What's in my sewing box you ask? Well I'll tell you! When starting out with a new hobby, especially sewing, it can seem like you need a buy a million things to get started. That's not exactly true, and you don't need all the fancy little tools out there, but some things will definitely make your life a little easier.
Here's what I would put in a beginner's sewing box (hint, hint, this would make a great gift for someone who's keen to learn how to sew!):
- Extra sewing machine needles (some machines come with spares but you never know when you'll break a needle, so best to always have some spare ones on hand)
- Pins (sharp ones with colourful pearl-heads are ideal, and oh-so-pretty!)
- Hand sewing needles (for those finishing touches)
- Scissors (two pairs: one only for fabric and one only for paper)
- Seam ripper (for those times we make mistakes)
- Thread (I mainly use white and black for crafty projects, but it doesn't hurt to have some funky colours as well, for fancy contrasting top stitching)
- Disappearing-ink fabric marker or chalk pencils (these are invaluable for tracing templates onto fabric)
- Ruler (one should be at least 30cm long, and clear acrylic quilter's rulers are also quite handy)
- Flexible measuring tape (essential when measuring to make garments)
Some fancy extras that I love having around?
My pair of thread snips. They're quick to grab and snip away all my extra threads when I'm finishing a project.
A rotary cutter makes cutting out shapes super easy, especially quilt pieces.
Pom pom makers in different sizes are a lot easier to use (and faster) than the old folk method or the cardboard circle method. These Loome tools are perfect for making pom-poms quickly, and being made of wood are sturdy to hold and don't have little plastic bits that can break off. They're also easy for kids to use.
A sewing gauge ruler is my best friend for measuring seam allowances and when pressing hems.
Chocolate... for those times when you need a sugary fix to keep going!
What's in your sewing box? What tools can you not live without?