My Favorite Sewing Notions

There are tons and tons of things out there designed to make life in the sewing room easier. Some do just that. Others, however, are really not all that necessary. This is a list of the sewing notions that I simply refuse to live without.

Scissors

You need at least three good sharp pairs of scissors.

• A large pair of scissors for cutting fabric
• A medium size pair of scissors for preparing patterns, cutting interfacing and to handle miscellaneous cutting jobs.
• A small pair of scissors for snipping thread. I tied some cord to one end of mine and hang them around my neck when I’m working. That way, my snipping shears are always at the ready.

My personal favorite is a pair of embroidery scissors. I prefer embroidery scissors because the curved blade gives you extra protection when you’re moving quickly.

If you turn the blade so that the point is curved away from your garment, you are far less likely to accidentally cut your fabric when snipping short threads.

Interfacing

You need at least six different types of interfacing.

• White heavy weight
• White medium weight
• White light weight
• Black heavy weight
• Black medium weight
• Black light weight

Use black interfacing when working with dark fabrics and white for lighter colors. Heavy weight interfacing is ideal for waistbands. Medium weight interfacing is best for collars and cuffs as well as heavier weight fabrics.

Lightweight interfacing should be used exclusively when for shirt and blouse front and neck facings, especially when working with lightweight fabrics. I like to keep a lot of medium and lightweight interfacing on hand.

I purchase it in bulk – minimum 5 yards at a time… less of the heavyweight interfacing. Although interfacing comes in fusible and sew-in options, I purchase fusible interfacing exclusively. If I find that I am working with a fabric that is ‘fusible interfacing unfriendly’, I simply sew it in.

Elastic

You should always have a stash of elastic on hand.

• 1” non-roll elastic is ideal for waistbands and cuffs for adult clothing.
• ¾” elastic is better for children’s clothing.
• ½” elastic is best for lingerie.
• Use specially designed clear elastic for swimwear.

Elastic usually comes in black and white. When inserting elastic in waistbands or cuffs, the color you choose really doesn’t matter.

However, when working with projects where elastic is exposed in the finished product, select the elastic color that works best with the color you are working with. I buy mine in large quantities.

That way, regardless of what I need, it’s already at the ready. Not only is it convenient to purchase elastic in bulk, it is also economical.

If, however, you don’t have a rather significant need for elastic, it might be best if you purchase smaller quantities. Elastic has been known to lose is strength even when just sitting around in the original packaging.

Fabric Markers

When I learned to sew, we had only three choices when it came to marking fabric…

• Tracing wheels and colored waxy tracing paper,
• Chalk
• Tailor tacks.

Tracing paper was eventually replaced by moist tracing cloths that are stored in sealed plastic bags. The marks made by tracing cloths are easy to see and eventually fade away.

Tailor tacks left no marks and are still very useful. A tailor tack is made with thread and a hand needle. Tailor tacks can be used for a variety of purposes. It all depends upon your individual sewing needs.

Chalk is great for marking delicate fabrics or fabric that could potentially be stained by other marking implements. It brushes off easily and leaves absolutely no traces behind.

Marking pens

With the advent of marking pens, I have completely set aside the tracing wheel. I use my marking pens to mark clipping points, notches, darts, you name it. There are several types of fabric markers. You can choose from disappearing markers, water soluble markers and my personal favorite, the erasable Mark B Gone.

I prefer this one to the disappearing ink or water soluble markers because I can mark my fabric and leave it for several weeks without worrying about my marks having vanished. So far, I haven’t had any problems with erasing my marks when done – even on synthetics and whites.

In the final analysis, however, it doesn’t matter what type of marker you use as long as test it on your fabric before making any marks that you may regret when your project is completed. Quiet as its kept, not all disappearing ink disappears. It depends entirely upon your fabric choice.

Pressing Tools

Every home sewer must take his or her work to the ironing board. When pressing works in progress, it is essential to have the proper tools to give your finished project that professional look.

• Pressing ham – a must have for pressing curved darts and seams – sleeve heads, necklines, etc.
• Sleeve roll – essential for perfect seams in pants and sleeves
• Patch pocket template – ideal for patch pockets of any shape or size. The pocket template assures that your pockets have perfect corners or curves each and every time.

I got mine from Nancy’s Notions several years ago and refuse to attach a patch pocket without first giving it shape with my patch pocket template.

Of course, it goes without saying that a good iron and an ironing board with extra thick padding are essential.

Measuring tools

Some people never really give measuring tools a lot of thought, but like everything else in the sewing room, you must use the proper tool for the proper job.

• Tape measure – used most frequently for acquiring body measurements before attempting to cut a pattern. In my opinion, it is best to take your measurements before purchasing a pattern. Compare your measurements with the measurements on the pattern package. If you are working with a very old pattern, or no pattern at all, make sure your measurements are accurate before attempting to cut your fabric.
• Rulers – A good home sewer has several rulers:
  • Straight edge – this is the most commonly used type of ruler. A simple straight edge ruler can be purchased in several different lengths. Most commonly used straight edge rulers in a sewing room length from 12 to 36 inches.
  • Curved – a curved ruler is not used as often as a straight edge ruler, but is essential when altering patterns and working with certain intricate quilting projects.

• Hem gauge – people who attempt to hem with first measuring, pressing and pinning are taking a huge risk. I’ve known people who like to ‘eyeball’ their hems and have seen them take their hems out to repair it many, many times because they were uneven, sagging or just plain unsightly.

It’s easy to get excited when you get to the final stage of assembling a garment, and want to make quick work of the hem, but if you are going to take the time to make a garment, the very least you can do is measure your hem before sewing.

There are two basic types of hem gauge… one that allows you to determine how deep you want your hem and then measure and pin all around your garment. The other is designed specifically for use with curved hems.

Then there’s the floor stand hem gauge that allows you to stand next to it while marking your hem position. I prefer to use the hem gauge that allows me to determine my hem depth and insert pins to assure a perfectly even hem all around.

It’s a tiny six inch ruler with a slide that moves along an open slit in the middle. Everyone has their preferences, but this space saver is the only hem gauge I use.

Seam ripper

There are lots of times when you will need to take out the old reliable seam ripper to correct a mistake. But that’s not the only purpose for owning a seam ripper.

I find that inserting centered zippers is much easier when I baste the seam closed and then sew in the zipper with the teeth aligned along the closed seam. If you’re very careful, a seam ripper can also be useful for finishing points on collars and cuffs.

Point turner

The safest, most reliable way to guarantee that collars, cuffs and all your other points are clean and precise without the fear of poking holes in your garments with a seam ripper. Point turners come in several different varieties. The one pictured here, however, is my personal favorite.

Buttonhole opener

Lots and lots of people simply use a seam ripper to open their buttonholes, but I prefer this little gizmo. Not only are the buttonholes precise and cleanly cut, there is virtually no chance of ripping the finished garment because you get heavy handed with the seam ripper.

Merely place the wood block under the finished buttonhole and press the blade down in the center of the buttonhole. The blade is ½ inch in length. If your buttonhole is ¾” or larger, merely raise the blade and lower it to cover the full length of your buttonhole.

Double welt pocket maker

For some reason, I have always been challenged by a simple welt pocket. Since discovering this little gadget many years ago and have never attempted to make a welt pocket without it. At first I found it a little tricky, but in the late 90s, I attended a workshop conducted by the inventor – Clotilde and had her give me a one on one demonstration.

She was patient, gracious and wouldn’t let me go until we were both comfortable with my I don’t use welt pockets often, but take my word for it, this funny looking tool takes all the guesswork out of it.

Lint brush

The best thing you can use to make sure your sewing machine or serger has a long, long life. Cleaning your machine after each use is vital to its longevity and its operation.

Allowing lint and dust to settle inside a machine is tantamount to signing a death warrant. In addition, you will spend a whole lot more in service and repair calls if you do not keep your machine clean.

Screwdrivers

A good set of small screwdrivers is essential, especially if your sewing machine or serger is more than 10-20 years old. With a good set of screwdrivers and a little bit of sewing machine know-how, you stand to save hundreds of dollars in service calls.

My primary sewing machine is more than 40 years old. I have been cleaning, oiling and maintaining this machine almost from the very day I got it.

The only time it goes in for servicing/repair is when the foot pedal needs to be replaced. In addition, even if your machine uses snap on presser feet, you will occasionally need a screwdriver to anchor the presser foot support piece in place.

Lubricant

My machines are old and therefore require lubrication on a regular basis. Many newer machines do not need lubrication, but if you purchase a new mechanical machine, you will still have to apply a drop of oil every now and then. Sewing machine oil can last for decades, so go ahead and invest in a small can. You won’t regret it.

Beeswax

You almost never hear of anyone using beeswax anymore, but if you are sewing by hand – hemming or even attaching a shank button or snaps, beeswax is a lifesaver.

With just a tiny bit of beeswax, you don’t have to worry about your thread tangling while you are working. Besides, I’ve noticed that threading a needle – especially a needle with a small eye – is much easier after I’ve passed my thread through a little beeswax.

Velcro

This is something I don’t use too often, but when I need it, I want it to be right at my fingertips. You can purchase Velcro several different ways and several different colors. The most common choices found in most fabric stores are normally limited to black, white or beige.

Velcro comes in stick on and sew-in varieties, strips, one inch squares and dots. I prefer to purchase rolls of the sew-in kind, and keep all three colors on hand. This way, when a sewing project I’m working on calls for Velcro, I can cut it to my own specifications and keep on moving.

Do not attempt to sew the stick-on variety. I tried that once as a time saver and it literally gummed up the works in my sewing machine. Rather than save time, I ended up with a massive clean up job that took nearly an hour.

Pattern weights

Because I live in South Florida and have ceiling fans in every room, I simply must have weights to hold my patterns in place while pinning them to fabric. In addition, weights are a necessary tool if you are working with leather or any thing else that is unforgiving when it comes to pin holes.

Conclusion

Most of the notions described here are available through amazon.com. A few, however, specifically the button hole cutter, the patch pocket template and the double welt pocket tool, may be available exclusively through nancysnotions and annascatalog [formerly clotilde].

No doubt, you may have come across a sewing room tool that you simply cannot live without. I’d love to hear about your favorite notions.