If you are looking to get into sewing or are interested in new supplies, here are my recommendations.
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Bare Minimum Supplies
The very basic materials for a beginner. All of the items on this page I would suggest to anyone, but you could get by with just this section. You’ll find the rest will make your life way easier!
Glass Tip Pins
Pins are essential for holding fabric pieces together. They make cutting your pattern pieces more accurate. You’ll want to get glass instead of plastic, because you may need to run an iron over them.
Fabric Scissors
These are designed to cut cleanly through fabric without fraying or snagging. Make sure you only cut fabric with these scissors!
Polyester Thread
I strongly recommend Gutermann thread, and this pack covers all the basic colors while giving you some fun options!
Iron & Foldable Ironing Board
Pressing fabric and seams as you go makes your end result neat and prevents wrinkles.
I have this basic iron, and it does everything I need it to — including going in standby mode.
If you don’t have room for full-sized ironing board, then I highly recommend this foldable ironing board. I’m in an apartment, and prefer the size of this board.
Seam Ripper
Seam rippers are for more than just mistakes, though mistakes are part of the process. If you want to upcycle a thrift find, remove a bow, or open up a cat toy, you will want a seam ripper. My seam ripper is old, but the linked pack below has different sizes and thread snips!
Sewing Machine
Just in case you are interested in a machine, here is the one I have!
Core Sewing Tools
The bare minimum tools allow you to sew; the core sewing tools allow you to sew well.
Sewing Gauge
Your machine should have measurement lines on the plate, but this allows you to easily compare measurements without having to remember a number.
Hand Sewing Needles
Used for hand stitching, finishing details, or repairs that a machine can’t reach.
Soft Measuring Tape
Bonus points for being retractable! If you ever want to make clothes, it is easier to use a soft tape than string and a hard measuring tape.
Clips
These are a game changer! They are so much easier to use than pins, but aren’t a perfect replacement. If it weren’t for ironing or cutting out pieces, they would be in Bare Minimum.
Rotary Cutter & Cutting Mat
If you are interested in quilting, these are the basic materials needed for that. The rotary cutter and will allow you to make quick and precise cuts.
The link below is for the dimension I would select, but if you have the space, you could always go bigger on the mat to have fewer restrictions in the future. Storage and table space are the main constraints for going big.
Heat Erasable Pen
Some patterns ask you to mark your fabric for start/stop points, and the ink in these pens goes away with a pass of the iron. There are other options out there, like washable ink, but you are probably going to press your seams anyway, so you might as well go with a heat erasable one!
Safety Pins
If you don’t have any safety pins, check your clothes tags then next time you go shopping. Otherwise, here is a pack of pins. They are useful for turning fabric and preventing a zipper pull from sliding off the end.
Extra Bobbins & Machine Needles
It is much easier to store extra bobbins than it is to unravel your last project’s color! Unfortunately, breaking a machine needle is inevitable.
I’m not providing any links, because the correct size bobbin and needle are machine-specific.
What did I miss?
If you have any questions or feel like I missed a must-have basic, I would love to hear from you!
