9 Sewing Essentials Every Beginner Sewist Needs
So you want to start sewing, but you’re not sure what supplies are necessary. Trust me; I’ve been there. I remember the crazy overwhelming feeling of looking at the sewing notions section of my local craft store and feeling lost. That’s why I’ve come up with this beginner sewing supplies list to help you figure out what exactly you need and what you can wait to buy.
In this post, we’ll go over my list of top sewing essentials for beginner sewists and why each item is vital for a beginner.
What Do I Need in my Sewing Room?
Before we get into the list of sewing notions and what I recommend every beginner has, the type of sewing will play a role in what kinds of notions and tools you need. That being said, there are many notions that every seamstress or sewist needs, regardless of the type of sewing they are doing.
So what do you need in your sewing “room,” or more realistically, in your sewing “space?” Yes, the sewing influencers on social media have these vast rooms filled with beautiful fabrics, machines, tools, and decor that are inspiring and breathtaking. But for us regular folks, we’re lucky if we get a corner of the guest bedroom.
Personally, I use about 75% of my small bedroom for my sewing space, which is jam-packed with sewing goodness. Did I have these things when I first started? No. Did I need all these things when I started? Negative! Here’s what you *realistically* need in your beginner sewing space.
- Sewing Machine: I wrote an entire blog post on the best beginner sewing machines for under $200.(Unless you want to sew only by hand. More power to you!)
- Table: Preferably large enough for the machine and a small workspace, but if not, it’s doable. You’ll have to move things around whenever you need to cut or sew something.
- Beginner Sewing Supplies: We’ll discuss the specific supplies later in this post.
- Storage: You should have some type of storage or organization for your sewing supplies. It helps keep everything organized, and it will help with your sanity.
- Fabric: You don’t have to have yards and yards of fabric. Buy what you can afford, and you can slowly start adding to the hoard, I mean fabric stash, as you go along.
- Thread: Be sure to have a thread that works best for your sewing needs. Again, you can slowly add this to the collection over time. You don’t have to buy every color known to man when you start.
See, there isn’t a crazy amount of things you need for your sewing space to be fun and successful. Now let’s look at some specific supplies.
What are the 5 Basic Sewing Tools?
No matter what kind of sewing you are doing, there are certain sewing essentials that you will need. This short list of five sewing must-haves for beginners should give you a great start on your sewing journey.
There is a strange negative stigma surrounding the seam ripper, and I’m not quite sure why. This little tool is a must for anyone who plans on sewing seams because as much as we wish we sewed everything perfectly the first time, it’s one of the sewing facts of life that we need to rip some seams.
Yes, you could do that with small scissors, but a seam ripper saves a lot of time when pulling out a seam. Plus, they’re cheap and last a loooooong time.
Did you know there are dozens of types of scissors? I didn’t before I got into sewing. Each scissor type performs a specific task or works in one particular way. Don’t worry; you don’t have to purchase a bunch of scissors you may never use.
For a beginner, I recommend having two pairs of scissors: one large, everyday scissors for fabric cutting and one small, fine-point scissors for detailed cutting, like trimming threads.
Measuring fabric, ribbon, or other trimmings is a regular occurrence when you are sewing, so you definitely need a measuring tape. A seamstress’s measuring tape is an excellent choice since they are soft and lays flat on the fabric. Most can measure up to 60”.
As a quilter, I use acrylic rulers more often, but I still use my measuring tape more than I thought I would. Some are retractable, and some you roll up on your own. Either way, they’re a handy little tool you’ll be glad you have.
Pins are another one of those sewing notions that have a bunch of different types to choose from. Pins are an essential part of sewing. I wrote a whole blog post on the seven most common sewing pins.
Whether you want to get into garment making or quilting, pins will help you make professional, beautiful pieces.
Most of us already have an iron and ironing board at home, but now you’ll have an excuse to use it! Haha! I’ll be frank, ironing/ pressing isn’t my favorite step when I’m sewing. However, it is crucial and valuable in any type of sewing.
There are irons and ironing boards geared towards specific sewing types like quilting, but you don’t need the latest and greatest to make what you want.
4 More Beginner Sewing Supplies That Will Make Your Life Easier
With the five sewing tools I just mentioned, you can sew all kinds of things well. Now I will show you four more tools or notions that can help you even more as you begin sewing. These are in no particular order.
Yes, you can cut all your fabric with scissors, but if you want to make it even easier, investing in a rotary cutter and mat will save you time and save your hands the pain of holding scissors.
Rotary cutters come in a few different sizes; beginners should get the most common size, a 40mm blade. Mats come in various sizes, but the 18”x24” cutting mat is the most common.
There are many marking tools on the market. I suggest starting with a marking pen with either water-soluble or heat-soluble ink. Always test the ink before you mark your expensive fabric.
Other marking tools include a hera marker, chalk pens, chalk pounce pads, and different pens and pencils.
I love my 24” ruler and use it all the time. No matter what type of fabric I’m cutting, it gives me a perfectly straight edge to run my rotary cutter against to get a crisp, straight line every time.
Obviously, this type of ruler is great for quilters, but even if you aren’t cutting quilt blocks with it, it can come in handy. You can use it as a straight edge to mark your fabric too.
Here is another notion labeled as “quilting clips,” but you can use these helpful little clips for all kinds of sewing. You can clip them together when you’re sewing two pieces of fabric together instead of pinning.
I love using quilting clips when making zipper pouches or DIY handbags. They hold all the layers together, and I’m not accidentally poking myself with a sharp pin.
I hope this beginner sewing supplies list has helped you understand a little bit more about sewing and what it takes to be able to sew. A great part about most of these sewing essentials is they’re inexpensive, easy to find, and beginner-friendly.
Do you have a favorite beginner sewing notion? Let me know in the comments below!
Happy Stitches!
2 Comments