I thought I would use today’s blog post as an opportunity to talk through what I think are the top 10 essential tools that you need to start dressmaking. Once you get interested in this hobby, there are soooo many things you can buy to add to your sewing kit, some of them really useful, some of them nice to have, but the following list is what I class as the bare essentials and will set you off on the right track to a handmade wardrobe!
1 – A sewing machine You really don’t need an expensive one to start with. Just a basic model that does a straight stitch and ideally a zig zag stitch is absolutely fine.
There are lots of brands out there. I have Janome machines and can definitely recommend them but Singer, Bernina, Brother also do great beginner machines ….just to name a few!
I could do a whole separate blog post about sewing machines and will at some point! But for now, my recommendation would be to visit your local sewing machine shop, see what they have available, maybe see if you can sit down and sew a few stitches or get a demonstration if you have never sewn before and buy what you can with your budget.
2 – Tape measure – The starting point for all dressmaking is taking your measurements – bust, waist and hips being the crucial ones. So a tape measure is a must!
3 – Scissors – You will need two pairs – one to cut fabric and one to cut your paper patterns. Never mix the two! Using your fabric shears to cut paper will make the blade go blunt, meaning you won’t get the crisp cut you need when you cut into your beautiful fabric. I have two different coloured scissors so I don’t get confused as to which is which!
4 – Pins – A box of standard dressmaking pins. As you progress, you may want to get different types of pins for different fabrics, but in the beginning the pretty flower head pins are perfect.
5 – Good quality thread – I would recommend purchasing a set of different coloured polyester threads so you can match your thread colour to your fabric as much as possible. I say ‘good quality’ because this is something you don’t want to skimp on. No-one wants to spend hours at the sewing machine for their gorgeous handmade garment to fall apart during its first wash! I would recommend Gutermann or Mettler.
6 – An iron – just a basic iron with a steam setting is ideal.
7 – An un-picker – even the best dressmakers make mistakes…and lots of them! So an un-picker will be your best friend and allow you to backtrack where you have gone wrong. It’s a simple little gadget but will save you lots of time in ripping open those wobbly seams so you can re-sew them again
8 – Fabric – Once you start dressmaking you will probably find that you quickly develop a fabric buying habit! Walking into a fabric shop, or browsing online is full of temptation with all the new clothing
possibilities that present themselves. Again, this topic is worthy of a full blog post in itself. Some fabrics are easier to sew with than others and as a beginner, I would recommend something like a cotton poplin or cotton lawn which are nice and stable and should go through your machine with ease. Your exact choice depends on what you are planning to make, as not all fabrics suit all patterns. The best advice I can give you is to check the fabric recommendations on your pattern envelope and then take a trip to your local fabric shop and ask for advice. PS…don’t choose something too slippery or silky for your first project, as these types of fabrics are notoriously difficult to sew with!
9 – Chalk / marking tools – chalk is used in dressmaking to mark different elements of a pattern onto the fabric – for example darts (used to shape the bust and other areas) and notches (which help you align the fabric pieces when sewing them together). You can buy tailor’s chalk in little triangle shapes or a chalk pen which has a dial at the tip which drops out small amounts of chalk as you run it over the fabric.
10 – Hand sewing needles – 99% of the sewing in dressmaking is done on a machine but there
are usually a few small sections that need to be done by hand. This might be the hem or on a cuff of a sleeve, for example. So you definitely need a few hand sewing needles for those tasks.
In terms of where to buy these things, I like to shop local and independent where I can and if you live in the Harrogate area, I would recommend:
For Fabric and tools:
The Remnant House on Commercial Street in Harrogate: Remnant House Fabric – Online Fabric Shop
Fine Fabrics of Harrogate: homepage (finefabricsofharrogate.co.uk)
For Sewing Machines:
The White Rose Sewing and Craft Centre - Sewing Machine Equipment & Supplies Harrogate (whiterosesewing.com)
If you are not close to Harrogate, there are lots of lovely independent shops online…here are just a few:
So there you have it, my top 10 ‘must have’ items to start you off in the wonderful world of dressmaking!
(**This post is written with dressmaking in mind but if you are more interested in general sewing, then all of the items I have listed are still applicable!**)
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