Sewing Tools and their Uses

Sewing Tape Measures

A tape measure is a must-have tool for sewing. You might even want more than one, including a
small retractable measuring tape to carry with you.

Sewing tape measures are usually marked with inches on one side and centimeters/millimeters
on the other.

The most common use of a tape measure is to take body measurements, but you can use it for
any measuring task. Because it is flexible but firm, it can stand on its edge and measure the
distance around an item, such as a circle.

Sewing Gauges

Sewing gauges are hand tools for measuring small areas as you sew.

Gauges come in a variety of forms. The most common to have is a six-inch aluminum ruler with
a slider. Small, oddly-shaped gauges have markings for the most common sewing measurements
for checking seam allowances, hems, or other small measurements.

Although gauges are not a necessary tool, they are inexpensive and handy for all hand sewing,
marking alterations, hemming, checking the width of your seam allowances and more.

Pins & Pincushion

A pincushion holds straight pins and needles while you are working. The standard tomato
pincushion is a classic, but you can choose from many options.

Pins also come in a variety of styles, each with their own purposes. You may want to buy
different types as you need them, but a pack of pins with large, visible heads will work for most
of your sewing needs.

Good pincushions are typically filled with sawdust and wool roving. The wool roving contains
lanolin and prevents the pins from rusting. If you make your own, crushed walnut shells make a
good substitute for sawdust.

The strawberry that is attached to most pincushions (but also available separately) is filled with
fine sand or emery. The abrasive action of these fillers remove dirt and rust, keeping the pins
sharp and smooth.
Hand Sewing Needles

Hand sewing needles come in varying sizes with different types of points.

The most commonly used hand sewing needles are called sharps. Sharps have a medium length
(in comparison with all available needles), have a rounded eye for the thread, and are suitable for
almost any fabric.

When choosing a needle, use what's best for the project to save yourself some frustration. Use
heavy needles on thick or difficult to sew fibers. Use finer needles on fine or delicate fabrics.
Other specific hand sewing needles include embroidery needles, upholstery needles, quilting
needles, doll needles, and more.

With most needles, the larger the size number, the smaller the needle.

Sewing Needle Threader

Failing eyesight or just being tired can make threading a sewing needle difficult. It doesn't have
to be. Use a needle threader to solve the problem.

The wire of a needle threader easily passes through the eye of a needle, then opens and creates a
large opening for the thread. Then you can pull the wire and thread back through the eye of the
needle.

Use your needle threader with a needle that has a large enough eye for the thread you are using
so you are not forcing the thread and needle threader through the eye of the needle. Forcing the
wire can cause it to break.

Seam Ripper

Mistakes happen and seam rippers remove unwanted stitches.

The fine tip of a seam ripper lets you pick out single threads, while the rounded tip allows you to
remove stitches along a whole seam without tearing the fabric.

Take the time to learn how to use your seam ripper so you're ready when it's time to fix a sewing
error.

Sewing Scissors

Sharp sewing shears help keep your cutting accurate while preventing hand fatigue. Generally,
it's worth it to choose a high-quality pair of scissors and spend a little more money to start.

Using fabric scissors on anything other than fabric will dull them, causing uneven cutting,
shredded fabric, and hand fatigue. It's a good idea to keep them tucked away with sewing tools
and teach family members never to use your good scissors.
To keep your scissors in good condition, clean the blades regularly and oil them occasionally.
Avoid overextending the blades by trying to cut through too many layers at a time.

Pinking Shears

Pinking shears have jagged blades that fit together to cut a saw-tooth edge on your fabric.

For many tightly woven or non-fraying fabrics, a pinked edge is sufficient as a seam finish. This
is especially handy when working with light-weight fabrics that a sewn seam finish will add too
much thread or weight to the seam. Using pinking shears on non-fraying fabric such as fleece
helps reduce a blunt edge from showing through when pressing a seam and adds a finished look
to the fabric.

As with other sewing scissors, use pinking shears only for fabric, and keep them clean and oiled.

Pressing Tools

As you sew, it's important to press your work with essential pressing tools. At the very least you
should have an iron and ironing board.

A press cloth prevents your fabric from scorching when applying more heat than you would if
you were just ironing out wrinkles. They are available in different weights, including see-through
press cloths. If you don't have one, a piece of muslin will do but it's worth adding to your sewing
tools.

Hams and sleeve rolls are wonderful for pressing curves and seams that are in a tube area
without creasing another area of the garment. They're worth having if you regularly
sew clothing, but you can get similar results with a tightly rolled towel.