{"id":2364,"date":"2017-11-23T14:54:15","date_gmt":"2017-11-23T14:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2364"},"modified":"2022-07-01T09:11:33","modified_gmt":"2022-07-01T08:11:33","slug":"sewing-for-beginners-sewing-kit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/sewing-for-beginners-sewing-kit\/","title":{"rendered":"Sewing for Beginners: Where to Start with Your First Sewing Kit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Where to Start Sewing for\u00a0Beginners\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

When it comes to sewing for beginners, where to start with your sewing kit can often get overlooked. Needles? Check. Threads? Check. Ready to go? Not just yet!\u00a0There’s a whole array of\u00a0other\u00a0useful things you should have in your beginner’s sewing kit from day\u00a0one, allowing you to breeze through your\u00a0first craft or fashion project.\u00a0To help you get started, I’ve asked the lovely sewing community to share what they feel\u00a0are\u00a0absolute\u00a0essentials for beginners.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sewing Essentials for Beginners\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Seam rippers\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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This\u00a0was the number one answer I received, so this nifty tool is a must sewing for beginners essential. If you’ve made an error in your stitching, simply unpick them away and et voila! Start again and forget the whole thing ever happened.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A good pair of fabric scissors\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Watch your fingers, as fabric<\/a> scissors (or shears) are very sharp, designed to cut through all sorts of fabric. You can get fabric scissors with unique blades, ideal for specialist sewing projects. There’s also fabric scissors that have the blades pointed down at an angle so they lie flat on the cutting surface when you use them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A good pair of embroidery scissors\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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You’ll need a decent pair of embroidery scissors to cut your sewing thread or multi-ply embroidery thread. The distinct long pointy tips enable you to snip threads in very tight areas, and still get a clean cut without fray. Embroidery is a very precise form of sewing, so specialist scissors are necessary when there’s tricky to reach ends to clean up.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pinking shears\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Pinking shears have saw-toothed blades instead of straight, allowing you to cut a stylish zig-zagged line, but they also have another more practical purpose.\u00a0If you’re using cloth with unfinished edges, cutting the fabric<\/a> will result in a lot of fraying. Whilst pinking shears can’t prevent fabric from fraying, the zig-zag\u00a0pattern limits the length of the frayed thread, resulting in a cleaner finish.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tape measure\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A tape measure is a must for all sewers, not just sewing for beginners. Measuring your fabric is one of the most important things you can do to ensure the success of your project. Asa the old adage goes, “measure twice and cut once”. The last thing you want is to produce a beautifully handmade garment, only for it to be too small or too big.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rotary cutter\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A rotary cutter allows you to cut curves more\u00a0accurately, thanks to the rotating circular blade. You can cut through several layers of fabric<\/a> at once with your rotary cutters,\u00a0allowing\u00a0you to efficiently cut out pieces of the same shape and size. They range from small to large, and can serve different purposes. For instance, small rotary cutters are perfectly suited to cutting out small, intricate curves, whilst large ones are ideal for quickly cutting straight lines or larger, more broad curves.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dryer sheets \/ Parchment paper<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sewing for beginners might not involve applique right away, but once you’ve got the bug, it won’t be long until you try. Dryer sheets – that you use in your\u00a0tumble drier\u00a0–\u00a0are\u00a0a nifty little hack for easy applique. You can use regular parchment paper, however it’s thicker and less pliable than dryer sheets.\u00a0Here’s a few pointers to get started with dryer sheet applique:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n