embroidery thread

There are a bewildering array of sewing tools available for today’s sewers. Today I want to share with you my choice of what I consider to be the essential sewing ones. I don’t mean the latest trendy gadgets, I mean the basic, tried and tested can’t do without tools of the trade.

Sewing Tools of the Trade

Sewing Machine

If you are considering purchasing a machine for the first time, consider carefully what you actually want to be able to sew. Chances are you won’t need an all singing all dancing quilting or embroidery machine if you are just starting out.

I would suggest that you don’t buy a very basic machine because you will find you outgrow it rather quickly.

For most soft furnishing or dress making projects a mid-range machine, either computerised or mechanical will be suitable.

Most sewing shops encourage you to try before you buy, to make sure you find the right machine for you, so pop along to your nearest showroom and have a play. Ask lots of questions and think about what you really want to use your machine for.

Scissors

You should try to purchase the best scissors you can afford. If you are left handed buy left handed scissors. Some scissors can be held in either hand, but left handed scissors have the blades the opposite way round making it easier to see what you are cutting.

The most important thing to remember about your fabric scissors, is only ever cut fabric with them. Cutting paper will blunt them and even if you sharpen them, they will never be the same again.

Pins

My preference are glass headed pins. Whatever type of sewing you do, you can be sure there will be lots of ironing involved and glass headed pins will not melt if you accidentally iron them.

Cutting Mat

These are a very useful addition to your craft room, as they protect your work surface from damage and are an absolute necessity if you use a rotary cutter.

They come in various sizes and are generally double sided; metric on one side and imperial on the other.

Originally they were all green but now they come in lots of lovely colours if you shop around.

Seam Ripper

This unassuming little tool is invaluable. It makes unpicking stitches a quick and easy task.

It can also be used to gently feed fabric underneath the presser foot and is extremely good for carefully opening buttonholes.

Rulers

Depending on the job in hand, there are a number of options.

For large projects like curtain making, a steel metre ruler is the best option, it gives a true straight line and its large size makes measuring long lengths easier.

Plastic rulers specifically designed for patchwork and quilting make measuring and cutting easy. I would suggest a 6″ square and a 6″ x 24″ oblong ruler as a starting point.

For measuring seams and hems little hem guides are an amazing invention.

Rotary Cutter

These come in a number of sizes and are ideal for patchwork and quilting.

They must always be used in conjunction with a cutting mat and with due care and attention. The blade should always be covered or retracted before the rotary cutter is put down, this helps to avoid accidentally cutting yourself on an open blade.

Always cut away from yourself and keep fingers out of the way. Only use patchwork and quilting rulers with a rotary cutter as ordinary rulers are not made to withstand their use.

Pincushion

You will definitely need a safe place to keep all of your pins. A pincushion is very practical because you can pick them up easily whenever you need them.

Making your own is also a great use for your scrap fabric. They can be as fancy as you like, take a look on Pinterest for inspiration.

Thread

After spending time, energy and love creating your projects you want them to last. Using good quality thread means seams and finishes are more likely to stand up to everyday life.

Check out my post on choosing the correct thread for your project here.

Steam Iron

As I mentioned before, sewing actually involves a lot of ironing but this doesn’t mean you have to buy a really expensive iron. When I upgrade my everyday iron at home, I put the old one in my sewing room.

Although, you may not use much steam for quilting and patchwork, it’s always handy to have the option for other projects.

I hope you find this list useful. If you have any comments or questions I’d love to hear from you.

If someone you know would find this list helpful, please feel free to share.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx

Not all thread is created equal. That may surprise some people, but like most things in life there are good ones and not so good ones! This guide is to help you differentiate between the various types used for machine sewing, quilting and patchwork.

My top tip is to always buy the best you can afford. Buying cheaply is false economy. Chances are you will not be happy with the result; the thread may break in use or fluff so much it affects the smooth running of your sewing machine, especially if you are working on a large project.

Projects

Generally speaking, you should try to match your thread type to the project you are working on. So, for example, if you are making a pair of curtains an all purpose polyester will be fine, if you are working on an heirloom quilt you may want to use a quilting weight 100% cotton. As with everything though, personal preference will be the determining factor. It really is up to you. Years ago, it was considered important to match the fibre of your project with the fibre of the thread, however, with all the improvements in production techniques it isn’t so important. Good quality polyester thread is always handy to have in your cupboard.

Colour

With all the advances in technology, the choice of colour is almost limitless. Trying to choose can sometimes make you feel like a kid in a candy store…there can seem to be too much choice.

When you are building your range of thread, start with the basics. Neutral tans, grey, black, white and creams, together with a few key colours will be suitable for most projects. After that, you can buy according to the projects you are working on.

Which brand?

As well as types of thread, there are lots of manufacturers. Everyone has their personal favourites. If you are just starting out on your sewing journey, a good place to start is your local fabric or haberdashery shop. They will be able to offer some initial guidance and you’ll soon discover your favourites and be able to build up your supply.

Some things to consider:

Darker shades blend in more, lighter shades stand out.
Don’t use old thread without testing it first. It may break or even disintegrate.
The higher the number on quilting thread the finer it is so; #60 is finer than #40. A good place to start is #50.
If there is a letter on the thread, A is fine and D is heavy.
Remember to check you have the correct needle when you use speciality threads.
For stretchy fabrics use a polyester thread because it has a little give in it.
Hand-sewing thread should not be used in your machine.
In most cases, it is perfectly fine to use the same thread in the bobbin. However, for machine embroidery, special bobbin thread is available, it is slightly finer and available in black or white.

Types of thread

Cotton – has very little “give”. Suitable for basic machine or hand sewing projects.

Polyester – is considered to be an all-purpose thread. Suitable for both machine and hand-sewn projects. It has a little “give” and is therefore useful for stretchy fabrics.

Heavy duty – this is also a polyester thread and is suitable for upholstery, canvas and other heayweight fabrics.

Hand quilting – 100% mercerized cotton. Strong and silky.

Machine quilting – 100% cotton. Suitable for machine sewing especially good for long arm machine quilting. Not suitable for constructing garments.

Silk – very fine. Often used for embroidery. This is a good choice for basting / tacking fabrics together.

Metallic – Often used in machine embroidery but should not be used in the bobbin. A good choice for top stitching.

Invisible / Monofilament – can be either nylon or polyester. Nylon can become brittle and discolour over time and is not heat resistant. Use when you do not want the stitches to be visible.

I hope you find this guide useful wherever you are on your sewing journey.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx