What Basic Sewing Supplies Do You Need When Learning How To Sew

What Basic Sewing Supplies Do You Need When Learning How To Sew What are the Sewing Essentials for Your First Sewing Class? ChaptersMeasuring Tools to Set Your Sewing PatternTools for Marking and Transferring Your Sewing PatternCutting Tools to Cut Your FabricSewing Supplies for Pinning and SewingThreads and BobbinsThe history of sewing dates back to the Paleolithic Period some 21,000 years ago when Man first started to bind animal skins together with single stitches to make clothing and tents to protect himself from the cold. Sewing with natural fibres (cotton thread, linen thread, hemp or burlap threads) first took place in the Middle East around 4,000 BC.Over the course of the centuries, economies grew to include the profession of tailor, along with sewing as a leisure activity. Depending on the period and culture, a tailor or seamstress might also have woven cloth, made male and female garments, embroidered and sewn decorative or upholstery fabrics. To do so, they needed a basic set of sewing tools for measuring and cutting fabrics.But when you’re just starting out, it’s hard to know what you real ly need to hem a pair of trousers, neaten a raw edge, darn socks, mend a shirt or a pillowcase or sew a bag. Tracking down information on what exactly should go into your sewing box takes time. This is why, like your friendly neighbourhood haberdashery, we at Superprof will help you with your choice. Here is an inventory of the basic sewing supplies you should own to complete all your sewing projects.Discover the right accessories for learning how to sew...See some good sewing classes London.Carbon PaperSome tailors swear on good, old-fashioned carbon paper. Place it flat onto your fabric and spread the pattern over it. Trace the pattern with a pencil and the carbon paper will transfer the lines onto the fabric. This only works with light cloths, though. Once you have measured, marked and traced your pattern, you need your sewing supplies to cut the cloth.Do you know which sewing machines are best for the beginner sewer? RaySewing Teacher 5.00 (6) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PrincessSewing Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnaSewing Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArianwenSewing Teacher 5.00 (2) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ShaziaSewing Teacher 5.00 (2) £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZanetaSewing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GianmariaSewing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JacquelineSewing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCutting Tools to Cut Your FabricThey say that stitchers think only in metre-lengths of cloth.This is why it’s a good idea to take your measurements before you go to the fabric store to buy your cloth or choose your embroidery canvasses.Whether you are cutting a buttonhole, snipping threads, customising old clothes, cutting out a quilt patch, repairing a zip or even knitting a hand-made scarf, you will need one fundamental tool: a pair of scissors.When y ou use sewing shears correctly, you can cut very precisely. Photo by Khaz on VisualHuntScissors for SewingUsually, sewing scissors should be new and used only to cut cloth.Fabric scissors can be used for lightweight fabrics where precision is importantTailor’s shears are large scissors with long blades for heavy fabrics. By carefully placing the blade of the dressmaker’s shears under the cloth, you can get an accurated and regular cut.Pinking shears make a zig-zag cut, good for light fabrics and fabrics that unravel easily. They are sometimes used in other crafts such as paper crafting.But you should also consider investing in a cutting mat (so as not to damage your table) and a rotary cutter for precision cutting.Thread snipsAnd finally - no one is safe from sewing mistakes and having to undo a seam. Thread snips or thread scissors will help you undo that missed seam so you can take that step back (to better go forward.) Seam rippers are a metal blade shaped like a “Y” with a protective knob at the end. Simply insert the long end under a stitch to cut it and undo   a badly-done seam. Make sure both hands are behind the seam ripper to avoid injury.Seam rippers will help you undo your mistakes doing your first sewing lessons. Photo by alsokaizen on VisualHunt / CC BY-NCNow, we are getting somewhere. Your cloth is marked and cut - now you can start sewing!Sewing Supplies for Pinning and SewingPinning your sewing projectYou will need to buy safety pins. They will keep several layers of fabric together while cutting. And you should consider getting a box of pins with coloured tips and a pincushion for pinning your project together to try it on or before basting.Thimbles - Peter Pan’s KissYou might remember that odd little hat your grandmother wore on her middle finger as she knitted. It was a thimble, very useful for pushing needles through stiff fabrics without injuring yourself.Sewing NeedlesAssuming you have already bought a sewing machine, you will n ow need sewing needles. Indeed, if you are a beginner sewing student, you will be doing a lot of hand stitching. We recommend buying a little assortment of needles in different sizes, varying in both length and thickness. You will be using them mostly for precision and finishing work.Thimbles are useful when sewing through thick fabrics or if you often prick your thumb. Photo by The Knowles Gallery on Visualhunt.comIf you plan on working with fabrics of different thicknesses (from thin lawn to thick woolen coat fabrics), you might also consider getting several boxes of sewing machine needles.Threads and BobbinsOther tools that can’t be missing from a sewing box: thread and bobbins. Superprof recommends getting several bobbins so you don’t get mixed up and end up with different-coloured sewing threads on the same bobbin. But sewing machines generally come with several extra.The last element still missing from your sewing box is evidently the sewing thread itself.It is better to p refer quality to cheapness. A low-quality thread will fray or break more easily, causing accidents (and fraying your nerves.) In order to avoid staining your fabrics, we recommend you sew with a thread of the same colour.Final tip: If you want to advance and learn to sew like a true professional, our sewing teachers at Superprof are waiting for you to contact them for sewing lessons, or even embroidery lessons to make the most of your shiny new sewing machine.Discover also where you can buy fabric at low cost for your sewing courses!