A comment was made over on PatternReview about the amount of "stuff" that's required to sew. This got me thinking...how much stuff do we really need?I have a healthy assortment of gadgets and notions, but the number of items I use regularly is pretty small. In fact, other than my sewing machine (and associated feet) and my iron, the things you see in the photo are pretty much what I use when I sew.
I'm not saying there aren't things that I want. I'd love a pressing ham and a seam roll and one of those fancy-pants tube turners would be nice (although mine works perfectly well), but I don't actually need them (and just so you'll know, I'm too cheap to buy them).
I have nine things in my list of indispensables: paper scissors, dressmaker's shears, embroidery scissors, pins, tape measure, seam ripper, ruler, hand sewing needles and chalk marking pencil.
What's on your list?
11 comments:
Gosh, I hadn't really thought about it. Probably pretty similar to your list.
I bought a pressing ham and seam roll six months ago and am wondering why I did without these for so long.
I have a serger but I never use it. My daughter doesn't think very highly of military movers either!
sewing machine
serger
scissors
rotary cutter
mat
ruler
pressing ham and seam roll
iron
ironing board
spray bottle/starch
hand sewing needles
snips (suppose I could use the scissors if I have to...)
seam gauge
marking pencils/chalk
pins and pincushion
tape measure
But that's just the sewing stuff. Papercrafting is just as important to me and oh my...the stuff that takes....
Charity
Fun post!
OK here's my list.
Can't live without: marking pencil, good seam ripper (didn't realize how bad my old one was until I used the new one w/ my new machine), good snips, a good steam iron, my "seamstress" ironing board cover with the measuring grid, good pinking shears, my clear cutting ruler, loop turner.
Would like to haves: a pressing ham, silk pins, vintage dress form.
Paula, my list looks similar to yours except I would have to add rotary cutter, mat, and quilting ruler. I finally bought a ham and it makes all the different on a princess-seamed top. So I guess, add that too.
I use my serge every day or every other day! How do you get along without it?
I finish most of my seams by pressing them flat and finishing the seam allowances individually by one means or another. I'm afraid to use my serger; it scares me.
One of these days I'll post a picture of the specialized tool I use for pressing princess seams.
Mine is as follows: sm, serger, scissors, snips, seamripper, needles (handsewing and pins), thread, tapemeasure, iron and board, ham.
I use a lot of snipping as marking and my tubeturning goes as yours, learnt about 40 yrs ago it still is the best way.
I hate buying allkind of plastic gadgets that somebody manages to squeeze out of their brain and then trying to make us believe we need them, really? Was I naughty now?
I confess, I love sewing gadgets. I am always interested when I see something new come out. I don't always buy though. Here are my sewing staples:
Sewing Machine
Serger
Rotary Cutter and Mats
Pattern Weights
Tracing Wheel and chalk paper
Tape measures (yellow and retractable kind)
Seam Ripper
Seam Gauge
Little funny shaped measuring tool
Hem Gauge
Pressing Ham and Seam Roll
Iron
Purple Thang and Bamboo point thing
Little Scissors
Duck Bill Scissors
Many Presser feet
These are the tools I use with every project. I have other tools such as my fast turn tubes and clear rulers that I don't always use but are indispensable when I need them.
As Tamara said, these are the things I use on nearly every project:
Rotary Cutter,
Mat,
Acrylic rulers,
Hip and arm curves,
WONDER TAPE!,
Weights ( beach stones),
Mechanical pencils,
Pelican billed scissors,
MY GLASSES!,
MY PANTS SLOPER
I am one who loves gadgets. You could add to that lots of machine feet but I think those may go with the machines which is a given. I also use lots of different types of threads and would be lost without that variety. Did I say Wonder Tape?
Paula, I am very curious about the "tool" you use to press princess seams. I do a lot of those for DD and am up for anything that might improve my pressing or make it easier.
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