10+ Must Have Beginner Sewing Supplies
I talk so much about sewing and patterns and we do all these tutorials. But what if you are BRAND spanking new? What if you don’t have any sewing stuff and you really want to get started. Here are 10 must have beginner sewing supplies! Once you have poked around here at Sew What Alicia make sure you go and check out All Free Sewing for a TON of amazing free sewing tutorials.
10+ Must Have Beginner Sewing Supplies
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Sewing Machine
A sewing machine!! There are lots of great options but I have two introductory Brother machines and they are both fantastic. If you are new check out my sewing machine recommendations for beginners (it says kids but they are great for kids and newbies alike!)
Here are the two that I use.
Brother Cs6000i and Brother XL 3750.
Thread
This may sound like a no brainer but good thread is super important! I ALWAYS use Guterman Thread and it is great. This is a place where you don’t want to scrimp on cost. You get what you pay for and cheap thread will break or clog up your machine.
Rotary Cutter
The rotary cutter is by far one of the most important things that you will need for your sewing projects. There are a few different types but I recommend one like the one pictured below. I don’t like the one where you have to hold the handle down to release the blade, for me it just adds one more way to make the cutting difficult and therefore uneven.
Rotary Mat
A rotary mat goes hand in hand with the cutter. This is another place where you might be tempted to go cheap. I assure you the cheaper you go the faster you are going to have to buy a new mat! The better brands are self healing and will last you a good long time as long as you don’t cut in the exact same spot over and over. The second thing I want to suggest is that you get a fairly good size mat. The bigger your mat the straighter your cuts will be because you won’t have to fold the fabric as much or move it around when you cut.
Ruler
A clear cutting ruler is one place where you can go for the cheaper option. The few things that you should look for are a clear ruler so you can see the lines on your cutting mat, a ruler that is a good length, at least 24″ is best, and a ruler that is fairly sturdy so you can run your blade along it without accidentally shaving the ruler itself. I like the one picture below 🙂
Scissors
Let’s talk about scissors. You definitely need a pair for your sewing kit. You can go for a middle of the road scissor, especially when you are just starting out. This pair is totally acceptable and will work great.
If however you are just past the beginner phase and sewing is definitely for you I would recommend a pair of scissors that is a step up. These Ghinger scissors are great and will last a long time as long as you cut only fabric with them and get them sharpened regularly.
Seam Ripper
Ok I have news for you…you are going to screw up! Everyone screws up no matter how long they have been sewing. So a seam ripper is crucial!! You might be tempted to go with a tiny seam ripper that came with a kit but this ergo seam ripper has a nice sharp blade and it is comfortable in your hand. It is only a few bucks and it is totally worth the price! This is the exact one that I use DAILY!!!!!!
Iron
An iron is another place where you don’t have to go crazy or drop a lot of dough. All you need is an iron that gets hot and has the steam function, heck you could even get one without steam because you could just use a spray bottle with water to wet a stubborn wrinkle! Pressing is crucial to sewing and this is a must have! I am linking to this Sunbeam iron because it is the one I have (I have the pink one) and I have had it forever and it works great plus it is not super expensive.
Ironing Board
A pressing board…aka an ironing board. You are using an iron, you are going to need an ironing board. I like this tabletop one for all the small projects I do. You know you can just use a big one too, whatever you have the space for.
Pins
PINS!! You must have pins in your beginner sewing supplies! But you know what I don’t use and never have that you can save your money on…a pincushion! I like the length of these pins and the colors are fun right?
Needles
If you are new to sewing then you may not know that you should be changing out the needle on your sewing machine with every new project (the big ones especially, you could get away with a few small projects between changes.) For most projects a universal sewing machine needle is perfect for the job. They have specialty needles but we will talk about those another time!
Now you know all the beginner sewing supplies that you need! What is first on your must buy list??
Ready to start sewing? Follow along with my Sewing School series and join my Sewing School group on Facebook.
So glad you mention how important thread is! When I first learned to sew (not that I’m a great seamstress now), I used the cheapest thread I could find, and it always broke and tangled in my machine. Quality makes a huge difference!
Exactly!! I tried to highlight what it is ok to scrimp on and some things you have to buy quality. Not that the Guterman is that pricey, a few bucks is all!
I recently had an issue with my plastic pin heads melting, when I was pressing fabric. And it was HARD to get the melted plastic off my fabric. I had NEVER had that happen before, so maybe it was because they were old? But, anyway…I bought some glass head pins (at local Hobby Lobby, but I am sure you can get them at Joann?) And they are great! They don’t seem to bend as easily either and they were very inexpensive.
Oh no, I have never had that happen. But then again I rarely use pins when I sew. Glass head pins are a great idea though for people who do like pins!