12 Best Sewing Websites For Beginners

Best Sewing Websites For Beginners in 2023

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Beginners Sewing Supplies: What You Need to Start Stitching

There are tons of notions on the market, but you will only need a few simple supplies for starting your sewing journey.

However, there are thankfully only a very few things you really need to get at the beginning of your sewing journey.

The first, of course, is your sewing machine. If you don't have one yet, please read this article to learn some important information about the differences between sewing machines Some are much more user friendly than others! If you have acquired a sewing machine secondhand, be certain to also get the manual. Often, they are available to download online.

Your Sewing Box
A shoebox is just the right size. You could even cover it with fabric or decoupage it with paper to make it pretty. But a box with a handle and latchable lid is more portable. Containers perfect for this use include tackleboxes and makeup organizer boxes. Of course they also make boxes specifically to be used for sewing storage. What I use is a clear plastic sterilite storage container with a latchable lid that I found at a general store for about $2. This works perfectly, and I have been using it for years. I like clear plastic containers for my sewing supply storage, because it is easy to see the contents. My box is large enough to hold a smaller clear box with compartments, a large tin of needles, and a whole lot of other assorted stuff, too.

Cutting Tools
After your machine, your most important sewing tool will be a sharp pair of dressmakers shears. The best kind to use for these purposes is a pair with bent handles. This style of handle allows the scissors to lie flat on your cutting surface as you cut through your fabric. You can buy a new pair at a fabric store for less than $10 on sale. Good scissors should last practically forever, though, so you might could acquire a previously used pair. You might be able to find well loved dressmakers shears at a thrift store or flea market, although you would probably need to have these sharpened. Never use your fabric shears for cutting anything other than fabric (or thread), and keep them in a safe place where you will always be able to find them.

You might also like to have a smaller pair of pointy scissors for clipping threads, and also a pair of utility scissors for cutting paper patterns, velcro, and other such tasks. Having utility scissors at hand will eliminate any temptation to use your dressmaker shears for anything other than fabric. But you don't have to buy multiple pairs of scissors; you could just move the storage space for your regular household scissors to your sewing box.

Also worth mentioning here is the rotary cutter. This is not necessary or even of much use for sewing garments. But if you want to make patchwork, you will definitely want one. You also need a self healing cutting mat and a large clear ruler for rotary cutting, so be aware it is a little bit of an investment. This is helpful enough to be almost indispensable for cutting strips or squares and rectangles, even triangles- so if you want to make quilts or otherwise sew patchwork, you will want rotary cutting equipment.

Measuring Tools
You will also need a flexible tape measure. You could probably find a new one at the dollar store. It will also be nice to have a hard ruler; this will come in handy as a straight edge. I have a yardstick, a 12 inch school ruler, and my seam gauge is a short ruler. A seam gauge is a really handy tool, as it has an adjustable marker and helps in sewing accurate hems, etc. These are available in fabric stores along the notions wall for just a couple of dollars. As I mentioned before, rotary cutters need their own measuring tools: the self healing mat, which is marked in a grid for measurements, as well as a long ruler for guiding the blade.

Pins
If you look along the notions wall at any fabric or craft store, you will see that even this one simple category of notion comes in a dazzling array of choices. You will begin sewing using woven fabrics, not knits, so stay away from ball tip pins. Other than this, sharp pins come in varying widths. The finer the fabric, the finer the pin you would choose to use. You have no business starting to sew with very fine fabrics, so start out buying medium thickness pins and sewing using medium weight fabrics. I recommend buying the type of pin that has a small round bead on the top. They make them with both glass and plastic beads. I like using this kind of pin best because the little beaded head makes it much easier to see. You never want to sew over a pin, and so having them easy to see is a big plus.

You need a pincushion for your pins, and this is one of the best first projects to make when you start to sew. Here is an idea for how to make one to wear on your wrist, using the cuff of an old wool sweater. Or you could make a small pretty square (or round, or rectangular) pillow to sit on your sewing desk or keep in your box.

You will only need marking tools when you begin sewing with garment patterns. I have discussed the various options available for marking in another article, Tips for Garment Pattern Sewing, so be sure to read that article as well when you are ready to take that step.