Sewer's Toolbox

 

1. Dura Snips 2. Pattern Paper 3. Tote Bag 4. Ghinger Shears 5. Stork Scissors 6. Chalk Liner 7. Magnetic Pincushion with Ball Head Pins 8. See Through Ruler 9. Eraser 10. Air Erasable Pen 11. Rotary Cutter[/caption]

 

Fabric is great, but there’s not much you can do with it unless you have some helpful tools.

• Ghinger Shears
  • First and foremost, you have to get the fabric off the bolt and shears are the tool for the job. When I think fabric shears, only one name comes to mind: Gingher. I actually have my great grandmother’s pair and they still work like a charm. What other product can claim that kind of longevity? It’s impressive. On top of that, they make a left-handed shear which I am in love with. Nothing cuts like some Ginghers- whether you’re cutting a wool tweed or a silk gauze, they will do it, and do it seamlessly.

 

• Chalk Liner
  • My go-to marking tool is the chalk pen liner we carry- inside the pen tip is a tiny perforated wheel gear that makes the thinnest, most precise chalk line. It’s SO EASY to use and won’t break like chalk triangles or pencils. Totally water soluble too. Plus, when the pen runs out of loose chalk, you don’t have to sharpen it or buy a new pen, just a chalk refill!

The see-through ruler and chalk liner in action

• See Through Ruler
  • The next item on my list is a see-through ruler. Sounds odd, but I promise it’s super helpful to be able to see the lines/grids and line everything up perfectly. They’re a dream when you’re marking your patterns upon pattern paper, and also the best friend of the rotary cutter. We prefer the thicker ones for extra durability.

 

• Ball Head Pins 
  • Once your fabric is cut, you’ll probably need some pins to hold the pieces together. I prefer a ball headpin that’s longer, like our quilting pins. It’s a classic. Holds your stuff together, and then you can easily see and remove the yellow ball when you no longer need the pin. Much easier to hold than the little steel headpins, and higher quality than the plastic ones.

• Magnetic Pin Cushion
  • Now you have all these pins, but where are you going to put them? You could try to keep them in the plastic box they came in, but it will inevitably fall on the floor and scatter all your pins all over the floor. I am speaking from experience here, it's not fun to pick pins out of your carpet while your cat is trying to play with them simultaneously. You could get a tomato and poke every single one in, but do you really have the time and patience for that? OR you could use a magnetic pincushion. All your pins literally snap to it. And if you do happen to have a pin spill incident as mentioned before, you can wave your magic wand (aka magnetic pincushion) over them and they’ll all be picked up and ready to use!

 

• Pattern Paper
  • Pattern paper is a must for any pattern drafting, and I am a huge fan of the alphanumeric one we carry. With letters and numbers plotted on a 1-inch grid, it’s easy to map out and plot all of your patterns. You’ll easily have your grain and cross-grain mapped out, or even bias if you so choose.

 

• Stork Scissors
  • This one I carry in my purse at ALL TIMES - stork scissors. They’re tiny little sharp embroidery scissors that happen to be super cute and shaped like a stork. They obviously come in handy when sewing or embroidering, but they have so many other uses too! Need a little pair of grooming scissors? Have an annoying thread or tag on your clothes? Have a little hangnail you need to snip off? Okay, they’re not supposed to be used for that last one, but I’d be lying if I said I haven’t done it.

 

• Rotary Cutter
  • Another tool I  love, though I don’t use it frequently, is the rotary cutter. Any time you need straight lines, this is the way to go. When I’m making our door garlands or coupon pouches, I can do it so easily, and so precise. I also love that you can switch out blades for what you need - my personal favorite being the scallop blade that prevents fraying.

• Air Erasable Pen
  • It just comes off so nicely! No need to fuss with it or wet your sewing project, just give it a little time, and your marks are gone! How easy is that?

• Dura-Snips
  • The dura-snips are like the ultimate snips anyone could ask for. Our boss lady, Maria, swears by them. Not only are they super strong and durable, as the name suggests, but they’ve also thought out every possible thing you could ask for. A cover to keep them sharp and you protected?☑ A lanyard so you won’t lose them? ☑ A fun purple color so they’re bright and fun? ☑ You can’t go wrong with these whether you’re notching or cutting threads.

• Stitch Happy Bag
  • And finally, what better way to keep all your supplies together than in a cute tote bag with a million pockets? (Okay, it has 3, but they're very handy). Spacious enough to carry fabric yardage, with pockets to keep your tools and notions organized. It even says “stitch happy” on it!

 

Now grab your tools and get sewing!

M.K.