewing machine. I have never seen one that actually worked the way it was supposed to, (I was in retail for over 30 years.) If I had a customer come in the big box store and wanted a toy sewing machine, I would ask how old was the child who wanted it. I would usually steer them towards the least expensive in one of the lines of sewing machines that we sold. It is usually easier to get replacement pieces like needles for it, and you can get it repaired. The best sewing machine for a beginner can be a hand me down one, or even a thrifted one. Also, I found that the only stitches that I used on a regular basis is a straight stich, a zig zag, and button hole. I only used the "fancy" stitches when I was playing around with the machine.
My mom gifted me a vintage sewing box last year for my birthday. I love it, I'm so happy I had it. It is beautiful. After 20 years of sewing I'd have never ever bought one myself.
Thanks! I regularly use both pins and clips! The clips are great for thicker things and also for edges and things that could move when pinned. I do use my rotary cutter a lot but for cutting through multiple thicknesses and straight lines. I cut heaps of mats and totes for a charity sewing group and that saves me a lot of time especially when the fabric doesn’t like being ripped.
i love drawing on fabric actually. My personal favourite is a sharpened watercolour pencil (Stabilo ones specifically). They're really cheap, really precise, and you can use different colours on different colour fabrics. Only thing, the lead is very brittle, so you need a makeup pencil sharpener or to use the bigger hole of a normal two-hole sharpener.
Having been a casual sewer since I was a wee lass, I agree with you on all these but also OH MY GOSH how have I never seen this magical magnetic seam guide before I NEED ONE IMMEDIATELY
My number one "sewing thing" you don't need: a dress form...if only I had a coin for every time I have been asked about dress forms! Ultimate non-essential.
I find them incredibly useful for making custom patterns instead of trying things on constantly and having my husband pin things for me. However! 100% agree they are nonessential and honestly don't serve a purpose if you aren't pattern making nonbasic designs.
@@gogreen2496 I make all of my own patterns too, so much better than commercial ones! I use flat pattern manipulation from blocks that already fit, so no additional fitting required luckily. After I learned pattern drafting at school there was no going back ✨✨
mine has been useful but mostly when I made my own wedding dress with no idea what I was doing and no helping hands to pin
I’ve had two in my loft for years and have never felt the need to get them down because I just fit on my own body!
I find mine is great for 2 reasons.
1. Hemming I am short with a lot of butt, the hem will always need to be adjusted.
2. ADHD. I tried having a basket of mending but ignored it for years. Having a the garment I need to finish or repair on the dress form is a great way to keep me on track. It haunts me from the middle of the room until I finish it.
Insights gained from 60+ years of sewing, that you can take or leave.
Re: rotary cutter and mat - if you are piecing patchwork or making quilts, the rotary cutter is worlds more accurate, giving you better matching. For garment sewing, not so much, only borderline necessary.
Tailor’s ham - really useful for doing smoothly shaped sleeve caps, nice darts, and collars that lie flat (or stand up, if that’s what they are supposed to do).Nice to have, but if you’re making easy-fitting garments, not absolutely necessary.
Thread - second-hand thread can be a problem, particularly if it’s old/vintage. It deteriorates over time, becoming much more fragile and prone to breaking. I’ll use for thread-marking or maybe basting, but I don’t put it in my machine where it’s subjected to quite a bit of tension and friction.
Machine needles - for most garments, general purpose needles, sharp for wovens and ball point for knits/jerseys will suffice. If you want to sew denim or corduroy, you’ll want a heavy duty needle, and if you will be sewing fine, thin, slippery fabrics, like fancy silks and rayons, a finer needle will give better results without marking the fabric so much.
It makes me so happy to see people just dive in and start making clothing. Go for it!
Such good tips! And here am I, having made a summer coat with (fine) corduroy and a rayon/acetate lining… (I used the normal needle, and the lining is really intensely patterned, so no marks visible 😉)
I second the needle threaders. Over-50, they’re sooooo handy. Thread wax also helps stiffen the end of thread to make it easier to push through the eye if you can see it. I repurposed a candle end and a tiny jar (Bonne Maman advent calendar) instead of schlepping out to locate the proper stuff.
Personal favorite is easy-thread needles, where you pull the thread through the top into the eye. For some reason, those are stupid hard to find lately, though.
As somebody who often sews from lightweight silks, rotary cutter saves me so much headache
As a historical costumer I do quite a bit of handsewing so I tend to use old thread for that - I wax my thread for handsewing, so that helps.
100% correct. I've been sewing around 55+ years.
Re: pin cushion-yeah, you don't need that, BUT you urgently need and will fall in love with a magnetic garage bowl. It's a little metal bowl with a magnet underneath that car mechanics stick on the car while they are working on one and keep all those little nuts and bolts in. I use one of those for my pins, sewing needles, all sewing machine accouterments like feet and such. Get one, these are dirt cheap and allow you to just *literally* throw your pins in the general direction of the bowl, eyes stuck on the sewing machine foot with your project under, and THE MAGNET CATCHES THEM.
Pin cushions are also easy to make. Easy beginner sewing exercise.
My "pin cushion" for the last 15+ years has been a magnet I nicked from my year 10 biology classroom's whiteboard...
I actually got my magnetic bowl for free from Harbor Freight with a coupon.
It is also great for picking up pins from the ground.
I sewed for decades before I got a rotary cutter, I feel it's best for quilting and making bias stripes.
I think buying long silk pins rather than those fancy pins. Safety pins are a great extra for fitting rather than using straight pins.
Pressing is usually underrated and misunderstood by beginning sewists. A pressing ham and a sleeve roll really do take your game up a notch. Watch some videos and learn to use them. You can make a sleeve roll from a towel.
I use a needle and thread to mark my pieces ( look up tailor's tacks).
Thats’s a good shout! I find the pin cushion with elastic attached to wear as a bracelet most helpful, again so you can grab/stab them while sewing without moving too much or stopping sewing in a steady rhythm. I think it cost about 50p in an end of season john lewis sale (recommend these to grab up fancier branded bits that are good quality, though in existentialism that is probs familiar to leena fans, I’m questioning whether the fact I get all my belongings in end of season sales is sustainable, cos it wouldn’t work if everyone did it…….)
They're also great for finding those lost pins!
My mum has always been using little bits of dried soap to trace patterns on fabric. 🙂 Works a treat and a good use of that little leftover soap bit at the end of its life. 😄
You absolutely need a seam ripper. I used to undo clothes to get the zip and the buttons before throwing the clothes in the bin. I did it a lot using a surgical scissor and everything that was a bit sharp. I win a thumb tendonitis and wasn't able to craft during half a year and now I often have pain in my thumb, and I need breaks. You need a seam ripper. For your life ! xD
my mom didn't know what a seam ripper was because in Bangladesh she used a razor blade. She still doesn't use a seam ripper because the blade still works for her.
Seam rippers are amazing and super cheap too. Definitely a must.
I've found it is worth spending more on a seam ripper. They're better quality, stay sharp longer, and much better for your hands and wrists!
My seam ripper will only be pried out of my cold dead hands.
As somebody who is in the middle of several projects of making a garment out of another garment I wholeheartedly concur! I must have ripped out about 150 meters of seams over the last three or four months and even with the seam ripper that is... a lot lol, I don't even want to imagine having to use a blade or scissors
Video Idea: Quarterly updates on your year of makedo. Like what have you made, repairded and what items have you decided after realising you had to make it that you no longer needed.
Most important tip for sewing: only buy stuff for a specific project. Know the project and buy the exact stuff you need. Furthermore, invest in good quality machine needles, good quality thread and have dedicated fabric scissors.
This! Do NOT buy an assortment of bad quality thread in all kinds of colors. Buy what you need in good quality!
Yes. Stash is over rated. And you will inevitably end up with some just from scraps, mistakes and old bedding. You won't be left without something to sew, not even if we ever have another lockdown.
My only issue with this is that I buy/receive most of my sewing supplies second hand. For me the project follows from the material I find. So I do have a stash of second hand fabric. However, always buy thread to match the project!
Yes! I have lots of boxes full of once newly bought fabric gathering dust, just because i thought they were nice looking fabrics and bought 2 or 3 meters of it thinking I would "figure out what to make of it later"...... Don't do it! Waste of your money and materials. By the time you think of a project for it, it usually just isn't enough fabric or something else wrong with it, and it just sits there for 20+ years....
I agree....however I love buying fabric 😂 90% of my fabric is from opshops and tip shops, I've got probably thousands of dollars now but probably spent max $200 AUD (and I have a wardrobe full!). I've only bought a few specific bits of fabric otherwise!
Honestly for as affordable as flexible measuring tape is, they are a necessity for me. I find them for $1 US or less in second hand shops and I like to keep one in my purse to measure clothes especially with second hand stores having closed changing rooms. I do appreciate the point of using yarn or string and a measuring tape though.
Hi, I'm a ladys tailor and I mostly agree with this list for the absolute beginners! It's really interesting to me to see it broken down like this. I can barely remember how I started but had all the supplies from my mum. AND that is a tip I want to add: Ask people if they have sewing supplies they don't need. I have gotten tools, notions, fabrics and interfacing, lining fabrics and even an ironing board from several little old ladys who weren't able to sew anymore and wanted their things to someone who can and want to use them.
the only thing I disagree with is the rotary cutter! That thing is a tool for weak wrists that cannot do a lot of cutting at once. My fabric scissors (very fancy and very good) are heavy and the motion can cause severe pain if you have to cut a lot of fabric. I find it a lot easier with the rotary cutter!
A lot of the tools you unhauled have specific uses that are indeed not meant for beginners or for casual sewists. That bothered me for years!
Thank you so much
I have had people giveing me sewing supplies off and on for years now. Last summer, my mom sent me a box with some of her things and my gandma's things, including grandma's wooden darning egg, and her magnet on a stick. Also my mom's excellent scissors. Mom died in March at 94. Most of my life I wore clothing that she made or I did. I still remember sgetting my first store bought dress, bought just for me, not a hand-me-down in 6th grade. I have also been blessed to do reviews of products for Amazon and I have so much sewing stuff now, Including I don't know how many spools of great thread., pins, ribbon, etc. I will never be able to use it all but I have a creative DIL and granddaughter as well as my cleaning lady is Mennonite and she sews.
Here to stand up for the pinking shears! They are the lazy way to finish your seams so your fabric doesn't fray, a straight cut won't work, especially for more delicate fabrics and sometimes I'm not arsed doing a zig-zag stitch the whole way down. Save yourself all that thread and just finish your seams with pinking shears 😄
Strong agree they save SO much time!
Seconded. I only use sewing scissors for stretch fabrics or non-fraying fabrics. Everything else I cut with pinking shears
If I'm working with a very fray-y fabric, I do all my cutting out with them too! It means the pieces behave themselves long enough to get them sewn and finished neatly.
Hmmm I've been considering pinking shears for years. So you really don't do a zigzag to finish a seam and it holds?
Agree! Depends on what fabrics you use and your preferred method of finishing but they are certainly a nice to have!
The pressing ham, and by extension the sleeve role ABSOLUTELY will elevate your sewing. Pressing, particularly in process pressing, makes home sewn garments look much "cleaner" and more professional. The point of pressing hams and sleeve roles is to actually SHAPE the seam and the garment while ppressing.
I don't have one, but I was thinking the same thing. I have a sleeve ironing board and have been managing with wrapping things around the narrow rounded edge of it, but a ham does look very useful. I just havent' made the jump.
A pressing ham is actually filled with sawdust, the ham needs to be firm, not squishy. One side is cotton canvas, and the other is wool. This is because of the different ways they absorb steam.
a magnetic bowl for your pins will change your life. Pin cushions are fiddly. To be fair, you don't NEED a sewing machine. You can hand sew things! I learned how to hand sew first when I was a kid because my mom hand sews quilts! Bernadette Banner has some really excellent videos explaining hand sewing. It certainly takes longer, but you can do anything (some might argue you can do more) with hand sewing as you could do with a machine.
I loove Bernadette Banner! And her videos made me realise how calming and precise handsewing can be. I love to finish seems by hand on the train or bus :P
I was thinking the same - Bernadette Banner would disagree!
The more hand sewing I do- the more I enjoy it… with the exception of long simple straight seams, I’ve actually found hand sewing to be sometimes quicker than messing with the machine to get the settings correct, or having to troubleshoot.
Pinking shears allow for the fabric to not unravel. It can be helpful with fiddly fabric-leading to: less repairs being needed, less work in finishing your seams, AKA time saved. But, as you said-not a necessity.
My mum always used an old dried out bar of soap to mark lines on fabrics before she sewn it. She always said soap with wash out instantly instead of a fancy marker pen 😂
That’s actually a genius idea. I am going to try this!
I just use a regular pencil. ^^
The Stitchery did a great video recently going through every possible sewing foot; she ranked them by usefulness
Yes, so informative, I loved that video!
Before sergers (or at least before I ever knew of them), I used pinking shears to finish seams in cotton garments, but yeah I never use them anymore.
Rotary cutters are really useful when working for really slippery fabric.
magnet on a stick is an essential when it comes to pins. saves your feet.
YES!
This!!! Also, considering wearing indoor shoes when sewing just to avoid any pin disasters 😅
I also do cardmaking and dropped a die on the floor yesterday. My fingernails are super short and I couldn't pick it up. Got out my magnetic stick, that had been my grandma's who died about 58 years ago, and presto the die jumped onto the stick and I had it picked up. I think I will keep it in my card making spot now.
So much peace of mind if you got little children and or pets
And if you have mobility issues and can't get down and up easily...
Sewing hampers, or baskets as we call them in the US, I see as for basic, quick, hand-mending. I have an entire sewing room, but I keep a sewing basket in my bedroom because that’s where I need basic supplies and a few basic colors of thread to replace a button, quickly fix a seam, stitch up a hole in a pocket, etc.
I LOVE my pinking shears. I do a lot of historical costuming, and I sew a lot by hand, so pinking shears are a MUST for me because it often means you don’t need to finish the seams. I think they are GREAT if you have a specific need for them, but for a beginner, they are not necessary.
Selecting projects that use beginner-friendly fabrics that will work with the beginner supplies you have available makes a world of difference. Jumping straight to knits, performance fabrics, silks, heavy denim, etc. really ups the difficulty even before trying to make do with a single pack 90-14 machine needles and a zigzag presser foot.
Best advice here in the comments for a beginner!
A note about machine needles for specific fabrics: I sewed for *many* years before I learned that tension problems (when the thread knots up under the fabric and jams everything) can be caused by the wrong type of needle or a dull needle!
So I fully agree with buying as you go, you can save a lot of frustration (and money on unnecessary machine repairs) by paying attention to your needles!
Hint from my mom who had several kids and would remake patterns in different sizes; instead of cutting your pattern to size, cut the largest size and then fold and pin to the size you currently want.
2:51 Pinking shears: when you want to cut a fabric that frays really easily, like brocade. I suggest borrowing a pair from someone if you find yourself sewing fabric that shreds into pieces before you can finish sewing a seam. I learned the hard way.
for light-medium coloured fabrics I use those pilot frixion pens - the ink disappears with any sort of heat and I already have them for writing anyway.
Frixion pens have been a game changer!!! I use them a lot for embroidery projects since tailor's chalk rubs off too quickly when handling.
I've had frixion pens show up pale after ironing them after using them on darker fabrics... so beware!
In the hand embroidery groups I'm in lots of people use the pens, and have had zero issues, but a lot of people have stopped using them because they showed up again. They disappear in the heat, yes, but they return with the cold! And over time the ink will discolour. This isn't super important if the marks are on the inside of clothing, but this does matter if they're visible under your embroidery stitches.
I prefer using a tailor's chalk mechanical pencil, or a very soft regular pencil. Both wash out, and both also disappear if you rub a little over the marks.
I agree with everything except the ironing board lol
I used the towels and iron on my table and my kitchen counters and it left permanent marks on both. So I would say just double check what the surface you're ironing on is made of and opt for an ironing board or similar if you're unsure.
So - not needed if you're confident you can safely iron on what you already own
Need this or a similar item if unsure or don't want to take the risk
Re: needles . I agree buying as you go makes sense, but it makes a world of difference to have the right size for your fabric weight and type ( woven vs knits)
Only came to the comment section to look for this comment. I found it to make a huge difference and they aren't even that expensive!
same with pins, are you going to sew silk or really fine fabric then silk pins are your friend
I only broke down and bought heavy duty denim needles after breaking 3 normal ones
Yesss! Thank you for saying what i was going to say
@@Dzaeli denim is a different beast, so many seams with 3/4 layers of thick fabric..
Markers: I bought a cheap box of Crayola washable markers and use those. They come in a lot of different colors, so they work for lots of different colors of fabric.
Seam rippers: Some "fancier" items of clothing will sew pockets shut to allow the piece of clothing to hang or lay flatter, so having a seam ripper would allow you to open up those pockets to be able to use much easier than anything else you might have laying around.
I use the washable markers constantly. They have replaced my chalk 99% of the time (unless I need to write on black- in which case chalk it is). I love them!
Great tip!!! Off to town to get some washable markers 🏃♀️➡️
I figured Crayola wouldn't sell fabric markers that were designed as washable, non staining that didn't work as promised. I used them, washed, dried then ironed the fabric to see if the markings came back. The final test was put the test samp!es in the deep freeze. They were a charm to use and much cheaper than what the fabric store sold to mark fabric.
I use a toolbox as my sewing storage. Works really well with the different compartments and they don't cost much.
okay this is actually genius
My mother got me a tackle box, it's about two decades old at this point, and the plastic has degraded. Everything near it (and in it) started to stink of melting plastic, so I ended up buying a wooden sewing box in the end. Both work great, but I have to admit a fondness for the wood (nostalgia for a time I never lived in and a lack of smell).
I use a small kid's toolbox, that my mum saved from going to the trash bin, when her friend decluttered. It works great and fits perfectly into my sewing cabinet. I also much prefer the rectangle compartments over the square ones sewing hampers usually have. There is one compartment on my toolbox that is just the right size for my fabric scissors.
Way back when I was married to my ex, anytime I came over in something I had made my MIL would haul out her 1# coffee can and talk about how she has everything she needs for sewing in it, blah blah blah. She was doing this to dis me and my homemade clothes and she would talk about how homemade tops the the seams would be hanging down, etc. While saying this she would be wearing mismatched socks, a top with the shoulder seams halfway to her elbows. she was obviously the epitomy of fashion! LOL She did everything she could to make me hate her.
I would say router cutters and mats are more for quilting and patterning clothes and I think a lot of the videos I’ve seen of yours for clothes are the ones that are more free form so for that they don’t make sense. As for pins- I recommend finding the longest thinnest ones you can with a large flat colorful head on them. Changed my sewing game so much!!!
Oh!! And vintage machines are amazing. Older machines that have been refurbished will work for you for a lifetime and probably your kids and their kids if you keep up the maintenance.
Re seam rippers: My mom (wartime kid) never threw away her machine needles or seam rippers. I learned since that both are to be replaced regularly because they loose their sharpness. I would not buy a fancy ripper every year unless I had hand trouble.
BTW: Evelyn Woods has a real mind blowing video about seam rippers and their little red ball!
Pattern weights are nothing more than metal washers. You can buy loads for cheap in any ironmongers/B&Q/Homebase.
If you are crafty and already have soft pastels - these are great for pattern marking.
If you do make a pin cushion, stuff a bit of a wire wool in the middle. It will sharpen your pins every time you put them in.
Flat magnets are usefull for SO. MANY. THINGS. while sewing.
I can't believe I didn't know about the magnet hem marker thingy. I know about a lot of hacks to mark your hem widths but a lot of them use tape that leaves glue residue behind that is a pain to remove
I’d absolutely say you need a pin cushion, but I’d suggest one you can attach to your wrist. ESP if you’re hand sewing. Because you will put down your needle, and it will disappear. You can make them pretty easy, just a big circle of fabric scrap, add fluff and a bit of elastic.
I used to sew in bed and had this awful habit of just stabbing my needle into my mattress or pillow 😅
@@helenm1085 I've done that lol then forget and wake up with a scratch across my face. I made myself a wrist one with a little magnet inside, so if I miss the cushion part it still sticks to it.
I think it's cost me all of about £1.30 to make, as I used a fridge magnet from the pound shop. And a scrap of elastic from haberdashery.
@@helenm1085oh I know that feeling. Or putting it on my clothing lol
@helenm1085 I‘m guilty of that, too! I also stick my needles flat like a pin in my clothes when I don’t have a cushion on hand. I TRY not to, because I know it’s risky but… it’s just so convenient 😅
Sewing ham: if you have curves and are planning on sewing things with darts, the ham will make a HUGE difference!
I can't imagine not having one!
Absolutely! Learning about ironing and pressing (yes, there's a difference) makes your garments looks just much more professional and clean!
I now understand why there's a saying in German about "ironing out" a mistake - there's so much that can be hidden by shaping the fabric with a careful press...
I love the videos by @EvelynWoods and by Bernadette Banner with her Swiss guest!
I have a pressing ham, a small board for sleeves and some homemade clappers and find them, if not essential, then very, very important.
Sewing hams & rolls are also not stuffed with just regular pillow stuffing. The good ones contain sawdust. There's something magic about the properties of wood to help set a seam.
HARD disagree about pinking shears! They mean you don't have to use an overlocker or zigzag the edge of your seams, plus it's a fun and cute part of the process!
I started looking into getting an overlocker after I was unhappy with my zigzag edges- I'd had one in the past but couldn't move with it so gave it away to a community group. They've gone up in price MASSIVELY in the 6 years since, so now I'm learning to do nicer seam finishes like a Hong Kong finish, binding with bias binding, flat felled seams, and French seams. Saves me £500 on a machine, lots of stress with threading an overlocker, and means I get to learn a new skill.
Not me over here internally SCREAMING because I have everything on the list except that last metal seam guide, and it just may be the thing that gets me to finally sew because my problem is I still haven't learned how to sew straight. This may very well change EVERYTHING for me.
A piece of masking tape or washi tape along the seam allowance is a good cheap substitute as it makes following the seam allowance a lot easier 😊
I was taught "kanten på pressarfoten på kanten på tyget" as a mantra for how to sew straight 😅
(Translation: the edge of the presser foot on the edge of the fabric)
This was in school, so I want you to imagine 20 9-year olds chanting 😂
I believe in you! some of it is genuinely just practice.
The machine sews straight for you
I don't think I personally agree with the "you dont need fancy thread" comment. I used to just sew with whatever hand-me-down thread was in my family sewing kit or what was in the DIY/craft sections at thrift stores but once I was introduced to good quality thread it was SUCH a life changing experience. Now I almost exclusively use gutterman cotton thread. I used to have major issues with thread breaking or tangling and knotting while I was using my sewing machine. After I used better thread those issues stopped entirely with literally no other factors changing other than the thread I was using. Sewing is so much more enjoyable to me when I'm not constantly wrestling with my project to cooperate, and now that I just dont ever have to deal with machine jams and thread breaks its also way less of a mentally draining hobby.
RE: Pinking Shears - It really depends on your fabric. If you sew a lot with fray prone fabric they can be a godsend. The zigzag shape prevents the fabric from fraying as much while you work with is and can save you a lot of headache. However, if you dont sew those kinds of fabrics, you might not need them as long as you are finishing your seems properly.
I'm a quilter and the cutting mat and rotary cutter are critical with straight cutting, plus a quilting ruler). Purely because there is just so much cutting! My problem is I don't change the blade enough. That said I did piece and then quilt my first quilt, for a queen size bed, entirely by hand! Time consuming, but kind of soothing.
I 100% agree with the statement that everyone should own a basic seam ripper! Outside of sewing I mostly use mine for removing itchy or outrageously big labels from clothing - many times labels are sewn onto the serged seam with a separate straight stitch, which means you can often remove them without a trace. No itchy pieces left!
However, I recently ‘splurged’ (8 euros or so) on a fancy seam ripper, and it made my sewing life SO MUCH BETTER. It has a rubber cap that clings to the ripped thread, so to remove all the little tiny pieces of thread you just rub the cap over them. Saves a lot of picking. Also, it is *actually* sharp, which saves both time and wrist / hand pain. To me, this is an item that’s definitely worth upgrading once you’re out of the ‘just trying it out’ phase.
I didn't know better seam rippers existed! It's going on my wishlist.
I use my tiny uncomfortable one all the time to rescue things like zippers, and I always get so annoyed doing it....
@@gulplastgaffel Mine is called Seam-Fix. It’s fantastic!!
Specific tools for specific tasks are only useful if you do that task regularly. This goes for most supplies really, things like very specialised presser feet for a sewing machine may seem ridiculous if you never do the thing it works for, but if you do do that thing often, a specific foot for a specific purpose can really help and make doing a project so much easier and faster. So while a beginner definitely does not need everything, it helps to consider what kind of project you are working on and which tools will work fine, which tools will work amazing, and which tools you don't need. You can always add to your supplies as you go.
As a tip, invest in quality things if you can afford to. For example, cheap pins have burs that tear satin fabrics, or delicate farbics like organza and chiffon, and leave holes. Ask me how I know. Cheap needles have burs inside the eye, which shred the thread as you sew. Good quality pins and needles glide through any fabric, bad ones tend to get stuck on the fabric and don't glide smoothly through. In my experience the cheap pins tend to have plastic heads, while the more expensive ones have glass heads. And the quality makes all the difference.
Pinking shears are so the cut doesn't fray. This is especially helpful for fabrics like satin that fray as you look at it. The zig zag doesn't completely stop the fraying completely, but it makes it so much easier to work with the fabric.
I know that historically unfinished seams on the inside of clothes were pinked to stop the fraying as well, and the ends of ribbons too.
If you work with fabrics that don't fray as much, or you finish your seams with a zig zag stitch, or a french seam, etc, then pinking shears are basically a novelty you don't really need.
A pin cushion makes sewing and taking the pins out as you go easier for me. I can just put them away without looking and without stabbing myself on a pile of needles in a bowl.
You can also buy table top iron boards with little legs, the steam/heat can go through the board, so you're not limited to a specific surface.
Unfortunately you can't always know whether or not you need a tool unless you try it out first.
I think if you want to do garment making, the rotary cutter and mat are not essential, but for patchwork sewing they are a must have.
Pinking shears are to cut fabric that frays easily, the zig-zag pattern helps to disrupt the weave of the fabric so that it doesn't fall apart whilst you're handling it, if you work with silks & satins or other similar fabrics then they are an essential, if not then they're an easy time-saving way to finish seams. And sewing hampers aren't a necessity but you can find them really cheap at secondhand stores most of the time, or you can make your first sewing project a 'huswif' or 'housewife', the historical version of a sewing kit/bag made from fabric, they're so much more useful than bags to store your sewing supplies as things don't get lost at the bottom of it! Also for sewing machines I highly recommend buying antique hand-turned sewing machines, both of mine cost £10 from charity shops and are infinitely more reliable than my electric modern ones- things were made to last back then, and they're so much prettier too!
Highly recommend getting a magnetic pincushion which you can hover over the ground and pick up all the dropped pins instead of searching. Also, for me the rotary cutter is essential for cutting knits smoothly and for fabrics that tend to shift around a lot.
Re the bobble pins - go for glass head rather than plastic as you can iron over the pins without melting, the seam reaper is also great for getting dog hair out of the vacuum cleaner, for thread storage I made a thread holder out of an old picture frame, piece of wood and a load of screws and hang that on the wall (better that digging through a drawer to find the thread you need) and I made a tailors clapper out of a small leftover offcut of butchers block - it’s brilliant for getting seams flat (it’s the next stage after the tailors ham) I supposed that my top tip is that stuff can be repurposed 😀
I’ve been sewing for years and have plastic pins and have never had the problem of ironing over them 😂 if you pin perpendicular to the seam with the plastic ends on the outside then they’re really easy to avoid. I would say that I have some of the cheap supermarket pins but they’re really thick so if you’re sewing a slightly delicate fabric or one where holes will be more obvious I’d get some thinner pins
Was buying pins off amazon and saw one of the dumbest rating. They gave four out of five stars because the pins were too sharp. I will take sharp pins over dull anyday
11:25 needle threaders are also something I inherited from my great grandmother seamstress…
How? I am so jealous! I have broken every needle threader I have ever inherited or purchased. I must be doing it wrong lol.
I will never give up my rotary cutter or pattern weights! Like you've said about the seam guide, these items literally change my sewing game
Try using a high B pencil for marking fabric. If you're creative and draw, you probably have 4b pencil or higher. It's completely washable and usable in other situations. 8 B is my favourite for fabrics.
Oooh, I will try this!
I don’t really comment often, but I wanted to share that you made me discover my love for sewing! Tried a couple of classes earlier this year, and now I can make my own (a little dodgy) clothing 🤯Thanks for all the sewing content!
If you are a beginner sewist and you want to start quilting, though, omfg, the rotary cutter, mat and acrylic ruler are totally worth it. Almost all starter quilting techniques are about straight lines, so it's easier than a dress pattern to use a rotary, but they also need so many squares or triangles or strips that it's a different conversation for quilting.
Number 1: Shoeboxes also are a good start. (My great grandma a professional bespoke seamstress used them to store her threads since I can remember and I still use her old shoe boxes for it - rip Oma ❤)
Or odds are you already have some storage option sitting around unused or filled with stuff you wanted to declutter ages ago
I'm really glad you mentioned picking up things along the way - sewing is not like cooking, where you need to have all your ingredients on hand before you can start. You can start with the absolute bare minimum to complete (or even just to begin) your first project. You'll learn as you go what needs to be on your sewing wish list, instead of buying a whole bunch of stuff ahead of time you might never use.
I've been using a rolled-up towel as a makeshift pressing ham - it works ok, but I'm learning that I do probably want to get one eventually because it keeps coming up with the projects I'm choosing.
A counter point to thread snippers: most sewing machines have a thread cutter build in. It's a groove on the side with a blade in. You might not notice it at first because its unassuming but very handy.
My machine has it build in, too, and as I started sewing I often used it. Now I‘that ve been sewing for a long time I rarely use it but use snippers (best because of how easy and fast) or scissors. That is because the built-in cutter leaves about a centimetre (~half an inch) of thread unless I’m really fiddly with it. It didn’t bother me when I started but now it does. And if I have to fiddle with the cutter to get the desired neatness I can just grab the snips really fast.
Re: rotary cutter, it's so useful for knits and cutting bias tape. As for the seam guide I just use tape on my machine's sewing plate
The first time I bought a fabric marker was when I was sewing my wedding dress and chalk turned out to be a bad choice for delicate, white fabrics. I bought one of those markers that disappear when wet. It was on the pricey side, worked terribly (they didn't pair well with my sweaty hands) and dried up mid-project.
Recently I noticed a set of kids felt tip pens among my art supplies. It had a "machine washable" sign on the box. Turns out they work really well as fabric markers. I've had them for over five years and they're not dry. I'm sure they're not suitable for all fabrics, and I would always advise anyone to do a test before using them, but for now I love them.
12:15 I actually used biro when making my wedding dress and it was fine since it came out in the wash. Washable felt tip pens are also great. If in any doubt, make a mark on the fabric before you pre-wash and check afterwards.
I grow up seeing seamsters around me using piece of soap as a fabric marker. You justneed one that is thin enough that it will give you precision but still sturdy enough to not snop from little pressure. In my childhood it was the small pive of soap that was left after being used and was going to be thrown away ( i grew up in post soviet country with limited resources )
Rotary cutters are required for quilters, less so for garment sewists.
I keep a magnet on my sewing machine for pins. As I take them out while sewing, I throw them in the general direction of the magnet and it 'grabs' them.
Tool boxes and fishing tackle boxes make great sewing kits.
11:37 It’s possible that someone’s already said this in the comments, but I like to use a butter knife or something to sharpen a bar of soap and use that for marking. Tiny soaps from hotels are sometimes already squared off on the edges, so they don’t even need sharpening! I also like the little hand stitches-tailors tacks maybe?-where you sew through the fabric where the pattern indicates placement for darts where to set sleeves or other things. If you have double layers of fabric, you carefully cut the threads in between the two layers. The threads sometimes slip out, but usually it’s quite effective
The stitch is called a basting stitch, and the acting is called basting. 😊 I never do it because it takes a lot of time to stitch and it takes even longer to take the loose bits of thread out. 😁
I Love buying sewing notions 🙈 so I have a lot useful and not useful things.
I love pins and hardly ever use clips. They are mostly too bulky for me. But i only use high quality pins. Which mean spending 7-8€ for a box instead of 1€. I love the long prym pins with yellow glass head. It makes such a big difference. Cheap pins are the worst imo. They are too short and too thick and don’t glide through the fabric like the expensive ones do.
And I use a magnetic pin cushion which I love.
I use the rotary cutter mostly for quilting not sewing clothes. But if I sew a very slippery fabric it’s good to cut out with a rotary cutter and a mat.
As someone who has melted a plastic pin head or two while ironing...totally agree, pins with glass heads are so worth it.
A seam ripper is SUCH a life saver!
Especially when I was doing my first project, I made so many mistakes and using the seam ripper would help me get through much faster than if I had to do it with needles/scissors/my tears hahaha
My seam ripper comes with a lid and a rubber end which you can use to rub the thread after ripping to help it come out of the fabric!
Super helpful!
Contraversial, but I'm going to un-unhaul the washable fabric marker and unhaul the magnetic seam guide and tailors chalk! I find it way easier to neatly draw around my pattern than to neatly cut it, so I always draw my sewing lines (which means you might need to draw twice if your pattern has seam allowance built in) and then cut vaguely around them! A pen to get accurate markings that I can remove from the fabric after is essential for this method and my sewing improved 10000% as soon as I gave up on cutting neatly and just started marking sew lines instead!
I wanna add that the machine needles are important! as in there are different needles that work for different machines. I didn't discover this until recently that my needles kept breaking, turns out it was the wrong needle for my machine, so just check that it's recommended for your model. I just asked the clerk at the sewing store.
Marking fabric - I love the friction erase pens on sturdy weave fabrics! everything goes away when you iron. Really handy if you're tracing a pattern onto fabric to embroider - much more accurate than chalk.
I use them for cotton's and sturdy weaves, leaving chalks for fluffier fabrics like wool/velvet.
Beware of the friction pens, they can discolor certain fabrics permanently only visible once ironed. Always do a patch test just to be sure.
I usually stick to chalks and soap. If you sharpen them, they definitely can be even more accurate than friction pens (i find them a bit thick for my taste). Wax based chalk and soap translate beautifully onto sturdy weaves, clay based ones are better for wools.
Either way the friction erase pens are still very good for beginners and if you want to make something over a period of time, because chalk is more easy to erase with just a brush.
my 5 cents:
* there is a reason why older generations used large tins for their sewing things, they work fine
* if you have kids you might have washable crayola markers laying around . I only use them to mark cotton fabrics in lighter colors
* I use hand gauge a lot. Very cheap and handy
* use good thread. If your sewing machine freaks out, crappy thread is often to blame
* if you use your sewing machine heavily, take it once a year or every other year to maintenance. If it's cleaned, tuned and oiled regularly it runs better and you prolong it's lifetime. Same if you buy used machine, that should be the first thing you do
I 100% recommend a magnetic pin tray over a pin cushion. I own both, but I use my pincushion for slow hand embroidery projects. When at the sewing machine, it's faster to pull out pins as you go and drop them on the magnet tray without having to double check where they went. Then you can sweep the magnet over the surface you are using to catch any lost ones. And I just keep the pins on the magnetic tray to use them as needed.
I have a whole bunch of sewing knick knack because I've been sewing and quilting for years, but whenever a friend wants to get into sewing, I tell them to borrow their mom's or grandma's machine and buy some thread, fabric shears and a seam ripper. Everything else is superfluous and there's no need to spend your hard-earned money before you know you're ready to commit to the hobby.
If you do get a soft measuring tape you can get retractable ones for fairly cheap - I absolutely loathe the loose ones !
If you wanna invest in The Good Stuff as a beginner, here's where I recommend putting your focus:
- Needles. Especially hand-sewing needles, get the fancy John James, Bohin or Tulip ones. Go for 'Betweens' in a range of sizes. Seriously, upgrading your hand sewing needles is probably the biggest upgrade you can make from beginner/cheap products to investing in The Good Stuff (and it's not even that expensive, like maybe $5 for the fancy ones)
- Pins. Go for glass-headed silk pins. Glass = it won't melt when you iron over it. Silk pin = finer and sharper, works for more kinds of fabric.
- Scissors. Sharp fabric scissors are ESSENTIAL.
- Seam Ripper. It's worth paying the extra money for a fancy sharp seam ripper like Leena's. Dull cheap seam rippers are rage inducing.
- Thread. Cheap thread is a pain in the butt to sew with, and can cause tension issues in your machine (and your emotions lol). Be careful with thrift store/secondhand thread, as it can lose strength over time. (If you can snap thread without hurting your hands, don't sew with it.) Invest in good-quality thread like Mettler, Gutermann or Coats & Clark, it'll save you headaches and make your garments last longer.
Clover is a good brand overall for pins, needles, and stitch rippers.
Pattern weights are also great for drawing seam allowances !!! You line up the edge of the pattern weight with a hard ruler and roll it across with your marker. But also, you could use any hardware store washers - and also there are lots of easy ways to mark seam allowance!
pin cushions are amazing if you stuff them with sand. it keeps your pins and needles sharp. they also stay put when you grab a pin because they have weight. love them!
I use a toiletry bag for my watercolor, plein air kit, and another for sewing kit. I found a really pretty one for each and they are better.
Yeah, the quilting rotary cutter and cutting mat are only needed for acrylic rulers, that’s what hold them steady. For hand cutting, I still use X-acto and scissors. I do quilt so I have 5 rotary cutters in duplicate and different sizes.
Cutting mat I need, I use due to X-act knife and rotary cutter.
Wish I’d learned this when I first started sewing. I had to buy every notion, pattern, fabric… I wasted so much money! A couple of years ago i decluttered an obscene amount of sewing supplies! Something I always tell my audience- your home is not a storage box!
Thank you Leena for this! I would advise strongly against buying the bobbin thread set because, as it turns out, each machine uses a specific size bobbin and those ‘universal’ ones won’t save you time, they only give you agony! Just get some extra bobbins the are for your machine, and wind the thread you’re using for the project onto them as needed. Speaking from experience. Save yourselves! 😅
I think it is worthwhile spending the money on a good seam ripper. I've used small cheap ones in the past but recently bought the Seam-Fix brand( here in Australia, I think it is also sold in Europe) It is larger making it comfortable to hold and an added bonus is that the cap is silicone which you use to pull along where you have just unpicked to gather up all the little bits of thread. Very well designed.
Great tips! My 2¢.... 1)No chalk? Use a tiny sliver of a soap bar that's at the end of its life. 2) A smaller, 28 mm, rotary cutter is easier for me to cut out patterns. 3) Having a wrist pin cushion is a must-have time-saving item for me. I make them, putting a small bit of flexible plastic sheet on the bottom so the pins can't push through and poke me. Clear plastic packaging, like deli containers, work well. Then attach to elastic.
Magnet for pins, you can sometimes use it as a pattern weight, but it also helps you find those lost pins!
Pinking shears are a great finishing tool for anything that will fray, so if you're nervous about finishing starting out, simply pinking the edges instead of learning things like French seams or overlocking, those can be a game changer for people. I don't personally use them, but I know someone who swears she'd never have learned to sew if she hadn't been given that tool starting off, so results may vary on this one.
But... the sewing machine, that's one that cracks me up because... I'm a handsewist! Given my options, I sew by hand. It's way slower, yes, but I absolutely love it. For all of my experience sewing (on and off for years, but steadily from 2020 on), I'm just now deciding to invest in a sewing machine. It can also drastically reduce your starting costs, if hand sewing is your thing (not everyone loves it, so that's also fair if you don't.)
Also, rotary cutters and sewing clips were made for quilting, so it makes it much less of a learning curve if all you've got to do is cut through a couple of inches dozens and dozens of times. I hadn't discovered either until I discovered quilting, and honestly, I think the rotary cutter I wouldn't use otherwise. Regular shears are fine.
idk if it's because I learned to sew from my mom who taught me how to hand sew long before she thought I was worthy of the sewing machine but my one absolute non-essential item is the sewing machine. yeah, it will take about 3 times longer to finish anything but I don't mind it. And even to this day, whenever a pattern gets complicated, I always just switch to hand-sewing. as long as you baste your pieces before committing to sewing, you don't make too many mistakes
Also good to note that if you have a sewing machine, it will (or should) come with a little bag of bits and bobs, like how you said machine needles will come with it, and one of them is a little brush for getting rid of dust and lint from clogging up your machine, and most of them have a seam ripper in the handle of those wee brushes, so again, not a necessity (although admittedly I have several dotted around my work space 😂)
Also, fancy markers make it so much easier to sew darts! I draw the dart on the fabric and then pin, and it makes sewing a straight line so much easier!
Things I own and don’t use as an experienced sewist who makes my own patterns - a dress form. Pinking shears. Rotary cutter and cutting mat. I have more than that but so far I am 100% with Leena!
I am a quilter.
I use both pinking shears. I trim the cut edges of my fabric before washing to prevent fraying. I buy a lot of fat quarters so the fabric is 18"×22".
I also use a rotary cutter but there are a lot of straight cuts in quilting. Where when I am using scissors I can only cut one square out at a time but with the rotary cutter I can cut multiples at a time and the cuts are straighter and faster to cut.
While a of regular pin cushion isn't necessary, I'd highly recommend magnetic pin cushion. If you drop a pin and can't find it, just wave the magnetic pin cushion around the floor and you'll quickly find it! I once accidentally bought pins without heads and they spilled as soon as I opened the package, and it definitely saved me from 30 minutes of picking them up and poking my feet! It's also a hassle free way to store pins too!
A rotary cutter is actually really good for more slippery fabrics. I am left handed and it makes it a little easier for me to work with certain fabrics. Also, get pins with the glass heads! They don't melt when you iron over them.
I like the rotary cutter for making bindings, thats about it! And im an architect, so i already had a cutting mat 😊
Ok just to argue a bit I don’t sew but I can’t live without my soft tape measure. I use it for measuring ME which changes and it’s so much easier than trying to find non stretchy string that can hold taut and then making sure you measure it perfectly against. It’s also so much more convenient to take with you to the store for supplies or if you like buying vintage. It also measures around curves the first time so much easier. Just my thoughts and they’re cheap too!
Pinking shears are fabulous for trimming seam allowances along curves. I just recently discovered the joy of use pinking shears on curves. It was a game changer for me!
In place of a pin cushion, consider a pin magnet - they're also used in offices to hold paper clips - the advantage is that when you drop a pin on the floor, you can use the magnet to find and retrieve the pin
I love that you started with the hamper thingy, because I not only don't have one, but I store all my sewing things in the classic "grandma metal box" (not a cookie box, sadly, that would be perfect thematically) which I inherited from my mom when she gifted me my sewing machine hahahaha, which I think is perfect for the whole trying to DIY part of the hobby if that makes sense (but you did give me an incredible idea with the makeup/troiletry bag and all the little pockets, hmm).
The pinsing shears I used from time to time for fabric that tends to fray. It's not a really big difference but it comes in handy sometimes. And the real necessity I now have is the magnetic side thingy; I've seen them before but I forgot about them but they seem SO useful!!!
Keep in mind, it all depends on your sewing hobby. Pinking sheers, rotary cutter, and mat are necessary if you’re a quilter. Pins are a necessity for precision work.
Be careful with old thread ! It can rot and therefore be completely useless. 😢 I inherited a lot of thread thinking it was amazing but alot of them are not sturdy anymore and would snap at any amount of pressure
The measuring tape is useful because it won't dig into our soft bits the way a thin piece of string or yarn would. The surface tension makes it easier to pull taut, while still getting the correct measurement.
Also, if you're taking more than one measurement, I don't see how a measuring tape would not be the most efficient and accurate way.
Pinking shears are an essential in my kit!!!! I absolutely loathe when a tutorial says overlock or zig zag stitch the raw edges, i don't have an overlocker and cannot be bothered to zig zag. I love the way pinked hems look on the inside of a garment too :)
I am however on your side with the seam allowance magnet, love mine
I got to say I absolutely love my rotary cutter, I got mine from my grandma and from an environmental point of view you can just replace the blade if they rust or go dule. They can also be better for hand fatigue if you do have some type of mobility issue or chronic fatigue syndrome.
They do also sell blade sharpeners for scissors apparently, so if they do go dule they can be sharpened.
Some of these are very useful for quilting (pinking shears, rotary cutter, mat)!
I wanna share my thoughts on some of them cause I've been sewing for almost 2 decades no. And as a beginner in something i always like different perspectives and reasonings to find out what fits for me so here i go:
-Rotary cutter is very useful if you quilt and need a bunch of precise squares or have a bunch of straight edged pieces that you can cut along a ruler, otherwise you don't need it!
-I own sewing clips but I'd say they are not essential pins work totally fine and i often default to pins anyway. I'd put it in the nice to have but you don't need them to start sewing category.
-needle threading comes with practice. I have never had a needle threader but since they are super cheap I'd get one if i was as a beginner again.
-A measuring tape while can be avoided by you method is super useful and i would definitely get one as a beginner cause they're cheap and take up very little space.
-you don't need a sewing machine if you like hand sewing, you can make stable clean seams by hand it just takes very long
Also you might not believe it just like everyone of us in the beginning of our sewing journeys ... but an iron is in fact an essential T_T
I would add, if you want a sewing machine, do not get a child's sewing machine. I have never seen one that actually worked the way it was supposed to, (I was in retail for over 30 years.) If I had a customer come in the big box store and wanted a toy sewing machine, I would ask how old was the child who wanted it. I would usually steer them towards the least expensive in one of the lines of sewing machines that we sold. It is usually easier to get replacement pieces like needles for it, and you can get it repaired. The best sewing machine for a beginner can be a hand me down one, or even a thrifted one. Also, I found that the only stitches that I used on a regular basis is a straight stich, a zig zag, and button hole. I only used the "fancy" stitches when I was playing around with the machine.
My mom gifted me a vintage sewing box last year for my birthday. I love it, I'm so happy I had it. It is beautiful.
After 20 years of sewing I'd have never ever bought one myself.
Thanks!
I regularly use both pins and clips! The clips are great for thicker things and also for edges and things that could move when pinned.
I do use my rotary cutter a lot but for cutting through multiple thicknesses and straight lines. I cut heaps of mats and totes for a charity sewing group and that saves me a lot of time especially when the fabric doesn’t like being ripped.
i love drawing on fabric actually. My personal favourite is a sharpened watercolour pencil (Stabilo ones specifically). They're really cheap, really precise, and you can use different colours on different colour fabrics. Only thing, the lead is very brittle, so you need a makeup pencil sharpener or to use the bigger hole of a normal two-hole sharpener.
Having been a casual sewer since I was a wee lass, I agree with you on all these but also OH MY GOSH how have I never seen this magical magnetic seam guide before I NEED ONE IMMEDIATELY