Sunday, June 10, 2012

My Favourite Sewing Tools

I shared this post over at Imagine Gnats a couple of months ago, and I thought I'd post it today in case you missed it!

Rachael and I bonded over our mutual love of sewing, so I shared some of my favourite sewing tools. I have to warn you - they are not fancy and many of you will have these items or similar. Just everyday practical items that I couldn't be without!


My first favourite sewing tool is something I bought recently - a Chako Ace pen. It is a Japanese fabric marker, and the markings you make on your fabric vanish within 24 hours. It also has a white tip at the other end which acts like an eraser, so if you marked something incorrectly, you just erase it like magic! Very cool and quite fun to use. I bought mine here - a bargain price at $4.50 with free shipping! Can't go wrong! Edit - that shop is no longer selling the Chako Ace Pens :( You might have to look elsewhere but there are similar products at Spotlight (if you are in Aus or NZ) or maybe at your local fabric / craft supply store.


 Next are my trusty pinking shears. Lots of people I know haven't bought a set because they can be really expensive, but I picked mine up at Ikea for only ten bucks! They have been great, and they really come in handy for clipping around curves and simple but decorative edging for appliques.


Finally, a chopstick. Why buy a special tool when a chopstick can push out your corners and stuff hobby fill into those tiny spaces when making softies? Simple and effective, and most of us have some floating around in a kitchen drawer!

I would also include my seam ripper in my list of favourites. What about you? What sewing tools can't you live without? I'd love to know!

11 comments:

  1. I love my over locker and can not live with out my huge cutting mat!

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  2. $10 pinking shears, that's the best bargain ever!!!

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  3. definitely my cheap $7 dressmaking scissors - better than the expensive ones and my CHOPSTICK too!!!

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  4. Ooh thanks Ros, I have to get myself one of those fancy pens. Nice work!
    Hope all is well with you and the girls.
    x manda

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  5. $10 for pinking shears - that is awesome!

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  6. I've just started following you. Love the blog and I'm off to Ikea to find some pinking shears!

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  7. I have a disappearing ink fabric pen from Joann's that I really like. It's much more precise than the nub of chalk I usually use. The eraser end of your pen is pretty cool though.

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  8. I got myself one of those pens after you recommended it over at imagine gnats... I love it!
    I need to get some pinking shears.
    I'd add my Bodkin to this list... if it were acceptable to society, I'd probably marry my bodkin!!! I tell it I love it EVERYTIME I use it! lol
    Oh and can't forget rotary cutter and self healing mat ;-)

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  9. I love my stileto for guiding fabric under the feed dogs; my Serrated needle nosed plyers I use to pull out bobbin thread when ripping out seams (bought it @ hardware store). On my machine I love needle down option and the freehand feed dog lifter. Thanks for reposting this... We love our tools!

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  10. Hi Ros,
    Just tried to contact the supplier of the pens, but they seem to be closed(since April), have you put in an order since then?? Maybe they're available from somewhere else?

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