Sewing Notions that Every Sewer Needs
There are certain tools that every sewer needs. Here are sewing notions that every sewer needs.
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During my time in isolation, I am doing a lot of sewing. In fact, I’m pretty much doing some sort of sewing almost every day. It ranges from masks and headbands to donate, to athletic wear and dresses. I am going through my stash of fabric and patterns and sewing everything up.
I’m not talking about sewing machines or sergers. To some extent, that’s a pretty personal decision. I’m talking about the everyday little things needed to help in the sewing process.
Sewing every day really showed me which sewing notions I used either regularly or were just really crucial to my everyday sewing.
So here I am going to share with you the sewing notions that every sewer needs. I’ve narrowed it down to 15 items. Some of them go hand in hand – you can’t have one without the other. Some of these may surprise you.
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Sewing Notions that Every Sewer Needs.
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- Good sewing scissors. I have a number of sewing scissors, but 2 are my favourite. They are my mother’s old sewing scissors that I don’t even know the brand of and my Kai dressmaking shears. What I love about these scissors is that they cut anything and are light. I have some Gingher scissors as well but I find them heavier and so when cutting out a big pattern, my hand gets tired easily. Take good care of your scissors – only use them for fabric! You can take them in to get sharpened to prolong their life. My local sewing machine store also sharpens scissors.
- Thread snips. Cutting the threads from your machine when you are done sewing is constant. Many machines have built-in cutters but I prefer using my thread snips. These snips are also great for trimming those little ends. I have multiple as I keep one next to each machine.
- Sharp little scissors. Sometimes the big sewing scissors are too big. This is when you want good little scissors. I really like Kai embroidery scissors. I tend to use them to trim excess fabric after I’ve hemmed. It makes the hem look neater. You need something small and sharp for this job.
- Rotary cutter. Many use a rotary cutter instead of sewing scissors – I use both. I use a rotary cutter for smaller jobs as it gives a nice, smooth finish. I have 2 sizes – both big and small. The big one is great for cutting long strips of fabric while the small one is great for pattern pieces with tight curves.
- Cutting mat. If you have a rotary cutter, you’ll need a cutting mat. Get the biggest you can afford and have room for. My mat isn’t very big, which is why I only use my rotary cutter for smaller pieces. I dream of one day having a big cutting/layout table that would have a huge cutting mat on it.
- Clips. When I first discovered these, I couldn’t believe I sewed for years without them. Many quilters use these. I don’t like working with pins as I always manage to poke myself. Clips are non-directional – meaning it doesn’t matter if you’ve clipped on the top or the bottom because you can flip it easily. I always managed to pin things on the underside for some reason. I wasn’t thinking about the alignment with my sewing machine. Get lots of clips. Since they are plastic, they do break. I also like to clip a bunch of pieces together so I can sew all at once.
- Pattern Weights. Did I mention I don’t like using pins? Pattern weights make it so much easier. They don’t need to be fancy. You’ll see that I use washers for my pattern weights. They’re not pretty but they do the job.
- Seam rippers. We all make mistakes and we all need to rip out a seam sometimes. Get a few – I always seem to misplace mine. So it’s good to have a few around. The thread snips or small sharp scissors make work, but a seam ripper was literally designed for this job and so it is much easier to use.
- Sewing gauge. If you sew anything that has a hem, you’ll want a sewing gauge. Sure I’ve been known to eyeball it from time to time, but a gauge is handy to make sure your hem width is consistent. This is especially handy when working with a curved hem.
- Wonder tape. This tape is genius. Use this wash away tape to match stripes, set a hem or sew on a zipper. It’s also handy to keep multiple layers in place in preparation for sewing. Sometimes the clips aren’t enough. Sometimes I’ve even used the tape and the clips to make sure everything was lined up correctly. This double-sided tape is specially made for sewing and so it won’t gum up your needles.
- Quilting ruler. Quilting rulers are clear, allowing you to see the fabric underneath. This long version is great for cutting long strips of fabric for bindings. You can line up the fabric nice and straight with this ruler. I use it with a rotary cutter and mat all the time.
- Soft measuring tape. I like measuring tapes that have Imperial on one side and Metric on the other side as I have patterns that deal in both. I have multiple measuring tapes as I tend to misplace these as well. The retractable one is handy to keep in my purse.
- Washable fabric pen. Sometimes you just need to mark a dot somewhere. It’s washable and so after your project is done, you can toss it in the wash and the marking will disappear.
- Chalk wheels. These are another type of marking tool. Paired with a quilting ruler you can draw straight lines to help you line up pocket pieces or seam allowances. You will need a couple of colours in order to make sure you can see the markings. Again, it will simply wash out when you are done. Plus it is good to have a couple as I tend to misplace these as well.
- Finishing needles. I borrow these needles from my crochet and knitting notions. These plastic, large-eyed needles are the perfect tool for weaving in serger ends. They can be a bit delicate to handle as they are made of plastic, but it is just so quick and easy to weave those tails in with these needles.
Now obviously there are other things. I haven’t mentioned hand sewing needles (I try to avoid hand sewing as much as possible), threaders, or even various attachments to my sewing machine. But these sewing notions are things that use on a regular basis, if not every time I sew.
Sewing Notions Every Sewer Needs
Here are the top 5 sewing notions I cannot live without. They are essential to my sewing and I use them constantly.
Every sewer needs a good pair of scissors. These are lightweight and can cut any fabric.
These are perfect for cutting those little thread tails off. I have multiples and keep one by each machine.
Small, sharp scissors are great for trimming excess fabric from hemming.
A rotary cutter creates a nice, smooth cut line. This is especially helpful in items that are not hemmed and so you want a nice clean edge.
If you have a rotary cutter, you're going to need a mat.
I much prefer clips over pins. Get a big package like this as, since they are plastic, they will break from time to time.
These 2-inch washers make the best pattern weights. I have some 1.25-inch ones as well that are handy, but I use the 2-inch ones the most.
Everyone makes mistakes, so you'll need a seam ripper. I'm always misplacing mine so getting a bunch of them means never having to look for one.
If you do any hemming, this handy little tool helps you keep it even. I also use it to determine seam allowance when put up against the needles on my sewing machine.
Use this water soluable tape to help you with curved hems, slippery fabrics, matching stripes and so much more.
I prefer retractable ones as they take up less room. I have multiple measuring tapes as I tend to misplace them. I also keep one in my purse as it comes in handy.
This washable fabric pen is handy when you need to mark the placement of something like a grommet.
Chalk wheels are great for transferring markings.
I borrowed these from my yarn notions. These are perfect for weaving in those serger tails at the end of seams.
I do a lot of sewing and I can honestly say that these are sewing notions that every sewer needs. Want to remember this list? Be sure to save it to your favourite Pinterest board.
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