Chapter 2 - Sewing Equipment

The cave woman of prehistoric times used a fishbone with a hole in it for a needle, and a tough animal sinew for thread. In like fashion, modern women can sew with only a needle and thread. However, in order to achieve high standards of workmanship, with the least possible time and effort, it is important to have as many of the right tools as you can afford.

First choose the right size needle and thread for your sewing job. The various charts printed here will help you in your selection. Remember to match your thread to:

1. The color of your fabric. The thread on the spool is darker than it will appear when stitching. Match one strand of thread, not the whole spool, to the fabric. With prints, use the background color. Use contrasting threads for basting.

2. The kind of fabric:

Cotton thread is used for cotton and linen, and mercerized thread, a shiny cotton, is also used for some wools, and for plastic-type fabrics.

Linen thread is used for tailoring and millinery.

Silk thread is used for silk, wool, rayon, and velvet.

Nylon thread, used primarily for nylon material, needs a fine needle and a light tension.

Elastic thread, sewed with a large machine stitch, may be used in order to get adjustable gathers.

3. The needle size. See chart.

Needles are sold in packages of one size or assorted sizes. Too long or thick a needle may leave holes in your material. Sharpen a dull point by pushing it in and out of your emery bag, but do not leave it in the emery all the time or it may rust. You will find size 6 and 7 needles, and size 60 thread, your best bets for ordinary sewing. Betweens, crewels, millinery needles and sharps are names given to various types of needles. Use only good steel needles that are suitable for the fabric being sewed on.

Select slender, smooth sharp pointed pins about one inch long. These do not leave marks after you have pulled them out. The finest pins are called dressmaker's pins or silk pins. Sizes 5 and 6 are best for general use. Have a pincushion for your pins, with an elastic to go around your wrist so that both hands are free. Or keep pins in a box lined with wax paper to prevent rust.

Challenge yourself to learn to wear a thimble, and practice until you sew better and more easily with one than without. Choose a light-weight thimble of silver, celluloid or chrome that fits your middle finger without pressure and without leaving any color on your fingers.

Get a tape measure with numbers on both sides, each series running in the opposite direction. Have a metal tab on one end and roll the tape up when it is not in use. A six-inch ruler, especially the transparent type, will often be more convenient to use and a 36-inch yardstick has special uses for measuring material, long straight lines, and hems. For all kinds of measuring, you will need gauges that you make out of cardboard or that you buy.

Scissors are less than six inches long and have both handles of the same size. They are used to cut in hard to get at places, and to snip short threads.

Shears are more than six inches long and have different size handles, the larger being for the fingers, the smaller for the thumb. If you can choose only one, choose shears of medium weight, about eight inches long.

Pinking shears cut with saw-tooth edges and are good for finishing seams.

Keep your cutting tools well sharpened, and use them properly, that is, only for cutting fabric and thread. Use a very inexpensive pair to cut paper or for household purposes. The scissors sharpener will keep points sharp for you.

A tracing wheel is handy for marking guide lines through several layers of material, on cotton, linen and heavy silk.

Tailor's chalk marks distinctly and comes in several colors. It is easily brushed off and is used very frequently to mark sewing lines, pattern perforations, and alteration lines.

Pressing is a part of sewing, and for good sewing results you must learn to press as you sew. The following equipment is useful.

1. Electric iron with a rubber-covered cord. A steam iron is very handy and convenient. Have a stand for your iron unless it is one of the late models which require none.

2. Ironing board well padded with removable slip covers for ease in laundering, and a sleeve board for ironing sleeves and for short seams, darts, tucks.

3. Tailor's cushion, a ham-shaped pad good for pressing curved seams. You can make this yourself with two cloth ovals about 18 inches long and some stuffing.

4. Press cloths of gingham, canvas or cheesecloth for delicate fabrics.

5. Basin and sponge to moisten fabric, for smooth ironing.

6. Small brush to raise nap on fabrics.

7. Paraffin for smoothing irons and salt for cleaning them.

8. Velvet board is used to press napped fabrics. The fabric is placed right side down, on the wire bristles sticking up from the board. The material is steamed and pressed as always, but the bristles prevent flattening of nap. Other useful equipment is:

1. Full-length mirror and a large hand mirror to enable you to see the rear view.

2. A dress form for ease in fitting. Many on the market to day are adjustable.

3. Large cutting table or cutting board to fit on table.

4. A good supply of findings: snaps, hooks and eyes, but tons, rickrack, bindings, elastic, ribbon, etc.

5. Orange stick for smoothing out creases, pushing corners out.

6. Embroidery hoops.

7. Tweezers to pull out threads caught in machine stitching, if you do not have a modern machine in which the bobbin holder is easily removed.

8. Needle threaded to help you thread needle easily.

9. Tailor's tack maker.

10. Dressmaker's carbon paper may be used to transfer markings from pattern to fabric. It comes in many colors but it is advisable to use white or yellow. When using it on a thin fabric, try it first on a scrap to make sure that the marks do not show through on the right side.

11. A tailor's mitt is useful for the final operations. Use it to press curved seams, darts, and sleeve caps. The mitt is put on the narrow end of the sleeve board and the garment is steamed over it.

Make your sewing easier and more pleasant by planning a sewing corner for yourself. Arrange your equipment in handy boxes for ease in using. If you can manage a chest of drawers, so much the better. Remember that you can sew with a minimum of equipment and add as you go along. Keep scraps of material for practice at first and ends of thread for basting. Handle your patterns carefully so that they may be used over again.

Old belts, buttons and trimmings may come in handy when you least expect them to. Arrange them in labeled boxes and jars, with such labels as garment scraps, trimming fabrics, yarn, fur, ribbons, etc. Put away only clean fabric. Take advantage of sales and put away remnants for future use. Try to develop a system for greatest efficiency.

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