11 Basic Sewing Supplies Every Beginner Needs to Get Their Sew On!
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Do you sew? If you don’t and are interested in learning, I want to share some of my favorite sewing supplies that every beginner needs!
I started sewing by hand when I was about 6. Then, finally, after a couple of years of begging my mother, she started to teach me how to sew on her trust old singer that you ran with your knee!
When I was about 12, my grandfather lovingly bought me an antique sewing machine of my very own. I started sewing Barbie clothes and never looked back!
When I graduated from college, my parents bought me my very own Elna which I used to sew my graduation dress and many others after! That machine finally gave out and couldn’t be repaired right when Brendan was born. That when I bought my current machine, a Baby Lock.
I was so excited to get this machine, which cost about $400 at the time. It had so many stitches and I was thrilled! I used it to sew loads of smocked baby outfits, and even got into sewing for the public a little bit!
Here is a little linen sailor suit I made for little Morgan.
Smocked Mischievous Monkeys Jon-Jon – one of my favs!
A silk dupioni smocked flower girl dress with entredeux, lace and pin-tucked panels at the bottom of the dress. This was probably the most complicated piece I ever did.
Honestly, this maternity bridesmaid dress was probably the most daring thing I’ve ever tried to do. I must have been a little bit crazy seeing as how I had never made anything without a pattern before. I made the pattern myself going off of the dress of the bride’s sister! Thankfully, it fit her well and looked pretty much like the ones the other girls ordered!
This is my favorite apron to make! And a great piece to being with.
And here is an Heirloom Bread towel with entredeux lace that I made as a gift.
Gosh, there is something about sewing that really makes me feel the most like who I was ever really supposed to be. I have my mom and my grandfather to thank for giving me such a gift!
And you can have that gift, too! I hate to hear someone say that they could “never sew”. Because if you truly have the desire, I firmly believe that you can do it!
And here are some simple, but important tools that I love to get you on your way to becoming a fantastic sewer!
Sewing Supplies for the Beginner
1. A great pair of scissors
I love my Gingher Dressmaker’s Shears.
I bought them about 14 years ago and they are still fantastic! I’ll probably never have to buy another pair again.. unless I lose them.
One thing to note, hide them so no one ever mistakes them for paper cutting scissors! Cutting anything other than fabric is a sure way to ruin them quickly! My mom used to go nuts if she found us using her sewing scissors for a school project. Now I understand why! lol!
2. Thread Snips
These little quick biting scissors are perfect for snipping your thread when you finish sewing a seam. They are a quick and easy way to cut your thread and you don’t have to pick up your full size shears!
And they are so sharp, they are great for cutting small notches. Anything you need precise snips for!
3. Seam rippers
Yes. You are definitely going to need a good seam ripper! Even as much as I have sewed throughout my life, I still totally mess up. I’ve had to rip out seams that I swore I sewed correctly. It’s just a part of sewing.
Also, you need them to cut the hole for a button hole. Very important!
This singer one is all you really need. I’ve had mine for years and years and years and it is still going strong.
4. Needles
You can just start out with a pack of basic sewing needles. You will probably just need the sharps to start out with, but the embroidery, tapestry and darners may come in handy down the road!
It’s really good to have a variety of needles so you have them if you come across a project that calls for something other than a sharp.
5. Pins
I love the glass ball headed pins best. They are heat resistant should you need to iron over your pins or forget and leave a pin in your seam when you go to iron it!
6. Pin Magnet
You might think you need a pin cushion. But what you really want to get is a Pin Magnet! Because when you drop pins on the floor, as you invariably will, having a pin magnet comes in really, really handy. Sure get a cushion if you want, but make sure you have a pin magnet first! I bet you’ll soon put that cushion in the drawer!
7. Sewing Gauge
This little sewing ruler is my little best friend! It has a making slide on it that makes it easy to mark hems, tucks, pleats and buttonholes. I remember using this even when I was very little and my mom was teaching me to sew. It is a must have!
8. Omnigrip Quilting Ruler
So, I don’t really quilt, but I adore this Omnigrip ruler!
I use it so much because it is clear and I can see the edge of my fabric if I’m trying to mark a longer seam or a more complicated job. I couldn’t sew without it.
9. Disappearing Marking pens
These disappearing marking pens are a real life saver! You will have things to mark on your fabric and using a water soluble marking pen is the best way to do it. I use them for shadow embroidery as well. When you are done with your project, just rinse out the marks with cold water.
I remember growing up without them and having to use pins to mark things. Not so user friendly, yo.
10. A great iron
I love my Rowenta iron! Having a high quality iron will make all the difference when you go to press your seams. Now to be honest, I used a cheapo iron from Walmart until I bought this Rowenta. And I paid way more for it a few years ago that the one I am linking to on Amazon.
Wow. What a deal!
11. Ironing hams
Last but not least? Ironing hams. Honestly, you need these just for ironing! I don’t really iron a ton outside of sewing, but when I need to press something that has a curve in it like a shirt sleeve, I grab one of my hams. I can’t imagine what I did before I finally broke down and bought these a few years ago!
What about sewing machines, you ask?
I’ve ever only using my mom’s Singer, My Elna and now my Baby Lock and they were all great machines. If I were just starting out, I would probably go with a basic model of one of those brands. All you reeeeallly need is a machine that will straight stitch, zigzag and reverse stitch. You don’t need a machine with lots of decorative stitches and embroidery options. They are expensive and you probably won’t use anything too complicated to get you started.
Just stick with a major brand and you’ll be fine!
I hope you enjoy getting started building your sewing arsenal. There are lots of things that you will collect over time, but these are, in my opinion, the most important basic sewing supplies every beginner must have!
Needs some simple sewing ideas to get you started?
Try these 8 Great Sewing Projects for the Absolute Beginner!
xoxo
Gwen
P.S. Have any questions or other great sewing supply suggestions? Leave me a comment on the FB post below and let me know!
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