Must Have Sewing Supplies For Beginners

Don't let the family call them scissors or they will use them for all types of cutting that may dull or dirty the blades to the point where you can't use them on fabric any longer. These shears are perfect to cut fabric without fraying the edges. Fabric shears come in varying sizes and prices -- from expensive to dirt cheap -- so you have lots of choices based on your budget and preferences.

You are going great on the sewing craft only to look down and notice at the last minute that you placed the stitch in the wrong place. The seam ripper can save your project so you can do it the right way. Always have one of these available.

Straight pins are wonderful to have when you want to hold multiple layers of fabric together. Get the straight pins with the large white or light colored ball heads when working on dark fabrics and ones with colorful ball heads when working with white fabrics so you can see them better when sewing.

Yes, you can put the straight pins back into the plastic container when you are done with them. But you will find that a pin cushion works even better as you will be able to grasp one at a time quickly and place the pins into the cushion while you are working with the sewing machine. The straight pins will be in one place as the pin cushion is easily movable around your work desk for large sewing projects.

Rotary cutters are great tools when you want to cut straight lines and you know you can't do it with a pair of fabric shears. Use a ruler or T-square with the rotary cutter. You can even cut curved shapes if you have the patience for it.

Besides rulers and T-squares to use when measuring fabric, also get a good measuring tape. You can use the measuring tape when making clothes for yourself or for your kids, and when you are making large sewing projects like curtains, drapes, blankets or quilts.

There are times when you will need to place marks on the fabric but you don't want to ruin it with pen or pencil marks. Fabric chalk and water soluble pens allow you to remove the marks you make into the fabric so your sewing project looks beautiful.

When using a rotary cutter, you want to have a self-healing mat underneath to protect your table from the sharp edge when cutting your fabric. The self-healing mat will also protect the blade of the rotary cutter so it doesn't become damaged or dull.

Invest in a really good steam iron that you use basically for sewing projects. You will be surprised on the number of times that you use it and you won't want to carry the iron in and out of the room when you need to press the rest of your laundry.