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Sewing Basics #1: 10+ essential sewing tools for beginners

If you want to learn how to sew, you need proper sewing tools. And quite a lot of them. So, get busy gathering all the necessities required for a good start – and the kingdom is yours.

Sewing basics #1 - proper sewing tools

Therefore, the first step in the process of learning to sew is going shopping for sewing supplies. It can be exciting and fun, especially since you don’t need to spend an awful lot of money.

Note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means I will receive a commission if you order a product through one of my links. I only recommend products I believe in and use myself. 

But there are 2 things that can spoil the fun: an overload of choices and the use of the wrong criteria by which you are supposed to choose.

I know this from experience. Just one example. Let’s open Amazon.com and put “sewing scissors” to search. It has 35596 results! And every choice on the first few pages has hundreds of reviews.

Now try to choose one that you will use. Do you want to spend hours of your life reading countless and often contradictory reviews and end up tired and grumpy avoiding making the decision? Of course, you don’t.

So, in this Guide, I will try to give you practical and experience-based information about how to choose sewing tools and put a limit on your options.

Don’t focus on whether they are the best possible choices or not. You have to start with something. And after you use them you will see if these options are right for you.

Also, people who sew tend to buy too many things they think they will use in the future. There are many jokes about this habit. Let me tell you about one of them.

A woman enters a fabric store, and a sales associate comes to her and asks: How can I help you?
She takes a quick look around and says: Please, help me to get out as soon as possible.

you can buy sewing tools in a fabric store

But jokes aside, you will need to spend some money on your sewing tools. Your success or failure will depend on their characteristics and quality.

Sewing machine

The first thing you will need is a sewing machine, of course.

There are hundreds of recommendations about what sewing machine you can use at the beginning of your sewing adventure, as the list from Amazon shows. Let me add my modest contribution to this pile.

A sewing machine is not just a tool, it will be your faithful assistant for many years if you are really serious about sewing. So it has to be convenient and reliable. It doesn’t have to be the latest model. Even the most common machine, performing a straight and zigzag stitch, in skillful hands is capable of doing everything.

I know some people say that you can use your grandmother’s machine: it is all metal! It can’t be broken! It works well! It is made in the USA! It looks beautiful! All true, by the way. Well, I have one of them. Bought it at the garage sale. And God, it is so heavy I can’t even put it on my sewing table. I have to call my husband to help me. Here is a video just for fun.

But believe me, unless you have an emotional attachment to it, using it is no fun – even if it works well (and mine does). Well, what can I say, it is pink, and it can sew. I tried it. Do I like it? No! I feel like I am sewing with a tank.

I advise you to buy a modern sewing machine. I am sure it is better to start with a newer machine because older ones stored in closets for a hundred years usually have a lot of problems and need probably a lot of maintenance. It is like comparing an old typewriter with a modern keyboard. Which one will you choose? It doesn’t need to be expensive with a lot of stitches and operations. It is unlikely you will ever need all of them. But

  • It has to be a computerized sewing machine because it offers all kinds of wonders old machines don’t have. They make life so easy, and sewing so much more fun
  • It has to have not only straight and zigzag stitches but also automatic buttonhole stitches, a stretch stitch, and a blind hem stitch
  • It has to have a variety of presser feet (like a zipper foot, a buttonhole foot, a blind hem foot)
  • It better has an automatic needle threader and a thread cutter
  • It can sew all kinds of fabric from lightweight chiffon to heavyweight cotton

And it doesn’t have to be all metal. We are not going to use it for bodybuilding. We are going to do skill-building. So never forget that your success depends on your skills, on how well you know how to use the machine, not on how much it costs and how many types of decorative stitches it can perform. Sewing is an interesting, fascinating process but at the same time, it is real work that requires great patience, attention to detail, and a desire to create something unique and beautiful.

Any sewing machine of a well-known brand like Janome, Bernina, Brother, Singer, or Pfaff is acceptable. But don’t buy it in a big chain store. Choose the brand that has a service center or a dealership in your city because you will have a warranty with them and they can offer service, maintenance, and many perks ( like taking your old machine back when you will want to upgrade ). Go there and try the machine; they will be happy to have you. Compare machines. Pay attention to how the machine starts, and how smoothly it runs, look at the stitch quality and stitching options it has, and ask the sellers to show you how it works before buying. Come back the next day and see if you still like the machine.

If you decide to buy online, below are some good choices from Amazon; beware, this is a sewing machine for beginners, it does not cost a lot, but treat it as an entry-level machine; you will probably want to replace it, or buy a more sophisticated one, as soon as your skills improve.

One final note about sewing machines: they use attachments called “presser feet”. These attachments allow the machine to perform a number of functions and sew different types of stitches. Most modern machines are the so-called “low shank” type, meaning that they accept all feet that conform to the “low shank” standard. The feet can be of various shapes, but all have one thing in common.

See the small bar above the “G” in the image below (there is one on the foot to the right too)? It is about 6mm, or 1/4″ long. That is the mounting element specific to a low shank foot. I recommend buying a machine that accepts these types of feet which are very common. If you buy one that is only accepting the manufacturer’s proprietary system, you are locked into buying parts from the manufacturer only. Meaning of course more expensive and a limited choice.

blind hem presser feet for sewing blind hems

Sewing weapons

( Oops, I mean, needles, pins, scissors, and seam rippers)

Sewing machine needles of all types and sizes
Needles, needles, and more needles!

You will need needles for your sewing machine. Most likely you will have some of them already among your machine accessories.

I can say success or failure in sewing sometimes depends on the selection of the needle for the sewing machine.

The type of needle and its thickness must match the fabric and the thread. The thinner the fabric, the smaller the needle number. Needles are usually numbered with the two-number measuring system. The thinnest needles (No. 55/7 and 60/8) are used for sewing very thin fabric like silk chiffon for example. Needles No. 70/10, 80/12, and 90/14 are good for a great variety of fabrics (from lightweight to medium weight) and are the most used machine needles. And No. 100/16, 110/18, and 120/19 are good for heavyweight cloth like denim and coat fabric.

There are many types of sewing machine needles (who would have thought): universal, ballpoint, denim, leather, embroidery, metallic, quilting, topstitch, microtex, twin (or double), triple, hemstitch, self-threading, etc.

But for the beginner you will need only three types:

  • Universal needles are good for a variety of materials.
  • Ball point needles with a rounded end are designed to avoid making holes in knits and stretchy or loosely woven materials.
  • Twin needles – to perform decorative stitching (these needles create two parallel lines on the front side of the garment, and form a zigzag line on the back).
Sewing machine needles 2

Buy a few packs of UNIVERSAL needles of different sizes, one pack of BALL POINT needles, and one TWIN needle – and you are set. If you intend to become serious about sewing I recommend you buy your regular needles in bulk, like the ones below. It is much more cost-effective, and you will certainly use a lot of needles. I use bulk Organ needles myself and I am very satisfied with them, I do not see the quality being lower than more expensive needles like Schmetz.

By the way, I have a very useful tutorial on using twin needles, check it out.

How often should you change the needle of your sewing machine? Well, it depends. Some tutorials say that you have to change the needle every time you start a new project. Others say – change it every four hours of work. And I would say that there is no simple answer.

If your previous project was done with medium-weight cotton, and you decide to sew lightweight silk, then you change the needle, period. But what do you do with the needle? Through it away? Or keep it in your pincushion for future use? I guess you can do both. If your previous project had only two seams – then keep the needle and use it for another project in the future. But if it was somewhat complicated sewing – then throw it away.

The truth is, when you sew, the needle passes through the fabric hundreds (or thousands?) of times per minute, so the needle tip experiences very heavy loads and in time becomes bent or blunt. This leads to skipped stitches, broken threads, pulls in the fabric, and even broken needle plates or bobbins. So the needles should be constantly monitored and the blunt needles replaced immediately.

You can find more information in my tutorial Care of sewing tools and equipment.

Needles are inexpensive and very easy to change. Keeping a good needle in your sewing machine is one of the easiest ways to perfect sewing projects. If you want to know more read this post by Debbie Colgrove (from www.thespruce.com) Everything You Need to Know About Sewing Machine Needles.

Are all sewing machine needles the same? Most modern sewing machines, embroidery machines, and sergers use the same TYPE of needle, meaning the part of the needle that is inserted in the holding mechanism of the sewing machine is the same. The tip and the eye of the needle may be different depending on its intended use. Older sewing machines, sergers, and industrial sewing machines use a different type of needle though. Coverstitch machines also may use different types of needles.

The most common TYPE of needle is marked as HAx1, 15×1, or 130/705H. Sometimes you see them all on the same pack, as happens with my Organ needles. The type depends on the manufacturer, but all these refer to the same type of needle. All my sewing machines take this needle with the exception of a very old Singer serger (the 1980s) and my Janome Coverstitch, both of these take different types.

You will also need needles for sewing by hand.

Experienced tailors have in their “arsenal” many kinds of hand sewing needles: thin, thick, short, long, with a small eye, with a big eye, with two eyes, for darning, for embroidery, for leather, etc. So what should you buy as a beginner?

Set of hand sewing needles

For people who just start to sew it is best to purchase needles of different sizes and types in sets. And afterward choose from the set a few sharp long needles with big eyes for basting (you can use them for any lightweight and medium weight fabric), a few thicker needles for heavyweight cloth, and a few very thin needles for sewing silk.

Stick your needles to a nice pincushion – and you are good to go. You can buy one, but you can also make one – an excellent project for a beginner. Here is a link to one of my tutorials: Cute Owl Pincushion. The mushrooms shown here are also one of my creations.

Stick your needles to a nice pincushion – and you are good to go.

By the way, don’t forget to count your needles every time you sew. They have a tendency to disappear! And the most disappearing place is the pincushion itself. It is amazing how many needles can get lost inside the pincushion. But not only that. Needles fall down the table without me being aware of it, they hide in the thread spools of different colors, they stick to the fabric I use for a project, and they find their way to any small gap around my place in the sewing room.

This is not a joke: I often found a needle when it prickled me in the thread box, or with my foot on the floor. And even dull needles are SHARP!

But I am more thoughtful now. I started to count the needles in my pincushion which I use regularly. Usually, I have 7 of them there. And if at some point I count only 6 I start a serious search to find a missing needle, before my foot finds it for me.

Also, I run my needles through the fabric so they don’t stick out from the pincushion and keep some of my needles with threads in them. It helps.

Now about other disappearing things – sewing pins and safety pins.

Pins are another important sewing tool that simplifies and speeds up many sewing operations. They are necessary for attaching pattern pieces to the fabric for cutting, for holding fabric together prior to sewing, fitting garments, etc.

Sewing pins of different colors and sizes

They differ in length, and thickness and have heads of different shapes, sizes, and colors.

They vary from tiny and very thin silk pins to very large upholstery pins. Knowing which ones to use will make a big difference in your project because of the way they interact with the fabric. Any experienced seamstress always has at hand more than one set of sewing pins.

I use these pins. They are sharp, very thin, long enough, easy to work with, and good for any lightweight and medium-weight material including fine silk.

Small sharp pins for thin fabric

And for heavyweight fabric, I use these pins. I don’t remember where I bought them, but every store carries them. You can also buy online.

Big pins for thicker fabric

When I started to sew I bought these pins which looked really nice with their colorful heads. But the quality is really bad. They are thick, blunt, and notched.

Another piece of advice: stay away from dollar store pins (and threads, for that matter)!

Bad pins

Straight pins commonly have ball heads of different colors made of plastic or glass, but there are pins with a head of a capital letter T, they are used for heavier fabric and are usually thicker.

Over time pins become blunted, notched, deformed, or even broken and should be replaced with new ones.

Be careful with your pins, they are very sharp and you can prick yourself when working with fabric and patterns or when trying to fit the garment.

Keep track of your pins. Use a special pin magnet to hold them together or to lift them from the floor. Buy or make a pincushion. I recommend making a wrist pincushion. I found it to be very useful!

I recommend to make a wrist pincushion. image, link I found it to be very useful!

Do not leave pins in the fabric when you iron it. They can leave marks that are not easy to remove. Do you want to know more? Then read this post by Christine Haynes ( from www.craftsy.com ) 6 Sewing Pins Every Sewist Should Have on Hand.

A safety pin is also often used by tailors. These pins are ideal for inserting elastic into the belt, a cord into the jacket collar, etc.

Most likely, you have plenty of scissors at home. Everybody has, right? But are they good enough for cutting fabric and other sewing operations? Certainly not! Never cut fabric with regular household scissors and the other way around: do not use your fabric scissors for household chores.

Scissors for paper just don’t work well for fabric. It seems such a small thing, a mere nothing, but it may get you nervous, and frustrated and a bad pair of scissors might ruin a piece of fabric. For a good result, sewing has to give you pleasure, not a disappointment. See the video below: paper scissors simply don’t cut them!

Sewing scissors are very special tools. There are many different types and brands. I have a rather large collection of scissors on display. I like very much the Fiskars scissors.

Sewing scissors are very special tools. There are many different types and brands. I have a rather large collection of scissors on display.

I like especially these scissors. As you see they have angled handles that allow you to cut the fabric without lifting it from the table, they are quite sharp and comfortable for your hand. Of course, they are not ideal and they are also not cheap. But you have to start with something, right?

I like very much these Fiskars scissors

If you are left-handed, buy special sewing scissors for your left hand.

High-quality cutting tools are not cheap, but if you treat them carefully, they will serve you for a long time. Don’t drop them, don’t cut paper, foil, and wire with them. Never allow your significant other ( or children ) to use your toys!

Buy also small scissors. They are convenient for trimming threads, making notches on the pattern pieces, and for some other necessary cutting jobs.

They are convenient for trimming threads, making notches on the pattern pieces and for some other necessary cutting jobs.

If you want to know more about scissors read this post by Linda Reynolds (from www.craftsy.com)  A Handy Guide to the Best Scissors for Sewing

A seam ripper is an invaluable tool that helps you to remove quickly wrong stitches without damaging the fabric, and it works better than scissors. It usually comes with a clear plastic cap and a safety ball to protect the fabric from tearing. I have written a more detailed article about this: How to use a seam ripper.

A seam ripper is an invaluable tool which helps you to remove quickly wrong stitches without damaging the fabric

Other sewing equipment

Purchase also some sewing threads for practice. There are many different types, brands, and sizes of thread links available: cotton, polyester, pure silk, cotton-wrapped polyester, invisible, water-soluble, embroidery, button, basting, serger threads, etc.

Usually, we buy threads suitable for a specific project, so the threads match the color and the thickness of the fabric. But from the beginning you will just practice on a piece of cloth without making any project, so a few spools of cotton threads of different colors will be enough. Choose white, black, and a few bright colors so they are in contrast with the fabric you use.

Buy only good-quality threads. Inferior threads that break easily can drive you crazy. I have written more about threads in these articles: Sewing thread types and uses, Sewing thread sizes how to choose, Stretch Thread for Sewing.

Purchase also some sewing threads for practice.
It is usually a 150 cm (60 in) long tape made of a strong, non-stretch material, with metal rivets at the ends.
Tape measures

Tape Measures are another necessary tools to have. They are used primarily for taking measurements, but also for construction or adjustment of patterns, measuring fabrics, specifying the length of the garment, marking buttonholes, etc.

There are different kinds of measuring tapes available. Buy one that has markings in inches and centimeters both and have it always at hand. It is usually a 150 cm (60 in) long tape made of strong, non-stretch material, with metal rivets at the ends. I bought a pack once a couple of years ago and I didn’t run out yet.

If you would like to read more about a tape measure for sewing check out my tutorial at this link.

Other essential tools for accurate measurements are

  • a yardstick – a yard-long plastic or wooden rod with markings in inches and centimeters
  • right-angled triangle
  • and a regular ruler

A thimble protects your finger from needle pricking while sewing by hand. We put it usually on the middle finger of the dominant hand and use it to push the needle through the fabric. Learn to use it by pressing the needle with the side of the thimble, and not the bottom. In the beginning, everybody finds it quite awkward to use. But give it a try – and you will see the difference. The thimble is used if the fabric is stiff, heavyweight, or has a very close weave.

Buy a thimble that fits your middle finger. I like to use this one.

A thimble protects your finger from needle pricking while sewing by hand.

A needle threader is a must-have tool if your eyesight is less than perfect (and at some point, it will be). You can quickly thread a needle with a small eye. This one here is more durable than the little metal ones and lasts longer.

A needle threader is a must have tool if your eyesight is less than perfect

It is more durable than the little metal ones and lasts longer.You need marking tools to make clear lines on the fabric to mark stitching lines, darts, hems, etc.

You will need also some marking tools.

Sewing chalk allows you to make clear lines on the fabric to mark stitching lines, darts, hems, etc. The drawback of this tool is that the traces of chalk need to be removed from the fabric and sometimes that is not easy to do. Instead of chalk, you can use a flat piece of high-quality soap (mostly white). The soap remnant can be further sharpened with a knife. Marks made with the soap will usually disappear when you iron the fabric. To avoid unpleasant surprises, try soap on a scrap and see whether it leaves stains after ironing.

make clear lines on the fabric to mark stitching lines, darts, hems, etc.

I like to use special markers with disappearing ink. Marks made with it just evaporate from the fabric and don’t leave any stains.

You will need also a steam iron and an ironing board.  I guess everybody has them at home. So you can start with what you have. If you need to upgrade read this article “Iron buying guide“. Personally, I found that a wider ironing board is more versatile. Pressing is often the key to better sewing. Press your fabric before you cut it, and press each and every seam you make.

Conclusion

So these basic tools are essential for successful sewing – your exciting new hobby.

In the next tutorials, I will show how to use all these tools effectively.

The saying “You are only as good as your tools” is SEW TRUE, when it comes to the selection and use of tools; according to my husband, this is also very true in other areas.

You have noticed that there are many choices when it comes to a sewing equipment, and no two sewing kits will look exactly the same, although each will most likely contain similar components.

As your sewing becomes more complicated, you will need additional pieces of equipment because every sewing project has unique requirements and tools to achieve your goal. However, if you have the basics, they will continue to be your foundation.

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet the task of finding exactly what you need can be easily and quickly accomplished without spending a fortune.

Keep your sewing tools well maintained and make certain they stay in good working order and last as long as possible.

I can also tell you that sewing supplies have a tendency to accumulate very quickly. In the beginning, I had one small table for sewing in my bedroom, a sewing machine, and one box where I kept all my supplies. Now I have the whole sewing room which is full of sewing supplies, and it is not enough somehow; so I had to add a second sewing room. My sewing stuff ends up in all bedrooms of our house and even in the garage.

Because we are at the “sewing room” subject, as a beginner you probably do not yet feel the need for a dedicated room. But as you advance, you will. Perhaps my article “Ikea Sewing Room” will give you some ideas?

Now you are ready to go to step 2 of the sequence of Sewing tutorials for beginners: Sewing Basics # 2: Learn How to Sew by Hand

Do you have any questions? Where do you prefer to buy sewing tools – online or in craft and fabric stores? How much did you spend?

Did you like this guide? If you want to save it for future reference and to use it later when you are ready to gather necessary sewing tools, pin the image below to your sewing board on Pinterest and follow me on Pinterest for more tips, tutorials, and inspiration.

10+ essential sewing tools for beginners pin for Pinterest

Like sewing tips? I have other popular tutorials on my site that might be interesting for you. Check them out below. 


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Marguerite

Monday 11th of November 2019

I brought 2 plastic things of straight pins one for knit one for regular sewing I can not for the life of me get them open and the back of this little plastic case say curved side for easy pin removal help!!!!!!!

Tawakalt

Wednesday 22nd of April 2020

I love your article. I've always wanted to learn how to sew. I just put to bed couple weeks ago but thought I could get started to learn some basics online. This is really great.

Olga Balasa

Monday 11th of November 2019

Marguerite, I can not imagine how those boxes are (they are boxes, right?), if you could please send me an image in e-mail I may have an opinion. Until then, let me tell you what my husband Mr. fixes-it-all-knows-it-all-never-hire-anyone-never-ask-for-advice says: use a bigger hammer!

Jano

Thursday 1st of November 2018

I enjoyed this article, am a novice in sewing, but i really have passion for it, i love it but i dont know how to start, i wish i could learn from your online article, am a poor guy i cant afford money for apprentiship

Olga Balasa

Tuesday 20th of November 2018

Thank you very much for commenting! You certainly can start learning online. But one article is not enough though. There are plenty of sewing tutorials on Internet. Just google it - "how to learn sewing" or "sewing for beginners". Also, go to Pinterest. Make some small projects and practice, practice, practice.

Julia

Thursday 6th of September 2018

This is such a great article! I'm just starting to sew with a machine (I've been sewing by hand on and off for many years). I have a bunch of hand-me-down materials that I'm hoping to use, though I'm nervous that they will not work well and thus make the learning process harder. Any thoughts on this? Specifically, I have old thread (I think it's nylon), needles, pins, and scissors of various sizes. I plan to get the scissors sharpened, if possible. I'll probably make a list of supplies I do need and price them out online then see if I can buy them locally for a similar amount. I do try to support helpful blogs like this one when I do make online purchases :)

Olga Balasa

Saturday 8th of September 2018

Thank you so much for your kind words! I am happy to hear that my article was useful. I think old threads are fine, especially if they were made in the USA. You can check if the thread breaks too easily then maybe it is not good anymore. I like to use strong threads though. Imagine this: you spend time and fabric and make something nice - and thread breaks, then your project is ruined, right? Old sewing tools made in the USA (or Germany) may be still good also. You can sharpen scissors in Joann Fabric I think. Or you can buy new scissors when Joann has coupons like 60% off one regular price item. What sewing machine do you have? Good luck with your sewing journey! I will have to put affiliate links in that article, I wrote it before I started to participate in affiliate programs for bloggers.

Lynda

Wednesday 23rd of May 2018

Thanks for this piece. I really want to learn sewing but I want to learn at home because I don't have the time and money to attend a fashion school. I want to know if I can truly learn sewing through internet resources and other reading materials? Please advice.

Olga Balasa

Wednesday 23rd of May 2018

Thank you, Lynda! The Internet has really great resources to learn sewing. You certainly can learn how to sew and make easy sewing projects using sewing blogs (you can find lots of beginner-friendly sewing tutorials), Facebook and Pinterest. In my Pinterest account, I have a board called "Learn sewing". I advise you to start there, and here is the link: https://www.pinterest.com/ageberry/learn-sewing/

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