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If you are just getting started in the sewing world, it can be a bit daunting to figure out what equipment you need to get and which brands to buy. Below is my list of recommended equipment for beginners and more advanced sewists.
Recommended equipment for total beginners
Basic sewing machine that has a straight stitch and zigzag stitch. No need for a zillion different stitches or a computerized machine — as long as it has a straight stitch and zigzag stitch, it is sufficient. Personally, I like Janome machines, so I think it’s worth taking a look at Janome 2212. It has all the features that you need as a beginner (and more, quite frankly): stitch length up to 4mm (which is great for basting stitches), all the stitches you will need in the beginning (including straight stitch, zigzag, 3-step zigzag, overcast stitch), free arm, built in thread cutter and 4-step buttonhole.
Iron with steam function. Any iron with steam capability will do; no need for anything fancy. I personally prefer having an iron that automatically shuts off, just because I am forgetful and will accidentally leave the iron on overnight if I am not careful, but that is a matter of personal preference. Currently, I am using the Black & Decker Digital Advantage.
Seam ripper/unpicker. One of the most useful tools in your sewing arsenal, because you will. mess. up. Note that this often comes free with a sewing machine, so there may not be any need to purchase this separately.
Measuring tape. Anything will do (such as this one). Note that measuring tapes are often included as bonuses with a sewing machine, so you might not need to buy this separately.
Tracing wheel and tracing paper. Use these to transfer markings on the sewing pattern to your fabric.
Pins. I like to use these glass head dressmaker’s pins because they are thin enough to use with delicate fabrics.
Magnetic seam guide. Helps you sew at a consistent width from the edge of the fabric.
Fabric scissors. It is worth investing in a high-quality pair of fabric scissors and then getting them sharpened regularly. I have a pair of Gingher scissors that I have had for over ten years and they are still as good as new.
Recommended equipment for more advanced sewers
Sewing machines and accessories
Sewing machine with nice automatic buttonhole, variable stitch lengths and stitching speeds, stretch stitches like triple stretch stitch and lightning stitch. I have a Janome 5124 and it checks all of these boxes, but I don’t love the buttonhole, so I’m not sure I would recommend it over other models. If you have a bigger budget, I know many sewers who swear by their Bernina sewing machines because they make beautiful stitches and buttonholes, and run very smoothly and quietly. I’ve also heard that the Janome Skyline series is very good as well (and it makes very nice buttonholes).
Walking foot. This makes it much easier to sew delicate fabrics or leather that would shift around if you used an ordinary presser foot. Nowadays my walking foot is my default foot (that I only switch out if I need to use a specialty foot, like my buttonhole foot). I have the Janome version, but here are walking feet for other brands of sewing machines.
Serger. I love my Brother 1034D serger, which is much-beloved in the sewing community and is very affordable. A fantastic first serger — easy to thread and easy to use.
Cutting and marking
Rotary cutter. It’s much faster and easier to use a rotary cutter to cut slippery fabrics like silk, rather than pinning and then cutting with fabric scissors.
Cutting mat. I recommend spending a bit more and buying the biggest cutting mat you can afford and have space for - it makes cutting large pieces of fabric much, much easier.
Pattern weights. Use these to weigh down your patterns on your fabric (instead of pinning patterns to your fabric).
Tailor’s chalk. Good for marking sewing and other guide lines on fabric. Chalk can be easily brushed off or washed off.
Embroidery scissors. Useful for cutting around embroidery motifs and delicate fabrics.
Quilter’s ruler. I like these clear plastic rulers because they have gridlines which make it easier to add seam allowances to sewing patterns.
Pressing
Gravity feed iron. I don’t have one but this CGoldstar Gravity Feed Iron has long been on my want list because I just hate having to constantly re-fill the (tiny) water chamber of my iron. It would be amazing to only have to fill up the water tank once in a blue moon!
Sleeve ironing board. Essential for ironing narrow parts like sleeves.
Tailor’s ham. Essential for shaping collars.
Other
Dress form. I have a PGM dress form with collapsible shoulders. It looks really nice, the linen cover is easily pinnable (which is useful for draping) and it can be easily adjusted to different heights using the foot pedal. Alternatively, I used to have one of the adjustable dress forms that you can adjust to fit your measurements. Some people like these because it gives them the ability to fit clothing for their body directly on the dress form.
Magnetic pincushion. The old-fashioned stuffed pincushions are cute but impractical - who has time to spend poking pins into the pincushion one by one? Instead, this magnetic pincushion makes it easy to pick up and store pins — you can wave it over a pile of pins or simply throw a pin in the general direction of the magnetic pincushion and it will magically stick.
Bobbin holder. I like this bobbin tower which allows you to stack your bobbins. It is cute and it takes up less space than the tray bobbin holders.
Recommended interfacing and lining
Light- to medium-weight woven fusible interfacing in white (by the yard or by the bolt) and black. I buy interfacing in bulk because it is cheaper and I know I’ll use it as interfacing is used in virtually all of my sewing projects. I keep both white and black on hand, so I always have a good option no matter what color fashion fabric I am using.
Light- to medium-weight knit fusible interfacing in white and black. Same idea as above, but this is the knit version for use with stretchy fabrics.
Bemberg lining in white and black. Bemberg is a breathable lining fabric that is often used to line coats and jackets. It feels nice to the touch and is an affordable alternative to silk charmeuse and silk crepe for lining purposes. I use this as my default lining fabric, so I keep some of it on hand at all times.
Recommended other materials to keep on hand
Cotton muslin fabric. Use muslin to make up test versions of garments, as well as cut out back stays and other pieces for tailoring. I buy unbleached muslin fabric in bolts because it is cheaper to buy in bulk and I know I will use it.
Dress-length (22-inch) invisible zippers in black and white. It is cheaper to buy zippers in bulk than one-off, so I try to buy dozens of zippers in both black and white. I like invisible zippers because I find them to be the most versatile and the ones that I use most frequently.
Pant or skirt-length (9-inch) invisible zippers in black and white. Same idea as above — buying zippers in bulk is cheaper so I try to stock up on basic invisible zippers in black and white/cream.
Variety of regular and stretch sewing machine needles. I like this combo pack, as it gives me some of every type of needle I might need.
Small piece of silk organza to use as a pressing cloth. Pressing cloths help prevent scorching and shiny spots when ironing. You only need about ½ yard.
Clear elastic. I use clear elastic all the time to finish the edges of knits (especially when I am refashioning clothing). Again, I buy this in bulk to save money.
Twill tape. Frequently used when tailoring garments. I buy entire spools of this stuff because it’s cheaper in bulk and I know I will use it.
Magic eraser. I always keep this on hand to clean my iron. I tested several different ways to clean gunk off the soleplate of my iron, and the magic eraser was by far the best method. (Check out my blog post on this here.)
Recommended books on sewing and pattern drafting
Tailoring: the Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket. This book walks you through each and every step of tailoring, including shaping your collar, shaping the jacket front and back, tailoring a notched collar, tailoring pockets and setting in sleeves, all shown in step-by-step photos. The book shows you how to tailor using fusible interfacing, sew-in interfacing sewn by machine, and sew-in interfacing sewn by hand, so you have the full range of options at your disposal (depending on how much patience you have for your project!). I know the photos and book cover might look old-fashioned, but this is a great reference book that has stood the test of time, so definitely check this out if you are just getting started in tailoring.
Easy Guide to Sewing Linings. This book is a comprehensive guide to drafting and sewing linings for your garments. It is a great resource to have so you can easily adapt pattern pieces to add linings to all of your garments.
Draping for Apparel Design. This book is used as a textbook by university students studying fashion, and it is easy to see why — this book walks you step-by-step through the process of draping most of the basic silhouettes that you see in modern fashion. It is expensive, so I would only recommend this for the serious student of pattern drafting.
European Cut. Another book for serious pattern drafters only. This little book may not look very slick, but it is one of the best treatments of European-style pattern drafting that I have come across. This book gives step-by-step, illustrated instructions that explain how to draft basic slopers with a European fit and look, customized using your own measurements. (European patterns typically are more fitted than American patterns). I used this method to draft the sleeves in this fitted silk gown that I made a few years ago. You definitely need some patience to follow all of the steps properly, but the result is a superbly fitted garment. I highly recommend.
I hope this list of recommended equipment was helpful! Let me know in the comments if you want recommendations for any other types of sewing equipment.
