TOP 10 SEWING TOOLS

September has always been one of my favourite months. As a kid, that feeling came from stocking up on back-to-school stationery at WH Smith — these days, it's buying sewing supplies that gives me the same buzz.

If you're feeling the urge to refresh your sewing toolkit, we've picked out ten of our favourite sewing supplies in the Fold Line shop. The list starts with the must-have essentials every sewing kit needs, then moves on to a few "nice-to-have" picks that can take your dressmaking up a notch.

Taylor Seville Magic Pins

Is there really such a thing as perfect pins? The tool you will use while working on each and every project. We added these magic pins to our curated selection of sewing tools because we believe they are simply perfect in every way!

Once you've tried Magic Pins, you'll never go back to ordinary pins again! They feature a patented comfort-grip silicone head and a super-sharp point. The ridged silicone head reduces hand fatigue and is heat-resistant, so you can iron right over your pins with no fear of melting. These pins are suitable for both dressmaking and quilting. 

Fiskars Easy Action Micro-Tip Softgrip Snips

Since Rachel introduced us to these, we haven’t been able to use anything else – you’ll see what we mean at first snip! 

These snips are ideal for detailed cutting in tight spaces. The ultra-sharp stainless steel blades have precisely honed edges to glide through fabric for a clean cut all the way to the tip. The unique spring action design gently opens the blades after each cut to reduce hand strain, earning an Arthritis Foundation Ease of Use Commendation. They can also be used in either the left or right hand.

Matchy Matchy Clementine Measuring Tape

Sometimes our reason for adding new products is purely selfish. And this is one of those moments. After a team Zoom meeting where the new Matchy Matchy Clementine tape measure was at the top of the agenda, we surmised that we all wanted one.

This soft clementine measuring tape is just the right size to throw in your bag or sewing toolbox. The retractable feature means saying goodbye to rolling that unwieldy tape measure up every time you use it. It is ideal for sewing, quilting, alterations, and crafting. Mine is likely to live in my knitting bag for quick and easy progress checks.

Clover Seam Ripper

There's no two ways about it: a seam ripper is a non-negotiable when it comes to your sewing kit. Unpicking may not be the most glamorous step of the process, but it's a reality of making your own clothes. So a quality seam ripper is a must. This easy-to-hold and handle seam ripper is the ideal tool for ripping out seams and cutting threads.

Clover Chaco Liner (Chalk Pen)

Pattern marks should be ignored at your peril! Whether it be darts, pleats or "sew to here" marks, you always regret overlooking this important step. We stock the popular Chaco liners, a clever (and popular) take on tailor chalk.

This marking tool is ideal for accurately drawing both straight lines and curves, and it works well with a ruler. A small wheel at the tip turns as you draw, dispensing powdered chalk in a fine line. When the chalk cartridge eventually runs out, you can easily replace it, keeping your original pen. 

Fiskars Amplify Sewing Shears (26 cm)

A good pair of dressmaking scissors (or shears, if we are being fancy!) is essential for any toolkit. These super sharp scissors make clean cuts through thick materials and multiple layers. The extra-long RazorEdge blades glide through fabric, and a unique torsion bar prevents blade separation. They have Softgrip handles for comfort and control.

Patterntrace Swedish Tracing Paper

One of the most-requested items missing from our shop was good-quality tracing paper. So we sourced the best of the best: Swedish tracing paper.

Jenerates Flex Hemmer

Find hemming a tedious stage of the sewing process? Sometimes a nifty tool can make all the difference. We agreed as a team that this very useful piece of kit, and we've sold tons of them since uploading them to the shop. This hemmer not only withstands heat, it will also curve in either direction so you can press your hems with ease. As someone who loves pressing but hates pressing curves, I am very excited to have one in my sewing room.

You can use the holes to mark the position of the hemmer with a chalk pencil or iron-off pen. Pinning through the holes will keep the hemmer in place while you press.

Prym Turning Set

If you are going to be sewing lots of tiny tubes, I highly recommend the Prym Turning Set. This clever tool makes turning fabric tubes such as belt loops, ties or straps so simple. I retired my infuriating metal loop turner after getting mine!

The set includes three sizes, so any self-made fabric tube, from a small belt loop to a broad bag handle, can be easily turned. Place your inside-out fabric tube over the plastic cylinder, then use the corresponding wooden or metal rod to push it through the cylinder, turning it right side out.

Clover Buttonhole Cutter

Love them or hate them, buttons are a popular and useful fastening for garments. Creating perfect buttonholes can be a little bit nerve-wracking, but when you achieve a beautiful buttonhole, your work is not over - you need to cut through it to make it work. Enter the perfect tool for anyone who creates button-up garments: the buttonhole cutter.

This small, sharp chisel makes cutting open buttonholes easy and prevents cutting mishaps! I love mine and have never looked back since getting one.

So that's it, our favourite sewing tools from our curated selection. If you are searching for something we don't stock, drop an email to hello@thefoldline.com and let us know what you're searching for, and we can see if we can find the best on the market! You can browse all our sewing tools here.