Whether you are sewing a garment, home dec, or making a traditional, modern or art quilt; there are some notions that you need to have in your sewing room / studio! We’ve rounded up some of the best sewing supplies and quilting tools that you must have! Sometimes these are called sewing or quilting notions.
The key to successful projects is to have the right tools for the job. Start by buying the right tool(s) and sewing notions for the specific project you are working on and add to your toolbox over time. You’ll be much happier with your projects! Many of the tools for sewing and quilt notions are used for a variety of projects.
Having the right pressing and cutting tools is probably the most important for most sewing jobs. A good iron is worth the investment. You’ll get nicely pressed seams and corners – important in both sewing and quilting.
And, having a good, sharp pair of scissors that is right for the job is equally important. If you use a craft scissor, or dull cutting tool, you won’t get an accurate or sharp cut on your fabric. You’ll be frustrated and it won’t be a fun and relaxing project to create.
Invest in your craft with the best quilting notions and sewing supplies. Here are the ‘must haves’ and favorite quilting tools in our sewing rooms. I consider these my essential tools.
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Seam ripper
Not that I ever (cough, cough) have to “unsew”, but I love this Clover Seam Ripper. I have several of them – one with each machine, one in my take-to-class kit and a spare in case I can’t find the others. The cutting area is sharp and extremely smooth, and the smooth feel and ergonomic shape of the handle make it comfortable to hold for long periods of time. And the white handle is easy to find at the bottom of a drawer or notions bag.
I also have this 4-in-one-tool from Alex Anderson that has a seam ripper, stiletto, presser and turner.
Iron and other tools for pressing
You’ll want an iron that gets good and hot and has steam. Here are some of our favorites – and, yes, I have all of them!
One of our favorites is this cordless iron that you can use anywhere in your sewing room. Take it from your ironing board to your wool mat.
If you are looking for a lot of steam and don’t want to fill your iron often, try this Rowenta with a 1.1 liter tank.
And, if you are into fusible appliqué, this Clover mini iron is perfect for small pieces.
For classes and traveling to retreats, I use this mini-project steam iron.
Invest in a wool mat that is perfect for use with either of the mini irons. Wool mats can be placed on a surface next to your sewing machine so that you don’t need to get up and down for each little seam to press – even though the up and down is good for you!
Nicely pressed seams are important for quilting. Flatter is better. I use a clapper to make sure my seams are nice and flat. Place the clapper on the seam after pressing with good steam. Let it sit for a minute. The wood absorbs some of the steam and keeps sending more to the seam.
Have a spray bottle with water near your ironing station to add a bit more water and steam when trying to get some fabrics to lay flat. If you want your fabric to have a little more body or are working with fabrics on the bias, try spray starch. You don’t need to invest in special quilters starch – just the cheap starch from your grocery store works just fine!
Hold your fabrics together
The right needle for the job
Growing up our mother sewed. I don’t think I ever saw her buy a new hand sewing needle. And, she only bought machine needles when they had all broken! As an adult, I discovered that having the right needle for the job makes all of the difference. I realized that hand sewing needles get dull! Pull out a new needle and it makes the sewing so much easier! Whether you are hand quilting, doing embroidery or embellishments, take the time to use the right needle.
TIP: If you are using a large eye needle for hand stitching, invest in this needle threader. It works great and doesn’t break!
The same holds true for machine needles. I use a universal either 70 or 80 for most of my sewing. For machine quilting I bump the needle size up to a topstitch needle.
Wash-a-way Wonder Tape
Dritz Washaway Wonder Tape is a double-sided transparent tape that can be stitched. Wonder Tape will not gum up on the needle and completely disappears in the first washing.
A great alternative to pinning or thread basting, it can be used to position appliqués, pockets and zippers and to join pieces of water-soluble stabilizer. It holds down items that you want to keep flat but are too small to pin. If you need to reposition it, just lift it and place it where you want it.
No ironing needed! One side is sticky as you unroll it. Once it is stuck in place, you peel off the protective paper strip from the other side to expose the other sticky side.
The tape is water soluble so it should be stored in a cool, dry place when not in use. 1/4 Inch by 25 Yards.
Fusible Web
Once you have some fusible web on hand in your stash of quilting supplies, you’ll find you can use it for more than just fusible applique´´é! Everyone has a favorite. My personal preference is Wonder Under. I buy it by the bolt and never run out. Interested in more? Read our article all about fusible web. It’s great for mending, bonding two pieces of fabric together to make reversible items, securing backing to a smaller project like an art quilt and more!
Glass head pins
There are so many types of pins. I only have glass head pins in my sewing room now. You can pin your fabrics and press without having them melt all over.
Safety pins
Invest in name-brand safety pins. It will reduce your frustration working on a project. Safety pins are great for holding things together. Curved safety pins are used to hold together the three layers of a quilt. Sometimes saving a little bit of money results in pins that don’t have sharp points, making it difficult to pin the layers together and keeping your quilt sandwich flat.
Wonder Clips
Sometimes pins just don’t work and Wonder clips do. I use them for English paper piecing, when I’m working with vinyl or leather (or other fabrics that you don’t want to have holes in). They also work well with thick fabrics. Once they are in your toolbox, you’ll use them for all kinds of projects!
Marking Tools
Water erasable marking pens
The Fine Line Water Erasable Marking Pen in a must-have in my notions basket! The blue marks go on smoothly and are easy to see (except on dark fabrics). The marks disappear with plain water. It’s my first choice marker for fabric.
Be sure to test on your own fabrics before using. I have never had a problem with the marks reappearing after removing them with water, but be aware that heat will permanently set the ink. Don’t leave marked projects in a hot car and allow the piece to air-dry completely before applying any heat (such as an iron or clothes dryer).
Heat erasable marking pens
So often you need to make a temporary mark with sharp contrast on your project for quilting lines, appliqué placement or embroidery. The marks you make on fabric with Frixion Extra Fine Point Erasable Gel Pens are erased cleanly, quickly and easily with the touch of an iron. There are 6 assorted colors in each package. The unique gel ink writes smooth, precise lines. Marks you can see that stay put until you remove them? Priceless!
Permanent pigma ink pens
When you need accurate, precise, consistent, permanent lines that highlight intricate details, try the Sakura 6-Piece Pigma Micron Ink Pen Set. You will enjoy smooth writing and drawing whatever your passion – Zentangles, cartooning, illustration, manga, heirloom quilting, fiber art, paper crafts and more.
Some pens have problems with smearing, feathering or bleedthrough, but the Sakura pens have never given me a problem, either on paper or fabric. I appreciate the archival quality pigma ink, six point sizes, fade resistance and not bleeding or smearing when wet. This set of black pens includes six nib sizes: 0.20mm, 0.25mm, 0.30mm, 0.35mm, 0.45mm and 0.50mm.
Cutting your fabrics
Start with a good pair of fabric shears. Make sure everyone in your family knows not to use them for anything else! Cutting paper (or anything other than fabric) will dull the blades quicker. I like the shears made by Kai scissors. They also offer different types of scissors depending on the job – I think I have most of their options. Again, having the right tools will make your project more successful.
Spring handle scissors
Precision is important to me in my beading and fiber projects. These Fiskars Easy Action Micro-Tip Scissors allow me to get into tight spaces to trim my bead-weaving threads and appliqué corners super close.
The oversized cushion grip handles absorb pressure, so they are easy on hands that do repetitive work. A spring gently opens the scissor after each cut making this scissor ideal for heavy use and for people experiencing weakness in their hands – the scissor does half of the work for you! A slide lock keeps the blade closed for safe storage. Bonus: can be used equally well in the right or left hand – unusual for a scissor!
Perforated blade scissors
For really precise, small cutting, Karen Buckley Perfect Scissors are, well, just that – perfect. They get into really small areas perfectly. If you are doing small appliqué work, you’ll want this tool in your toolbox.
Paper scissors
You will want a dedicated pair of scissors for paper. Let your family know this is the pair (the ONLY pair) they are allowed to use. There will be times you will want to cut paper, like patterns. Make sure a pair of paper scissors is close at hand so you don’t get tempted to use your good fabric scissors.
Rotary cutter
For cutting strips of fabrics, squares and rectangles a rotary cutter makes the job easy and accurate. Make sure the blade is sharp. Read our article about rotary cutters for more information. I like the Kai rotary cutter. Using a rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat straight lines are easy to cut!
If you have weak hands or arthritis you may want to consider a rotary cutter with an ergonomic handle like this one from Olfa.
Cutting mat
You’ll need a self-healing cutting mat to use with your rotary cutter. Buy the largest one you can fit on your table where you will be cutting – you’ll be thankful. I’d recommend a minimum size of cutting mat at 18 x 24-inches.
If you are doing foundation paper piecing or English paper piecing, you might also want a rotating cutting mat so that you don’t need to move your fabric around on the mat – just rotate the mat and make your next cut!
Acrylic rulers
Acrylic rulers are used with your rotary cutter on your cutting mat for straight and accurate cuts of fabric. There are so many to choose from. Invest in some basic sizes and then purchase specific sizes and shapes for projects on an as-needed basis to grow your tool set.
Start with a 6-1/2 x 24 ruler for strips, a 12-1/2 x 12-1/2 for large squares and 6-1/2 x 6-1/2 for small squares. When you are ready to tackle more advances quilt patterns, invest in specialty rulers to make the job easier, resulting in precise cuts.
Ruler grips
Add some grips to the back of your acrylic rulers to give them a great grip on your fabric – and reduce the chance of them slipping while you are using your rotary cutter.
Add a handle to your most used rulers
Make it even easier to keep a good grip on your ruler with a suction cup handle.
Quilters cutting glove
Rotary cutters are sharp. Consider adding a quilters cutting glove to your toolbox and remember to use it to avoid unnecessary cuts.
Light Box
Light and bright, this Extra Thin Translucent LED Light Box makes tracing tasks so much easier! No more taping paper to a window on a sunny day! It has a super slim profile and weighs just over a pound which makes it easier to carry around.
It is powered by USB cable so you can plug it into any USB port like a computer, USB adapter or power bank. It doesn’t come with an AC adapter, so be prepared with one or use a rechargeable USB battery pack. (I have one that works with my phone and tablet and it has saved my bacon many times!)
Brightness settings are easy to change and horizontal and vertical measurements are marked on the edge of the screen in centimeters. It can easily be used in portrait or landscape mode. Small ‘feet’ on the back of the device keep it from slipping around when in use.
Why are they called sewing and quilting notions?
The definition of notion is ‘a conception of or belief about something’ or ‘an impulse or desire, especially one of a whimsical kind’. So, what are sewing and quilting notions? How did it get this name?
In researching this topic, notion first appeared in the late 14th century meaning idea or concept, which is still used today. This lead to the word being used to mean a bright idea or clever invention which led to this word being used as the group of useful, less expensive items in shops to be called notions. At this time, there wasn’t the mass market for ready-to-wear clothing and linens, and most of those items were made at home. This section of the store had a large variety of sewing ‘notion’s – or small items that were not expensive that were used for sewing.
Check out all of our sewing projects on Create Whimsy.
