The Ultimate List of Sewing Supplies

Whether you are just starting your sewing journey or well on your way. this list of sewing supplies is a great resource for stocking your sewing space. The right tools make the tasks that much easier. I’m a firm believer in equipping myself with the necessary tools to keep my sewing at its best. Read on to discover the ultimate list of sewing supplies. Tools can vary as you deep dive into specific types of sewing such as quilting or garment making, so we’ll stick to some universal supplies for now.

1. Measure

Measuring tools in sewing are crucial for accuracy. Measure twice, cut once! Below are some of the most common measuring tools to have in your sewing kit. 

• Measuring Tape – this flexible version is essential for measuring curved surfaces and 3D objects.
• Yard Stick – perfect for quickly measuring fabric yardage.
• Seam Gauge – ideal for small measurements such as seam allowances.
• Transparent Ruler – come in a variety of shapes and sizes with grid layouts and bias cut lines. If you tend to work on quilting projects, you will want to have a larger size ruler on hand. This will help make cutting your fabric easier and more accurate.

2. Mark

Whether you are sewing with patterns or without, you will need to mark placements, stitch lines and more. We always recommend testing out your marking tool on a scrap of your fabric to be sure it removes well before you proceed.

• Tracing Wheel and Tracing Paper– Used in conjunction with tracing paper, a serrated tracing wheel rolls over pattern markings, transferring a dotted outline to fabric.
• Tailor’s Chalk – Chalk is easy to use and brushes away from most fabrics.
• Fabric Pens or Pencils – These range from water-soluble, air-soluble, or heat-soluble with a variety of shades for light or dark fabrics.
• Hera Marker– Unlike pens, this marking tool indents the fabric and will not leave any trace. This is one of our personal favorites and a MUST-have in the toolbox!

3. Cut

From threads to fabric, you will need sharp cutting tools to take your raw supplies to a completed project.

• Scissors – the most basic tool, but be sure to keep them designated to fabric as they easily dull over time when in contact with miscellaneous materials.
• Pinking Shears – used for finishing the edges of the fabric with an uneven cut so they don’t fray.
• Snips / Embroidery Scissors – used to clip threads, corners, or other tight spaces.
• Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat– great for cutting straight lines and especially useful in quilting.
• Seam Ripper – Mistakes are bound to happen! Seam rippers help open seams and remove stitches.

4. Assemble

Pins and clips hold pieces of fabric together as you stitch your seams.

• Pins – come in a variety of sizes and styles and are essential when matching seams. We especially like the heat-resistant flat-head pins. These are incredibly sharp.
• Clips – an alternative to pins without a sharp point and great for thick fabrics and seams. This can be used in both quilting and sewing.

5. Stitch

Now we are getting to the tools that actually create the seams as we sew.

• Hand Sewing Needles and Machine Sewing Needles – vary in point styles and thicknesses all designed to get the thread through the fabric of choice. We suggest keeping your supply of sewing machine needles well stocked because you never know when one might break.
• Thread – light to heavy weight in every color.
• Needle Threader – If slipping the thread through the eye of the needle proves to be tricky, use a needle threader tool to pull the thread through the needle. Be sure to check out the quick video and see this gadget in action.

6. Press

Aside from your sewing machine, your pressing tools will be the hardest workers in this craft.

• Tuners – loop turners and point turners are great for narrow strips and hard to reach points.
• Iron – essential for setting seams and getting those wrinkles out.
• Ironing Board – a sturdy, heat protected surface you can use standing or sitting can help.
• Starch – helps stiffen fabric and keep seams sharp. Flatter Smoothing Spray by Soak is also a crowd favorite here at Sewing with Scraps! It is just perfect for making your quilt blocks sign.