Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A Sewer's Sewing Kit


     There are so many things you can put into your sewing kits but there are so many things that I was told to put in and never used!  so I thought I would share the things that I use all the time - I'm not much on "fancy-dancey" things so you may need more that is listed here- but this will give you a great start!

  • Old Prescription Bottle- this is a perfect little container to hold all your sewing needles

  • Needles- I love having a variety of sizes- from the fat blunt larger needles to help my children thread noodles on to yarn for a beautiful necklace - to short skinny needles for those days when your husband tosses you a dress shirts and says his button popped off.

  • Straight Pins- I like the kind that have the yellow round heads- they are easy to see and they are all the same- so I don't loose them very easily.  I hate the little silver straight pins that come on dress shirts from the department stores- they are dull, and hurt your fingers when you try to use them- I never save them... my grandmother would be disappointed in me... "They are just fine- you shouldn't throw anything away"... I can hear her now, sorry Grandma :)

  • Thread- For general mending, and sewing with my machine, I use coats and coats- it is a nice strong thread and it has always been good to me.  My mother uses Duel -for hand mending, and many other specialty threads for her many different projects she does.  Ask around to others who sew- they all might have a favorite- you will find your too.

  • Pin Cushion of sort- some like the standard pin cushion- the little "tomatoes" that have the little strawberry thingy attached to it to "sharpen your needles".  Great for the cutesy look but I need FUNCTION!   I like the magnetic pin holder- I toss the pin towards it and it snatches it up easily!  no time is taken.  And when my little ones "help" me- clean up is easy- run the magnetic holder over all the pins and *SLURP* ... done!

  • Scissors- I recommend that you spend a little extra money on a good pair of shears, and if you take good care of them, they will last a very long time.  I learned from a very early age, which scissors I could use for all my wonderful paper crafts... and the one that were "Mom's Sewing Scissors"-  My mom taught me a trick that works great... tie a orange ribbon around your "GOOD" scissors and threaten life grounding if anyone touches them.  Believe me it works really well- and I have passed this priceless information down to my children too.  Still works!

  • Clippers- small pair of scissors, this is used for small projects and thread clipping- I choose two styles- a small rounded nose (blunt) pair and a long nose sharp pair too.  You'll find that there is a difference and you will like the versatility of having two. But at least one pair.

  • Seam Rippers- you hate to think of having to unpick- but a project isn't complete if you haven't unpicked at least one time.

  • Fabric Tape Measure

  • Sewing Gage... I have this in my Sewing Kit because although I rarely use it- Nothing works the same or better.  

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