Your Sewing Toolkit

Everything I can recommend to make getting started seamless… see what I did there? ;-)

From the tools you really need to the fun stuff that makes your sewing experience more enjoyable, I cover it all here because I want you to have the best start possible. 

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So what do you actually need to start sewing?

If you've ever stood in the craft department wondering whether you really need three different rulers, which scissors are worth buying, or what on earth a seam gauge does, you're not alone.

Or, if you never even had the joy of stumbling through the aisles of Joann Fabrics without a clue (RIP, my sewing gem), and now you’re stuck googling supplies without even knowing what you don’t know….

… take a deep breath. I’m here to help.

I've put together the tools I recommend for beginning sewists so you can spend less time shopping and more time sewing.

These are the tools I have personally used for more than a decade, and the tools that come up time and time again during lessons in The Studio.

Get right to the tools that work best without trial and error, knowing they have served sewists before you well!

Download Your Sewing Toolkit Guide

The Must-Haves

As a beginner, it truly is a waste of your time and investment to start with cheap tools, grandma’s unsharpened shears, and “waiting to see” if you like this hobby….

These tools will make your work exponentially easier, faster, and more professional. Skip the trial and error. You won’t regret these as your starter tools.

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Fabric Scissors

Guggenheim Super Scissors truly live up to their name. They cut through multiple layers of fabric like butter. When students use them in The Studio, we actually call them “The Magic Scissors.” Watch for a sale, grab these for $30 and marvel at the best scissors you’ll ever use.

Why I recommend them: A good pair of fabric scissors makes cutting cleaner and easier. These are an investment, but they're the pair I'd rather buy once than sharpen or replace repeatedly to no avail.

Pins and Seam Ripper

It is shocking how many styles of pins there are! Who knew! Dressmaking pins are tiny for a reason, but for most beginner sewists (and even tailors and dressmakers!) 1.5-2” quilting pins work best.

Seam Ripper - the tiniest little tool that will become your frenemy faster than you can say “backstitch.” $1 seam rippers are fine, but they make work take a lot longer when it comes to unpicking - and I promise, you will unpick. I also promise even veteran sewists have a love-hate relationship with their seam rippers!

Choose this Dritz seam ripper - it is always sharp, has a nice ergonomic handle, and a really nifty thread eraser that is worth the upgrade.

A cutting mat, rotary cutter, and a single acrylic ruler will make all of your material prep a thousand times faster and neater, getting you to the sewing machine more efficiently. Scissors are for trimming, cutting patterns, snipping threads.

A cutting station with a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat are for prepping fabric with perfectly straight lines - home decor and quilting projects especially require these tools. Cutting 400 3” squares with a pair of scissors just doesn’t make sewing an enjoyable experience!

Pro Tip: Skip the tiny cutting mat. 18×24” is a great size for most projects and stores easily under a bed or behind a dresser.

Cutting Station

Really Nice to Have

These aren't things you need to start sewing. As you spend more time flipping hems, wondering “how wide is 1/4” anyway?” and sewing more complex patterns, these tools will come up as useful in pattern directions.

You don’t need them to start, but keep them on your radar for sales and/or wish lists going forward as a sewist!

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Water and Air Disappearing Pens

There’s more drawing, marking, and reminders to yourself than you may know are necessary in sewing!

Especially at the start, it may help to mark start and stop sewing marks on your fabric. You’ll use a pen to trace templates, and you’ll want that pen mark to disappear.

You can do this work with a ball point pen, and sometimes a pencil until you’re ready to add these special fabric markers to your supply kit.

This is a fun little notion I never knew I was missing - especially for hemming and finishing.

This allows you to skip a seam gauge, measuring tape, and get right to pressing at the right seam allowance from the start.

Not required, but really does make work finish more professionally - more handmade, not homemade.

Pressing Ruler

Would be Fun to Haves

These aren't things you need to start sewing. They're just the little things that make your sewing space feel more like yours.

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Handmade Labels

One of the best feelings when you sew is seeing your finished product, or even gifting it, and knowing that you made it. Adding a handmade label really does add some pizazz and that truly personal touch.

Really Fun Accessories

The sewing room is such a personal space, and it is truly fun to build a studio you love around your favorite interests, colors, and style.

You don’t need a fancy pin cushion, a wicker shelf for all of your fabric, or an aesthetic wooden spool rack…. but they sure are fun to have when the time is right.

If your sewing station is a desk in the basement or a kitchen table, skip these extra decor-coded items and use a simple shoebox or tote to keep all of your supplies. It works just as well, and will keep you organized between sewing sessions. Keep it simple. Invest in the tools that count.

This is a fun little notion I never knew I was missing - especially for hemming and finishing.

This allows you to skip a seam gauge, measuring tape, and get right to pressing at the right seam allowance from the start.

Not required, but really does make work finish more professionally - more handmade, not homemade.

Pressing Ruler

Want it all without the shopping?

I know some of you would much rather have someone just tell you what to buy and send it all to your door.

So I made that option, too.

The oh & co. Sewing Box is my curated collection of beginner sewing essentials — including the tools above, a few special oh & co. touches, and some things you won't find on the Amazon list - I can’t send you a box without a few of those “fun to haves!”

You don't have to hunt down individual supplies or wonder if you're buying the right thing.

I already did the shopping for you.

The Sewing Box — $179

Includes approximately $190+ in sewing supplies + oh & co. extras.

I created this sewing box with you in mind. I know how overwhelming it can feel to start a new hobby (and, honestly, a little shocking how many tools you suddenly seem to need!). So I’ve taken the guesswork out of it.

Every tool has been thoughtfully chosen, tested, and recommended to help you feel confident from your very first stitch. And when you're not sewing? Everything has a beautiful place to call home.

You don't need to figure it all out on your own.

I've got you.

Get The Sewing Box

Clarity Backed by Expertise

  • The oh & co. Sewing Box is a thoughtfully curated collection of sewing essentials for beginning sewists. It includes the tools I recommend, a few special oh & co. touches, and a handful of thoughtful extras to help you feel ready to sew.

    You'll receive your curated sewing tools, a selection of fabric, handmade labels, an And Sew You Begin notebook, and a special sewist's goodie, all packaged in your sewing box.

  • The Sewing Toolkit PDF is a free resource with my recommended tools and shopping links, so you can purchase items individually.

    The Sewing Box is for those who'd rather have me do the shopping and put together a curated collection of essentials for them. It includes special oh & co. touches and is packaged as one ready-to-go collection.

  • Not at all! The PDF is designed to help you understand what you actually need and what can wait.

    Start with the must-haves, and add the extras as you grow more comfortable sewing. If you'd rather have me curate it all for you, the Sewing Box is your one-stop option.

  • Yes! I put this collection together with beginning sewists in mind. Whether you've recently purchased your first machine or have one sitting in a closet waiting to be used, these are the tools I want you to feel confident using.

    The box is designed to complement your sewing journey.

  • No. The Sewing Box includes the sewing tools and extras listed on this page, but it does not include a sewing machine.

  • I've selected tools based on what I recommend for a beginning sewist, with a focus on usefulness, quality, and tools you'll be able to continue using as your skills grow.

    You don't have to purchase the most expensive version of everything to begin sewing. The free toolkit is available if you'd prefer to shop individual recommendations at your own pace.

  • Yes! The Sewing Box is available as a standalone product. You don't need to enroll in any particular sewing class to ofer The Sewing Box

  • No. The Sewing Box is a one-time purchase. You'll receive the curated sewing essentials and extras included in the product description.

  • Shipping is calculated at checkout. Your order will be carefully packaged and prepared for shipment.Item description

  • The Sewing Box includes a curated fabric selection chosen by Leah.

  • If you already have some of the essentials, the free Sewing Toolkit PDF is a great option because you can purchase only what you need.

    The Sewing Box is designed for those who want the convenience of a curated collection. You can also use it as a thoughtful gift for a beginning sewist.Item description

  • Yes! You can use the free Sewing Toolkit PDF to shop individual recommendations through my links.

    The Sewing Box is the convenient, curated option for those who would rather have me do the shopping.Item description

  • Yes, we remain actively involved until solutions are fully operational and staff are confident.

  • Our adaptable methodology serves manufacturing, retail, professional services, and public sector entities.