Every sewing project, from minor mending jobs to complicated patterns, requires a standard set of tools and supplies. Machine sewing uses most of these tools, as well as a few others. You can buy sewing tools at any crafts or sewing store.
Table of Contents
Hand-Sewing Needles
The many different types of needles used in hand sewing come in a variety of sizes. All sewing needles, no matter what type, should be rustproof and made from brass or steel (either nickel-plated or stainless) in order to avoid damaging or staining the fabric.
Types of Needles
The most common sewing needle types are:
- Sharps: Used for general sewing, sharps have a sharp point, small round eye, and medium length
- Milliner’s needles: Used to take (make) long basting stitches (see Basic Hand-Sewing Stitches), milliner’s needles are longer than sharps
- Ballpoint needles: Used to stitch knitted fabric (as opposed to woven fabric), ballpoints have a rounded tip that won’t split the threads of knit fabrics.
If you’re planning to do just basic sewing, you probably need only sharps of various sizes. A package of needles typically costs about $5.
Needle Sizes
Each type of needle comes in a variety of different sizes. Needle size is represented by a number, starting at #1 and increasing from there. But there’s one important twist: the larger the number, the thinner the needle. For example, a #8 sharp is thinner than a #3 sharp. The list below shows the needle types and their range of sizes:
- Sharps: #1–12
- Milliner’s: #1–15
- Ballpoint: #5–10
Thinner (higher-numbered) needles are best for work with delicate or lightweight fabrics, such as satins and silks, whereas the thicker (lower-numbe red) needles are best for work with heavyweight, sturdier fabrics, such as denim and canvas. Medium-sized needles are best for medium-weight fabrics, such as most cottons.
Machine Needles
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Sewing machines require specific sewing machine needles; regular hand-sewing needles won’t work. Machine needles are shorter than hand-sewing needles, and the eye of a machine needle is just behind its point. Machine needles come in a number of sizes and with different points: sharp points for working with woven fabric, ballpoints for working with knit fabric, and a variety of other points for working with other types of fabric, such as leather.
Machine needles break more often than hand-sewing needles, so It’s a good idea to keep a number of extras of each type of needle on hand when machine-sewing. A package of machine needles typically costs between $5 and $10.
Machine Needle Sizes
Machine-needle packages often show two size numbers separated by a slash. The smaller number represents the needle’s size in the American sizing system. The larger number represents the needle’s size in the European system (indicating its diameter at the eye in hundredths of a millimeter). With machine needles, higher numbers represent larger needles. For instance (from smallest to largest), standard machine needle sizes include: 9/60, 11/70, 12/80, 14/90, 16/100, and 18/110.
Use higher-numbered machine needles when working on heavyweight, sturdy fabrics and lower-numbered needles when working on lightweight, delicate fabrics.
Sewing Thread
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Sewing threads come in a variety of colors and thicknesses, and are made from a number of natural or synthetic fibers. Thread is sold wrapped around a cylinder called a spool.
- Thread color: It’s generally best to use thread that matches the color of your fabric so the thread is as invisible as possible. If you plan on washing your project, make sure the thread is colorfast, or the color may bleed when it gets wet.
- Thread thickness: Thread thickness is measured by weight. The most commonly sold weight, which is good for most applications, is 50 wt (wall thickness). The higher the number, the finer the thread. For sewing fine fabrics, you might choose 80 wt, and for sewing on buttons, 24 wt.
- Thread quality: It’s usually worth it to spend a little more to get better-quality thread. Cheap thread is more likely to tangle or break.
- Thread fiber content: The thread that you use for a sewing project should match the qualities of the fabric you use. If your fabric stretches, select thread that stretches with it. The table below lists the main types of thread and the fabrics they’re commonly used with.
| Type | Description | Use | ||
| Polyester | Strong and elastic; often covered in a cotton sheath | Most popular type; best for cotton knit | ||
| Cotton | Strong and durable; versatile; does not stretch | Cottons; fabrics woven from natural fibers | ||
| Silk | Pliable; lustrous; lint-free | Wools and silks | ||
| Nylon | Twice as strong as cotton thread; durable; rot-proof | Upholstery; home décor; outdoor fabrics; crafts |
Notions and Closures
Notions are parts that you sew onto your projects to add function and decoration. There are hundreds of kinds of notions. Closures are notions that, when secured to fabric, keep a gap, flap, or other opening, such as a pocket, closed. The most commonly used closures are:
- Buttons: Buttons come in many sizes, shapes, colors, and materials, and are secured to the fabric by hand sewing (see How to Sew on a Button).
- Snaps: Snaps are metal or plastic closures composed of a ball that fits into a socket. Most snaps can be sewed onto the fabric, though some must be hammered together, sandwiching the fabric in between. The packaging for any type of snaps explains how to attach them to fabric.
- Zippers: In a zipper, a pull runs up and down on two sets of teeth, joining or separating the teeth as it moves. The teeth are attached to tape, which is sewed into fabric to attach the zipper to a project. The packaging for any type of zipper you buy has instructions on how to attach it.
Additional Tools
Beyond needles, threads, and fabrics, you need a few other tools to complete your sewing toolkit.
Fabric Shears and Other Cutting Tools
You need a variety of cutting tools to work with thread and fabric. Never use these tools to cut paper or other non-sewing materials, because doing so can dull their blade beyond repair.
- Fabric shears: These are sharp, heavy-duty scissors with a bent handle that allows the fabric to lie flat as you cut. Sewers use these cutting tools most often
- Sewing scissors: Sewing scissors are small shears used for cutting threads, trimming fabric, and other small sewing tasks. The blades measure about 6″ long.
- Pinking shears: These scissors have serrated blades that create a zigzag edge. Pinking is a quick way to finish a seam to prevent fraying. It may also be used for a decorative effect.
- Seam ripper: A seam ripper has a blade with a forked tip that slices through fabric. It can remove stitches, open buttonholes, and cut individual threads.
- Rotary cutter: A rotary cutter is a wheel blade that cuts without a break in the cutting action (unlike scissors). Rotary cutters are ideal for cutting out pattern pieces. Always place a protective cutting mat beneath the fabric when using a rotary cutter.
Straight Pins and Quilting Pins
You’ll use pins for many general sewing tasks, including securing fabric in place before stitching and anchoring notions to fabric before attaching them. Straight pins are the most commonly used pins. They are slightly longer than 1″ and slim enough to slip easily through most fabrics. Straight pins can be kept in a pincushion or on a magnetized tray for ready access during sewing. Quilting pins are longer than regular straight pins (1 3/4″), and better suited for thick or heavy-duty fabric projects.
Thimble
To protect your finger from getting poked, wear a thimble on the finger you use to push the needle and thread through fabric. Using thimbles is a matter of personal choice; some sewers choose not to use them at all.
Marking Tools
Before you cut your fabric and assemble the cut pieces, you need to mark your fabric. There are a number of marking tools to choose from:
- Chalk: Use chalk to mark fabric when measuring or placing patterns. You can brush chalk off most fabrics easily.
- Pencil: Pencils can’t be erased as easily as chalk, so only use them when marking the placement of pieces (such as pockets) or trim that will cover the mark.
- Water-soluble ink: These markers create vivid markings and are easily removed from fabric.
Measuring Tools
- Tape measure: A tape measure’s flexibility allows it to measure three-dimensional objects or curved items. Tape measures are also handy for measuring bodily dimensions, which can be helpful when making clothes from a sewing pattern. For sewing, plastic or cloth tape measures are preferable to metal ones.
- Clear plastic ruler: A clear ruler allows you to see the fabric itself while measuring it. Its hard edge ensures a clean, straight line when marking.
Iron
An iron is a vital sewing tool used to flatten seams you’ve just sewn. (You often need to flatten seams before you can sew the next seam.) You can also use an iron to remove wrinkles and folds from fabric before you cut or sew.
