Learn To Sew [daily tools:part 1]

A few months ago I shared with you the books that have helped me along in my journey to learn how to sew. Here are some tools that I use everyday and are super helpful!



1) Measuring Tape - My bread and butter. I always have this guy around my neck. Measurement is essential when sewing. My boyfriend always says the difference between a good carpenter and a bad carpenter is an 1/8 inch. Same is true for a seamstress!

Measure twice, cut once!

2) Bone Folder: You can use this tool for a lot of crafts. It helps me stick out corners and open seams that need to be pressed.

3) Sewing Gauge: This is great for small measurements and I use when marking fabric. I use this tool all the time [and always set it down somewhere I can't find it]!

4) Tailors Chalk: I use to mark all my patterns after I cut.

5)Embroidery Scissors: For a while I was just using one pair of sewing scissors. Now I keep these by my machine to cut thread. They are a lot easier to manage and are perfect to cut small slits [like when creating interior zipper pockets].

Do you sew? What tools do you use?

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Ends 11/28

Learn to Sew

When I decided to learn how to sew, I checked out a ton of books from the library. When I realized that I had a real passion, I started to invest in the ones I felt were the most helpful.

I now have quite the collection.

There have been a lot of books that have helped me out on my journey and because I am self taught, I have relied mostly on written instruction to improve my craft.

Some of my favorites:

The Art of Manipulating Fabric- Collette Wolff : This book is my favorite because it is extremely interesting. Wolff details different sewing techniques used to create amazing textures with fabric. Pleats, gathers, ruffles, and smocking are used to create amazing pieces from fabric and her mixed manipulations are breathtaking. The book is so inspiring.

The Complete Book of Sewing- Larry Eisinger : This book is for the basics. I bought it used on Amazon for a great low price. It covers everything from fabric choice to tailoring, and is full of useful techniques. Plus it has fab vintage pictures and that delightful old book smell.

High-Fashion Sewing Secrets- Claire B Shaeffer : The finishing techniques in these pages are priceless. This book is especially helpful when sewing garments, but it's tips and tricks have been useful when making my bags as well.

Sew U- Wendy Mullin : This is the first book I would recommend to anyone who wants to learn to sew. It is spiral bound and comes with a skirt, shirt, and pant pattern. It covers the ABCs of sewing and is really easy to understand. She takes you through all the steps of choosing fabric, understanding your machine, cutting, stitching, and finishing.
The next half of the book is dedicated to creating pieces with the patterns provided. She shows you how to sew each pattern and alter each to create different lengths, hems, and pockets. You can create a ton of different pieces with just the three patterns. This book definitely gives you the most bang for your buck!

The New Crewel- Kathrine Shaughnessy : This is a new favorite. I am just starting to learn crewel and am loving it. This embroidery is done with two ply worsted wool thread that creates a lovely texture. I love it because the embroidery really pops. I am really excited to start to incorporate some crewel on some zipper pouches and bag handles in the future!