What does a well stocked sewing kit include?

Question

I am getting into sewing, making handbags, dolls, kids clothes. I find myself running back to the store for supplies a lot. So, my question is- what should I have in my sewing kit?

Also, I want to buy a sewing machine that is around $150- any suggestions for brand, model, what I should be looking for, etc... I sew everything by hand now and I need a machine!

Any other beginner sewing tips would be appreciated!

Answer 1

i am going to answer the question about the machine first. the other posters were right. brother is a good machine and very easy to learn. i did manage to wear out a brother purchased at walmart. because of the time of year i would check sears. janome makes the machines for kenmore. for the price range you can't beat the stitch quality of a janome for the price. sometime in january they will probably put their machine 1/2 price. i'm not saying it is the best but for the money you will spend it has the best stitch quality.

now for your sewing kit.
you will end up with many sewing supplies. this hobby is very addictive. i store my supplies in the plastic shoe boxes, grouping like things together.

box #1
thread. of course you want as many colors as you can afford but somethings people never think of are: a spool of black and a spool of white button or upholstery thread. this is a heavier thread and better for putting buttons back on that get alot of use. if you have black and white you can either use dark or light. polyfiliment thread. this is a clear thread. almost like a really thin fishing wire. this comes in handy sometimes when you just don't have the right color or you don't want the thread to show.

Box #2
this is where i keep thing for working with patterns. in this box i keep my seam gauage, pins (i use pins with heads and without heads) 2 tape measures, a fabric one of course to measure bodies and i also keep a small metal tape measure (the kind you get at the hardware store)
3 pair of scisors. your fabric cutting scisors also called dressmaking scisors, i keep a smaller pair of just paper scisors to work with patterns, and a pair of pinking scisors. you could also keep pattern weights in this box but i don't use them. a roll of scotch tape to modify patterns. i keep a magnetic pin cusion in this box to make it easier go get pins when working with patterns. you will also want some fabric marking pens.

Box #3
this box i keep for hand sewing. i keep an additional seam gauage in this box. an assortment of needles. patches. a wrist pin cushion. a small pair of scisors to clip threads. a needle threader. seam ripper and a pair of tweezers. the tweezers come in really handy to remove small threads.

Box #4
this i call my embellishment box. i keep buttons, snaps, hooks and eyes, velcro and elastic in this box.

Box #5
this is my sewing machine box. in this box i keep things i need for my sewing machine. you won't have this box yet but here are some things to put in it. sewing machine needles, tweezers, extra feet for your machine that didn't come with it, a needle threader, small pair of scisor to clip threads.

other things you will find helpful are.
a good iron and pressing cloth
you may need a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat, i have one that is a cutting mat on one side and is padded on the other side to use for ironing.
i keep interfacing on hand.
a box for fabric scraps.
fray check to keep seams from fraying.
yahoo has some great sewing groups, you may want to consider joining a couple of them. people on the groups are great at helping others

have fun with your new hobby and feel free to e-mail anytime.

Answer 2

http://www.tomfarrell.org/textiles/sewing/
will get you going on supplies. Take a look at what you sew and what it's used for... if you're going back to the store all the time for thread, and thread is not exposed on your project, chances are you can get buy with black, white or grey for many, many things.

Must notions for me include 4 different fusible interfacings that I trust, elastic in common waistband widths, a good stock of thread and serger and sewing machine needles, twill tape, Wonder Tape, Elmer's School Glue, and a big button box.

As to the sewing machine: For $150, I'd strongly encourage you to go to a reputable dealer that also repairs machines and tell them what you want to do, and ask about used machines in that price range. Yah, they aren't new, but a used mechanical from a good maker should be good for another 20-30 years of sewing -- a new machine in that price range can be worn out in a year -- yes, I've done it. For more information on buying a used machine, including models that hold up well, go to the library and get John Giordano's Sewing Machine Book -- it's a Taunton Press title, maybe about 10 years old now.

Answer 3

Brother sells a good basic machine. I love my brother machines. I have a Brother Serger and a Brother 8500. Obviously those 2 are out of your price range, but you can get a good basic Brother in your range.
I also suggest getting the book Sewing For Dummies. It is the best sewing handbook! I also have the Quilting for Dummies and also a great book!
As for supplies.
#1 Several sizes of shears, embroidery scissors and a pair of pinking shears
#2 Some way to organize your fabric, whether it's clear bins or shelving or whatever.
#3 Lots of pins! Straight pins, safety pins, quilting safety pins, etc.
#4 a couple of sewing magnets to catch all those pins! KEEP IT AWAY FROM YOUR SEWING MACHINE THOUGH IF YOU GET A COMPUTERIZED ONE!
#5 Something to organize your patterns into
#6 Tweezers and a couple of seam rippers. The tweezers help with pulling the threads out when you're ripping. You can also use them to thread your machine.

I'd list more, but looks like others have covered most of them. Good luck!

Answer 4

That amount will buy you a good machine. Any of the Brother or Singer Machines in the department stores are fine. The White machines sold at Jo-Anns are also fine.
I never buy equipment or supplies until I need it for a project. Over the years I have added :

Rotary cutter and mat (Get on Jo-Anns mailing list so you can use a coupon and get these for 40-50% off)
Scizzors that are never used for anything but fabric
Straight pins and a pincushion
Hand sewing needles
Seam ripper
fray-check
clear rulers
Large plastic bins for my fabric stash, sorted by color family
I have other items, but these are the ones I use the most.

.

Answer 5

Decide what materials you will be sewing. This will determine the tools you will need to keep on hand.

Leather requires tools different from woven fabric which are also different for those required for knits.

If you're going to be sewing *any* leather, even trim, you will need a heavier-duty sewing machine. If you're going to be sewing *knits*, you will want to have stretch stitches available. Bring a sample of what you wish to sew to test machines. The average sales clerk in this season may be more interested in the sale than in making a long-term match between machine and stitcher. Bad matches ensure repeat business somewhere.

For doll-making, you'll need regular needles as well as extra-long needles. You'll need a variety of threads, up to carpet-weight for joining parts. As mentioned before, knits are different, requiring blunt-pointed needles for hand-sewing and for machine-stitching.

You should have "good scissors" and you should have utility scissors or a utility knife for cutting paper, cardboard and/or vacuum-sealed supply wrappers.

If you are not a Model of Perfection, you will need to have a "seam ripper" for un-doing unwanted stitching.

I highly recommend water-soluble basting thread for model-making. Keep it in a closed zip-lock with a packet of silica gel. That's just me. I don't know of anyone else who considers it to be standard supply, but it's easier to steam-away a trial seam than to use a seam ripper on one.

I have white thread, black thread, and what-passes-for-fleshtone-thread. If you plan facings in those tones, those could be on the only threads you'd needs beyond metallic for occasional decoration.

Pencils, chalk, pins, safety pins, a few hat pins, pencil sharpener, notepad, handiwipes for hand-cleaning, tissue for sneezes ... that's it.

Answer 6

Hi:

For mine, the list includes the following :


1) A large cloth tote bag with pockets - Wal-mart got it - to put the item listed below in

2) A few sewing needles

3) Three small Plastic or Vinyl Plastic for colored sewing threads

4) A needle threader

5) a Small bag of button

6) Colored threads ( red, green, blue, orange, yellow, white, black, purple, clear, and any other color you want to add to it -Its for number three)

7) a good sewing or embroidery handbook of stitches

8) Some large zip-lock bags for sewing material

9) Large ,medium, and small embroidery hoops

10) Some sewing magazine if your doing a project.

11) a Stitch refence sampler of various stitches on a piece of cardboard

12) scissors ( regular & embroidery)

13) large bag of zippers

14) Sewing patches

15) a Sewing ruler or wrap a round clothes ruler

16) a box of 400 Sewing pins

17) Sewing patterns.


As for sewing machines I not much help but Brother make the best one. So does Janome but for that you will have to find out for yourself. So go to a sewing machine store and ask around.

For Machine embroidery ( or sewing machine sewing) :

Sewing for Dummies
by Janice Maresh, Janice S. Saunders, N. Graf (Editor)

Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe
by Wendy Mullin, Eviana Hartman, Beci Orpin (Illustrator), Beci Orpin (Illustrator), Agnieszka Gasparska (Illustrator)

Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques
by Nancy Bednar, Joanne Pugh-Gannon, JoAnn Pugh-Gannon, Joann Pugh-Gannon

ABCs of Serging: A Complete Guide to Serger Sewing Basics(Creative Machine Arts Series)
by Tammy Young, Lori Bottom, Naomi Baker (Foreword by)

Machine Embroidery with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide
by Nancy Zieman

Embroidery Machine Essentials: How to Stabilize, Hoop and Stitch Decorative Designs
by Jeanine Twigg, Lindee Goodall

Embroidery Machine Essentials: Basic Techniques: 20 Designs and Project Ideas to Develop You Embroidery Skills
by Jeanine Twigg

Embroidery Machine Essentials: Fleece Techniques
by Nancy Cornwell

More Embroidery Machine Essentials: How to Customize, Edit and Create Decorative Designs
by Jeanine Twigg

Embroidery Machine Essentials: Applique Techniques
by Mary Mulari, Jeanine Twigg

Sew with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide to Basic Sewing
by Nancy Luedtke Zieman

101 Ways to Use Your First Sewing Machine
by Elizabeth Dubicki

Everything Sewing Book: From Threading the Needle to Basting the Hem, All You Need to Alter and Create Beautiful Clothes, Gifts, and Decorations
by Sandra Detrixhe

Making an Old-Fashioned Patchwork Sampler Quilt on the Sewing Machine
by Andrea L. Shedletsky

Fine Machine Sewing: Easy Ways to Get the Look of Hand Finishing and Embellishing
by Carol Laflin Ahles

Sewing Machine Guide: Tips on Choosing, Buying, and Refurbishing
by John Giordano

Sewing Basics: All You Need to Know to Begin Sewing Clothes and Home Furnishings
by Wendy Gardiner, Mary Senechal (Editor), Kate Simunek (Illustrator), Martin Norris (Photographer), Paul Forrester (Photographer)

Encyclopedia of Sewing Techniques
by Wendy Gardiner


Hopely this will get you started in the right direction.

Hope this helps

Answer 7

for supplies--I recommend you invest in a good quality, resharpenable pair of scissors. Only use them on fabrics. have another cheaper pair for paper
If you are going to be quilting , a rotary cutter & cutting board makes life so much easier!!
tailors chalk, tape measure, pins & needles, (a needle threader if you have problems threading needles) a tomato pin cushion--the strawberry that dangles has emery in it to sharpen your needles. Thread--buy the pricier threads like coats & clark & guterman --are my preferences.
Thread snippers are handy dandy.
For a machine--I would go through sears. A basic machine has a few stitch options--straight, zigzag, blind hem and of course, reverse.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

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