Sewing has become quite a delightful hobby for me. I have learned how to sew my own napkins, tea towels, tablecloths, and have even dabbled in the craft of sewing my own dresses.
To accomplish any of these projects, I needed these sewing essentials. Yes, this list is directed towards beginners, but honestly, unless you are in to sewing super advanced stuff that need unique sewing tools, you can get by for many years if not forever with these basic sewing tools.
The sewing essentials listed here are the exact ones that I ordered and love to use for myself or are very similar. The sewing machine I bought did come with a few bobbins and such, so there were some things that I still have not needed to buy.
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Sewing Essentials for Beginners
Sewing Machine
There are three places that I recommend to look for a sewing machine.
Used. Check with friends and family. Ask around and see if people you know have a sewing machine that they want to sell or pass on.
Refurbished. Look online for a refurbished machine. This is actually were I found mine. I got a heavy duty Singer machine that was refurbished for $200 on Walmart.com.
New. If I had to do it all over again though, I would probably just buy a new full size Brother sewing machine from Walmart. There is nothing fancy about it, but it has all the necessary basic features that a beginner seamstress would use and machine cost less than $100.
Bobbins
Sometimes, a few sewing accessories come with whatever machine you buy, but if it doesn’t, you are going to need some bobbins.
These are little round spools that are used to wound thread on. You will need several on hand because you will need a different one every time you use a different color thread.
Sewing Machine Needles
My machine came with needles and I have yet to need to replace one. The typical side needle is 90/14, but you can also buy a set of universal needles with a range of needles if you are going to be sewing on all kinds of fabric.
I pretty much only sew on cotton so a 90/14 works great for me. Make sure whatever needles you do buy are made to fit in your brand of sewing machine.
Thread
Starting out, only buy a spool of white, black, and navy thread. If you buy a set of spools, you are undoubtedly going to end up with different colors of thread that you won’t use.
I would start your collection of thread with the basic three and build on it with each sewing project you do. Each fabric you sew with will require a certain corresponding color of thread in order to blend in. I typically pick out my fabric and then find the thread that matches it the best.
Some patterned fabric work fine with white so I make sure that I always have at least a spool of white on hand, if not some black and navy, too.
Pins
Sewing pins are used to hold pieces of fabric together to make sewing easier. I’ve seen people using cute little clips, too. You will use these a lot so make sure you have a set on hand.
It will come in handy to have a pin cushion on hand so you can pick up the pins easier as you work on your projects. Growing up my mom had the standard tomato and strawberry pin cushion. The tomato is for sticking your pins in and the strawberry is for sharpening your pins.
There are all kinds of cute pin cushions though from floral ones that go around your wrist to little hedgehogs. Take your pick!
Seam Ripper
When it comes to sewing, a seam ripper is your best friend. Unfortunately, we all make mistakes while sewing and have to remove seams and start again.
Scissors
There are all kinds of scissors, but as a beginner seamstress, you honestly only need one pair of nice straight edge scissors and a pair of embroidery scissors.
You should invest in a nice pair of scissors for cutting fabric from the get go to avoid the unnecessary frustration of cheap scissors that dull easily and don’t cut nicely. Trust me, it’s worth it to spend a little more and get a good pair. Usually the good ones are all metal, a little more hefty, and only about $15.
I use the bigger pair of scissors for cutting fabric, but I find it more pleasant to use a pair of small embroidery scissors to trim threads and do other small cuts like for a felled seam. I love the cute vintage pair I received one Christmas.
You don’t have to get a pretty pair, but why not choose a beautiful pair while you are at? It doesn’t cost that much more than a regular pair.
Measuring Tape
This is absolutely necessary to have. A measuring tape is very handy for taking your own measurements and also measuring fabric.
You may also find it useful to have a ruler or straight edge handy to have for drawing straight lines for cutting fabric and for drawing guide lines to make sewing easier. You could get an actual sewing ruler, but a regular ruler works just as well.
Fabric Marker/Chalk
Basically, what you need is something to mark fabric with, but that isn’t permanent and will come out of when you wash it. There a lot of things that you can get…
There are all kinds of cool stuff out there, but to be honest, I just use a mechanical pencil and it works great! A regular pencil works too, but I find that a mechanical one marks fabric better without having to go over it to many times.
Sewing Basket
After you have gathered all the necessary paraphernalia, you need something cute to put it all in. There are all kinds of pretty baskets like this pretty floral sewing basket. It would make a great Christmas gift idea, too.
I once saw a vintage sewing basket at an antique store, and if it wasn’t being sold for $100, I would have bought it. It reminded me of a vintage picnic basket the way the two lids flipped up. It was so cute, but way too expensive!
Final Thoughts!
There are quite a few odds and ends to collect when it comes to learning how to sew, but you don’t need everything everybody says you need. You only need a handful of sewing essentials.
This list of sewing essentials for beginners is what I use every time I work on a sewing project wether its sewing napkins, adding a ruffle to something, or even drafting my own patterns. These are my go to tools that help me create and sew all kinds of projects around my house.
I have embraced the idea of creating a handmade home and learning the trade of a seamstress. These are the things that I have learned to be absolutely necessary so far in my journey in sewing.
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