Cutting tools
Fabric shears
One sharp pair, about 8 inches, kept for fabric only. Paper dulls a blade faster than anything else in the sewing room. Look for full-length blades that close cleanly to the tip, and a handle that fits without pinching.
Small snips
Thread snips or embroidery scissors for clipping threads and grading seams. Look for fine, pointed tips. Spring-loaded snips are kinder on your hands.
Rotary cutter and mat
The fastest way to cut straight strips and squares. A 45 mm blade covers nearly everything. Buy the self-healing mat at the largest size your workspace allows, and change blades sooner than you think.
Marking and measuring
Marking tools
Chalk, a fine ceramic pencil, or a water-soluble pen. Test every marker on a scrap of the actual fabric first. Heat-erase pens can return in cold weather. Chalk brushes away on loose weaves.
Tape measure and clear ruler
A soft tape for bodies and curves. A gridded acrylic ruler for cutting and squaring up. Look for a fiberglass tape that will not stretch, and a 6 by 24 in ruler with clear quarter-inch markings.
Seam gauge
A small sliding gauge for hems, seam allowances, and repeat measurements. We recommend a metal gauge. The slider should hold its position.
Sewing guide or seam guide
A magnetic or screw-on fence on the throat plate so you can sew a steady seam allowance. Magnetic guides move fast. Check your machine manual before using magnets near computerized models.
Sewing notions at the machine
Pins and clips
Glass-head pins for anything that goes near an iron. Clips for thick layers, laminates, and knits that pin holes would mark.
Machine and hand needles
Change the needle every project or two. Universal 80/12 for cotton. Ballpoint or stretch needles for knits. Denim needles for canvas and heavy twill. Keep a pack of sharps for hand finishing.
Thread
Long-staple cotton or poly-core thread. Cheap thread sheds lint into the bobbin case and breaks under tension.
Seam ripper
Unpicking is part of sewing. Look for a fine point. Replace it when it starts dragging.
Pressing
A steam iron and a firm board
Press by lifting and lowering. Sliding the iron distorts the grain. Use a pressing cloth of undyed cotton between the iron and the fabric.
Shop sewing tools or cotton yardage for a pressing cloth
Fabric to learn on
Quilting cotton
Quilting cotton is stable and forgiving, which makes it the right first fabric.
Mid-weight linen
Once straight seams feel easy, mid-weight linen teaches pressing and grain. Prewash linen. It will shrink.
What to buy in what order
Buy the next tool because you need it for a project, not because a list said so.
| Stage | Add |
|---|---|
| Day one | Fabric shears, pins, tape measure, all-purpose thread in two neutrals, a pack of universal 80/12 needles, a seam ripper. |
| After the first project | A gridded acrylic ruler, chalk or a water-soluble marker, small snips, a seam gauge. |
| When seams wobble | A sewing guide, and a pressing cloth. |
| When you cut repeats | A 45 mm rotary cutter, the largest self-healing mat your workspace takes, and a 6 by 24 in quilting ruler. |
What you can skip
- Giant beginner kits. Most of the contents are filler, and the scissors are usually the first thing you replace.
- Specialty presser feet before you know which seams you actually sew.
- A second machine. A serviced basic machine beats a new complicated one.
- Novelty thread sets. Buy the colors your current project needs.
Keeping tools working
- Change the needle every project or two, or immediately after hitting a pin.
- Keep fabric shears for fabric. Paper blunts them in one cut.
- Brush out the bobbin case once per project.
Quick answers
- What tools do sewing beginners need first?
- Fabric shears, pins or clips, a tape measure, all-purpose thread, fresh machine needles, and a seam ripper.
- What is a sewing guide tool?
- A magnetic or screw-on fence on the throat plate that keeps the fabric edge at a consistent seam allowance.
- What needle for stretchy fabric?
- A ballpoint or stretch needle. A universal needle often skips stitches on jersey and spandex blends. Browse needles.
- How often should I change my machine needle?
- Every project or two, and immediately after it hits a pin.
- Do I need a rotary cutter and mat?
- Not to start. Shears cut a garment well. Add a rotary cutter when you are cutting repeated shapes. Rotary cutter sizes, blades and mats .
- Is a beginner sewing kit worth it?
- A complete kit that names its fabric, yardage, width, and notions can save the hardest beginner decision. Bargain mega-kits are mostly filler.
Building your kit
Start with shears, pins, a tape measure, thread, and a pack of fresh needles. Buy the next tool when you need it for a project.
Browse the full sewing supplies basket, try a complete sewing kit, or start with fabric. For first projects, see beginner sewing patterns. For a question about a specific tool, ask us for help.