The beginning sewer will feel lost in sewing and crafts stores. They display everything as if the customers already know exactly what they're doing. This basic sewing supplies buying guide is designed to give the beginner help with buying sewing supplies intelligently, without the sales pressure and salespeople.
Here is a quick list of the basic sewing supplies you'll need to start sewing:
You do have a sewing machine, but not everything that needs sewing needs to be done with a sewing machine, like needlework. Sharps range in size from 1 (heavy) to 10 (very fine). Betweens are shorter than sharps and are also called quilting needles. Milliners needles are very long, about 1.625 inches, with small, round eyes. Darning needles range from 1 to 5 (cotton darners) and 14 to 18 (yarn darners). For quilt tying with yarn, use a yarn darner.
Sewing machine needles
Sewing machine needles have their own size systems: American and European. American sizes range from 8 to19. Sewing machine needles will note both sizes, like this: 10/70 or 70/10. Refer to the following chart for the appropriate needle:
| Needle | Fabric | Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Denin/jeans | Heavy woven and denim | 70/10 to 110/18 |
| Leather | Leather, suede, thick non-woven fabrics | 80/12 to 110/18 |
| Machine embroidery | Used to embroider on fabrics | 70/10 to 90/14 |
| Metallic | Used with metallic threads | 80/12 |
| Ball-point | Knits | 70/10 to 100/16 |
| Sharp | Finely woven fabrics | 60/8 to 90/14 |
| Universal | Knits or woven | 60/8 to 120/19 |
Your sewing notions will vary, depending on your current projects, but these are a few you may want to keep on hand:
Having a selection of fabric on hand will mean that you are always ready to sew. The fabric you save could be large scraps from previous projects or sale fabric you found for a great deal and couldn't resist.
Quilters will also want to have scraps on hand. Quilting kits are a good choice if your scraps don't really fit the style of quilt you're making. Quilting kits come with blocks of fabric to make your quilt piecing go smoothly. They feature themes, either of color or an idea, like American flags or jungle animals. With a quilting kit, even a beginner can make a family heirloom quilt.
Once you have all of the sewing supplies you need, it's time to sew. If you need help with stitches, most sewing machines include a manual that explains how to use that stitch function on your machine. You can also find sewing and quilting books that explain sewing terms and techniques.
Don't worry if you don't buy all of your sewing supplies at once. Because these are basics, they will always be available.
Are there special sewing machine feet?
Some of the terms you may come across in those sewing and quilting books mention sewing machine feet. A sewing machine foot is the guide for the sewing machine needle. It helps the feed dog (the moving teeth-like inset into the needle plate) move the fabric along and keep it smooth. If your sewing machine doesn't come with the sewing machine feet you need, you can pick up those feet separately. There are sewing machine feet for quilting, narrow hems, blind stitch, darning and zippers.
What kind of table should I use?
As long as you are comfortable with the height of the table and chair, any table will do. If you intend to take up sewing with passion, you might consider buying a craft or sewing table. Many sewing and craft tables have storage compartments and would make an ideal place to store your basic sewing supplies.
Practice sewing
If you want to perfect your sewing skills, or at least figure out what you're doing, you should practice sewing. You can find free patterns scattered across the Internet, but the best place to find patterns is in sewing and craft books. They will give you a lot of projects with step-by-step instructions. This way you can become comfortable with sewing without wasting money on expensive fabrics and notions.
Make sewing easy
If you are a bit unsure of exactly which threads and accessories you should buy, pick up sewing kits. Sewing kits take the guesswork out of which threads or accessories will be used the most, and sewing kits will save you money. You can find sewing kits in boxes or cute baskets. And buying them online at Overstock.com means you'll save more money on below-retail pricing and super low shipping. This way you can buy the sewing supplies and have money left over for fabric!
