I’ve tested the absolute basics for you and stumbled upon some real bestsellers.
With some of them, I never would have guessed!
Of course, these sewing tools aren’t just our personal favorites:
They are also the top stars on Amazon!
By the way, I did find the top ten, but I forgot the seam ripper. Embarrassing!
Naturally, that one absolutely has to be included. But since that would make it eleven, you can find the champion of all seam rippers in the P.S. at the very bottom of the post! :D
And because there are always so many new products in the world of sewing, I keep an eye on the market for you!
I’ll introduce you to the coolest and most practical sewing aids as they appear.
That way, you’ll always stay up to date. :)
And if you want to know which sewing books I truly recommend, read my post about them.
Sewing machine needles
Throughout my sewing career, I have tested quite a few sewing machine needles. Including affordable brands from Tchibo, Tedox, and the like – in my testing, I found them rather disappointing. The problem is often just that the needles become blunt and nicked very quickly. I have had the best experiences with Schmetz needles*. They are the most durable – which means the slightly higher price pays off quite quickly.
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Rotary cutter
Of course, I haven't tested every rotary cutter on the market yet. But I have tested a few. The highly praised light green one from Clover* in the 28 mm size – looks pretty, but in my opinion, the included blade dulls really quickly. Because the handle is very thick, handling is made more difficult. That is certainly a matter of taste, but it’s not for me. The cutter from Guss & Mason* also looks cute (especially in pink), but I find it has an unwieldy handle. The blade guard was difficult to operate in my test. The blade is okay. I have also tried the rotary cutters that you usually get at hardware stores – just for the sake of being frugal. ;) And I was disappointed by the poor quality of the blade and the awkwardness of the entire design. However, the long-standing favorites in my sewing studio are the cutters from Olfa*. Somehow, these things stay the way they are. Change the blade every now and then (which is really easy with this model) and off you go.
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A newcomer to my collection is the pretty rotary cutter* (with a pink patchwork design!) from Fiskars. It fits well in the hand, though the blade guard takes some getting used to. After using it several times, it’s okay. The blade isn’t quite as sharp right out of the box as the one from the Olfa cutter.
Cutting mat
I’m sure there are people who cut their fabric on the kitchen floor (admittedly, I’ve done that too...). ;) However, if you want to tackle more and larger projects, you can't avoid purchasing a proper self-healing cutting mat*. I recommend getting an A1 right away – that’s the size 60 x 90 cm. Anything smaller is just annoying after a short while. Especially if you want to sew clothing. Then you spend most of your time moving the fabric around to make it fit on the mat. And experience shows that’s when things get inaccurate. :) I’ve been really satisfied with the cutting mat from Altera*. Until it sat in the sun for too long. Despite their obvious robustness, cutting mats are sensitive: if they are exposed to strong sunlight or direct heat, they can become uneven. Which in turn makes precise cutting difficult.
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By the way, the word "self-healing" shouldn't be understood to mean that the mat will look like new after a year of intensive use. While it stands up to cuts and stabs, it will naturally get scars and scratches.
Especially if you like working with fleece, you will notice that fleece fibers get stuck in the cuts. In our article about the most unusual sewing ingredients, we share our tricks for dealing with that!).
As a replacement for the Altera, I ordered the cutting mat from Snaply.*
Advantage: It comes in a combo pack right away with my favorite rotary cutter and a large patchwork ruler. Unbeatable in terms of price. Personally, I just like the color best – and it’s quite robust too.
Here is what it looks like:
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Marking pen
Depending on the nature of the fabric, I use different marking pens. You have seen the classic trick marker* many times in my tutorials. What I don't like so much about it is the scrubbing required after completing the sewing project. However, it must be said: the marks disappear on their own after a few days. But honestly: quite often, I sew things that I want to give away immediately. I don't want to wait days for the new little bag to dry or for the marker to disappear. From my tutorials, you also know the iron-off Frixion*, which is used in practically every one of our sewing projects. Basically, the Frixion is just an erasable ballpoint pen; so it wasn’t originally intended for use in the sewing room at all (except perhaps for writing a shopping list for the next visit to the fabric market). Some resourceful person, however, discovered that this type of pen is simply brilliant for marking fabric: The Frixion is just super practical because it disappears instantly upon contact with a hot iron and doesn't need to be removed with a damp cloth like the trick marker. By the way, sometimes you get lucky and find Frixion knock-offs at discount stores. My tip: grab them! :) Now a new star has appeared on the marking horizon. The Koh-i-noor pen*. The name is borrowed from the Persian and translates roughly to "Mountain of Light." Perhaps a bit exaggerated for a chalk pen. Still: The thing makes a trustworthy impression on me – and the inner values are also convincing: The Koh-i-noor pen itself is really just a holder for fine chalk leads, which come in 6 colors. It is manufactured by the Hardtmuth company, which the premium mail-order retailer Manufactum has also trusted for many years. This is what the Koh-i-noor looks like:
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At first, I was a bit worried whether the chalk pen would be easy to remove. In that regard, I’m just a bit spoiled by the experience with the iron-off pen.
In the meantime, I’ve tried it out and, lo and behold: marks from a chalk pen can be easily removed with a garment brush or a microfiber cloth. By the way, a dish sponge also works well. :)
The Koh-i-noor is now also available in a double pack with replacement leads*.
Bias tape maker
I love bias tape! And for our favorite projects, we especially like using homemade bias tape, which allows us to match the colors exactly. For example, for my beloved owl pot holders or for the chic Portobella cosmetic bag (by the way, both are freebies!). And because I don't just produce meters of bias tape but usually kilometers (you never know what you might need it for), I very quickly ended up with metal bias tape makers*. They are practical, last forever, and are now available at a very reasonable price in a four-pack with accessories and a bias tape foot. What more could you want? :)
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Buttons
For my bags and little pouches, we are always on the lookout for imaginative decorative ideas and buttons that give the sewing project that finishing touch. For example, for our Delia mobile phone case (click here for the tutorial with free pattern):
Therefore, I think you can never have enough button selection*.
The right decorative button turns a very simple little bag into a real one-of-a-kind piece. For example, in combination with a simple yo-yo flower (check out how to sew yo-yo flowers without a template here).
In doing so, I particularly like to fall back on buttons made of natural materials. Preferably wood, metal, or recycled material.
That’s why I find these buttons here especially cute:
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And because I love sewing maritime things, I like to set highlights with anchor buttons* that look as if I had secretly cut them off the captain's coat. ;)
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Sewing gauge and patchwork ruler
Sewing without measuring – unthinkable. For large pieces of fabric, a classic patchwork ruler* is a good choice. Mine is from Prym. Highly recommended because it simply lasts a long time and hardly gets any nicks even with frequent sewing. For smaller sewing tasks, a sewing gauge* is practical because it’s small, handy, and flexible. It is particularly suitable for measuring hems or seam allowances. The cutouts in the ruler, through which you can set the marks very precisely, are especially practical.Fabric scissors
For me, it all started with an affordable pair of scissors* from IKEA. And for starting out with sewing, that was totally fine (we didn't even realize how quickly we would actually get hooked on the needle back then!). The IKEA scissors are still around, too - and they continue to do their job, e.g., for cutting continuous zippers or for cutting faux leather. In other words, for everything that we think is too good for our high-quality fabric shears. ;) As my sewing skills grew, I ended up with a really good pair of scissors* that is actually used only for cutting fabric. Okay, it is more expensive than the IKEA model, but in return, it is also really sharp right to the very tip. That makes a difference, especially when notching seam allowances. Because the scissors are so long, the piece provides an enormous amount of leverage.
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Not quite as costly but equally recommendable is the professional pair of scissors* from Paul. It fits well in the hand, is light, and cuts precisely. What more could you want?
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Pins
Aren't they just too cute for words, those pins with shimmering pearl heads and little hearts? Forget them. I have tried many pins. And I have yet to find any - no matter how cute they look - heart-shaped pins that actually do what they're supposed to:- glide well into the fabric
- stay sharp for a long time
- not bend
- tolerate ironing heat (ever stapled your own ironing board?)
- be sewable over with the sewing machine
- not leave holes in the fabric
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Fabric Clips
Speaking of functioning: Sure, pins don't work for every project. Especially if you like working with leather (in one post, I reveal everything you need to know if you want to sew leather), Snappap, faux leather, or oilcloth, you will surely know this. Fabric clips are well suited for such sewing tasks. For a long time, there were only the original Wonder Clips*, but in the meantime, the selection has become significantly larger. In my experience, it really doesn't have to be the expensive original: The much more affordable version*, which is practically identical in design and comes in many colors and large quantities, does what it's supposed to!
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For some time now, there has also been an XXL version for bulkier sewing projects, which I find brilliant not just for holding together patchwork and quilting work.
Sweatshirt fabric and bag fabrics can also exceed the holding power of regular fabric clips. That's why I treated myself to the XL version. Again, the inexpensive knockoff*, but in use, I don't notice any difference there.
By the way, they are also available in an affordable 100-pack mixed* with the small clips. I think that's really good! :)
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Feel free to leave me a Like on Facebook! If you find this article helpful, you are, of course, very welcome to share it!
Happy simple sewing, your Sabine
P. S.: Also read all about the coolest sewing hacks – and the worst sewing mistakes! ?
P. P. S.: Interested in ideas for how to decorate your self-sewn projects?
P. P. P. S.: Simple sewing projects can be easily embellished with screen printing, by the way!
P. P. P. P. S.: When the article was already finished and complete, Bea pointed out in the comments that I had forgotten the seam ripper. Very embarrassing! It's true! Bea, thank you very much for the heads-up.
Seam Ripper
So. I wouldn't be Sabine from Sewsimple if I hadn't tested at least three seam rippers. Not entirely voluntarily, of course. Sometimes these things disappear in a mysterious way. So it goes without saying that none of the three is at hand and they have to be laboriously tracked down, with much grumbling and moaning, when something needs to be ripped out. My top pick among seam rippers is the one from Prym*. Reduced to the essentials, sharp and handy. It's also available in a pretty turquoise*.
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In my experience, the Seam Fix* by Gütermann is also really great.
Why?
Because it has differently shaped rubber parts at each end. With them, you can wonderfully "erase" thread remnants from the fabric. One of the rubber nubs (surely there's a technical term for it, please enlighten me if you know it!) has a small ridge with which you can also reach and rub away little threads in hidden corners and edges.
Furthermore, despite constant use for about a year, it is still really sharp - the mini cutting area of seam rippers sometimes gets dull really fast.
What I don't like quite as much about it is that you can put the Seam Fix together to close it, but both parts cannot be put on each other open, so you always have the open seam ripper at hand.
Due to its other qualities, however, I can generously overlook that. ;)
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