basic sewing supplies for clothing

Having the right tools & notions on hand makes sewing projects
much easier. Here’s a list of basics for a well-stocked sewing basket.

Having the right tools & notions on hand makes sewing projects
much easier. Here’s a list of basics for a well-stocked sewing basket.

green sewing supplies
blue, pink, orange, yellow, purple, and green thread side by side
assorted all-purpose thread

assorted all-purpose thread

Polyester or cotton-wrapped polyester; strong with a bit of give; suitable for machine and hand-sewing projects.
SHOP THREAD
SHOP THREAD
silver scissors
bent handled dressmaker’s shears

bent handled dressmaker’s shears

Great for cutting fabric, as the shape of the lower blade allows the fabric to lay flat while cutting.
SHOP SHEARS
SHOP SHEARS
black, navy blue, blue, pink, and white bias tape
bias tape

bias tape

Used to cover raw edges of fabric to keep it from fraying, bias tape is simply a strip of fabric that’s been cut on a 45º angle (bias) to give it a bit of stretch.
SHOP BIAS TAPE
SHOP BIAS TAPE
metal bodkin
bodkin

bodkin

A sewing tool that acts like tweezers to draw elastic, cording and other materials through tubing and casings.
SHOP BODKINS
SHOP BODKINS
white and blue chalk wheel or tailors chalk
chalk wheel or tailor’s chalk

chalk wheel or tailor’s chalk

Temporary marking to transfer quilting designs, seam allowances, embroidery designs or other craft markings. Marks can be brushed away or rubbed off with a damp cloth.
SHOP CHALK
SHOP CHALK
blue and purple containers containing sewing supplies
container to hold supplies

container to hold supplies

It’s handy to have a storage system so supplies are neatly and safely stored when not in use.
SHOP STORAGE
SHOP STORAGE
top half of pink dress form
dress form

dress form

An easy solution for sewing dresses and tops to fit. Select a dress form with adjustment ranges according to your body measurements.
SHOP DRESS FORMS
SHOP DRESS FORMS
erasable fabric marker
erasable fabric marker

erasable fabric marker

Used to transfer pattern markings. Some have extra fine points for detailed marking and are available in blue or purple ink. Not for use on dry clean-only fabrics.
SHOP FABRIC MARKERS
SHOP FABRIC MARKERS
hand sewing needles in round blue container
hand sewing needles

hand sewing needles

Needles made for use specifically by hand. Available in a range of sizes and types depending on fabric and thread type.
SHOP NEEDLES
SHOP NEEDLES
pink and white iron on an ironing board with a blue shirt
iron & pressing surface

iron & pressing surface

An area to press the fabric with heat before, during and after finishing the garment.
SHOP PRESSING SURFACES
SHOP PRESSING SURFACES
liquid fray protector in a clear bottle with a blue lid laying next to it
liquid fray protector

liquid fray protector

A liquid seam sealant that keeps fabric from fraying and secures the ends. Withstands repeated laundering and dry cleaning.
SHOP FABRIC ADHESIVES
SHOP FABRIC ADHESIVES
yellow measuring tape
measuring tape

measuring tape

A flexible ruler to measure fabric and body measurements for patterns.
SHOP MEASURING TAPES
SHOP MEASURING TAPES
three magazines with one model on each
patterns

patterns

Templates to make a fabric item. Apparel pattern sizes are based on body measurements and may not correspond to standard clothing sizes. It is best to have another person measure you with a tape measure and select a pattern size based on actual measurements.
shop patterns
shop patterns
three pin cushions in baskets
pin cushion

pin cushion

A small, stuffed cushion to store sewing pins or needles with sharp points down.
shop sewing tools
shop sewing tools
orange scissors
pinking shears

pinking shears

Used to finish seams, raw edges and create decorative edges. Pinking shears have serrated or jagged edges that create a zigzag pattern on the fabric that is resistant to raveling.
shop cutting tools
shop cutting tools
white point turner
point turner

point turner

A pointed plastic tool to help push out the points of a sewn piece that is ready to be turned right side out. Also helps to create sharp creases on the fabric and unfasten basting stitches.
shop sewing tools
shop sewing tools
white, gray, and orange rotary cutter
rotary cutter

rotary cutter

A tool with a round blade that looks like a pizza cutter. A rotary cutter can be used to cut through several layers of fabric at once. It is fast, easy to use and improves accuracy.
shop rotary cutters
shop rotary cutters
One large gray rotary cutting map and one small green rotary cutting map laying on top of each other
rotary cutting mat

rotary cutting mat

Helps the rotary cutter glide smoothly over the surface of fabric for easy, accurate cutting. Mats extend rotary blade life and protect the sewing surface from cuts or nicks. A self-healing surface makes cut marks disappear, allowing you to cut the fabric without leaving ridges for future work. Some mats have measuring lines to help align fabric perpendicular to the cutting tool and are available in a range of sizes.
shop rotary cutting mats
shop rotary cutting mats
white, black, and yellow rotary cutting ruler
rotary cutting ruler

rotary cutting ruler

Plastic see-through rulers that help make rotary cutting fast, easy and accurate. Rulers come in a wide assortment of sizes and shapes for standard and more specialized patterns or techniques. Raised edges help guide the rotary cutter along. Rulers with non-skid surfaces or non-slip sandpaper feet prevent the ruler from sliding and causing inaccurate cuts. Easy-to-read numbers and gridlines that go all the way to the edges ensure precise measuring, and multiple-angle lines make it easy to pivot for 30°, 45° and 60° cuts. The double-sided lines, for left- and right-handed users, are easily visible on light or dark fabrics.
shop rotary cutter rulers
shop rotary cutter rulers
two hands using a safety pin to secure fabric together
safety pins

safety pins

A basic notion for securing fabrics. Available in several shapes, lengths and materials.
shop pins
shop pins
black and silver seam gauge
seam gauge

seam gauge

A small, multi-purpose ruler with point turner and sliding right-angle marker that stays in place for multiple marks and measurements of hems, tucks, pleats and buttonholes.
shop seam gauges
shop seam gauges
white and black seam ripper
seam ripper

seam ripper

Designed to rip out stitches from seams without damaging fabric.
shop seam rippers
shop seam rippers
Singer sewing machine
sewing machine

sewing machine

Machines to make sewing quick and easy include mechanical, heavy duty, computerized, quilting & embroidery, and sergers.
shop sewing machines
shop sewing machines
sewing machine needle with blue and gold top
sewing machine needles

sewing machine needles

Needles made specifically for use in a sewing machine. They come in a range of sizes and types depending on the fabric or thread.
shop sewing machine needles
shop sewing machine needles
straight pin needle with yellow ball head
straight pin

straight pin

A pin with a short, straight stiff piece of wire and pointed end to fasten pieces of cloth or paper together. Available with large, sometimes colored ball heads to make them easier to see and grip.
shop straight pins
shop straight pins
silver thimble
thimbles

thimbles

A protective covering for fingertips while hand quilting, applique and sewing binding. A thimble prevents accidental piercing and helps to push the needle through all layers of fabric and batting. Available in a variety of materials including metal, plastic, leather, glass and wood.
shop thimbles
shop thimbles
two green pattern weights
pattern weights

pattern weights

Used to keep pattern pieces in place for easy cutting. Also helps avoid pin holes in fabrics.
shop patterns
shop patterns
orange thread clippers
thread clippers

thread clippers

A spring-loaded tool specifically designed to snip threads. These are smaller and held differently than traditional scissors.
shop thread clippers
shop thread clippers