I’ve written before that my craft closet more closely resembles a small craft store than a closet, but that doesn’t mean I have a plethora of frivolous supplies I’ll never use. Since I’ve been an avid crafter for decades, I have accumulated items for many different types of projects. I know it can be tempting, especially when embarking on a new hobby, to purchase a variety of things that “may” be useful at some point. On occasion, I have learned the hard way (that is, via unnecessary or, worse yet, expensive purchases of things I really didn’t need) to stick to the bare minimum and only purchase items I plan to actually use for upcoming projects.
To avoid making purchases I later regret, I have been building my sewing kit slowly over the past decade. I thought I’d offer a glimpse into what I include so you have a better feel for those items that are essential and which are simply “nice to have”.
As I step towards incorporating more sustainable practices into my home, I want to provide you with the tips and tools to confidently join me on that journey. Focusing more on mending and repairing existing clothes, rather than purchasing new ones, is an important part of sustainability, and having the proper supplies on hand makes the process much less complicated. Sewing kits are so versatile and are something that every home should have – whether there is a seasoned crafter living there or not.
What is a hand sewing kit?
A hand sewing kit is a collection of supplies related to sewing by hand. It includes items such as needles and assorted thread that are used for mending and altering garments and fabrics. If a shirt button loosens, a seam splits, or the hem on your trousers starts to fray, items within your sewing kit will allow you to make all the necessary repairs. If you’d like to repair home decor fabrics such as throw pillows or comforters or alter curtains or slip covers, your sewing kit will be invaluable for these projects as well. By storing all of your sewing supplies in a single container, you can find things quickly and easily whenever an item needs repair.
Why should every home have a sewing kit?
Having a sewing kit that is stocked with the proper supplies is essential for every home. You never know when you’ll need to do an emergency repair on a garment, so it’s important to have everything organized and ready for use ahead of time. That way, you won’t have to stop a project to go in search of an item that may (or may not) be located somewhere within your home, and it will also save you the trouble of having to leave home to go purchase an item or two at a local store. You’ll be much more efficient with your process and much more likely to complete your project if you have everything on hand initially.
What items are needed in a standard hand sewing kit?
For a standard hand sewing kit, I recommend including a few items that you’ll use for virtually all of your hand sewing projects. It’s really not necessary to have every sewing tool imaginable, as you’ll find that you don’t actually need much, especially if you are fairly new to sewing and mending. When shopping, focus on purchasing quality items that will eliminate duplicate purchases in the future and survive the test of time.
- A Container to Hold Supplies
- Scissors
- Pins – Safety and Straight
- Needles
- Thread
- Thread Snips
- Cloth Measuring Tape (Tailor’s Tape)
- Seam Ripper
- Thimble
1. A Container to Hold Supplies
One thing I love about sewing kits is that you can choose from an endless variety of container options. It can be a basket, specifically designated as a sewing basket, or it can be any other type of basket, box, bucket, tin, or crate you can find within your home. For my sewing kit, I use a Shaker Sisters Sewing Box with a swing handle, which is a very traditional New England style of box.
This particular one was made on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Being a native New Englander, now living in Texas, I love having this touch of “home” on display in my craft room. I purchased the sewing box many years ago at a specialty craft shop in Connecticut. It came with the pattern to stitch the counted cross-stitch design on the top, and I just loved the saying. “Hands to Work … Hearts to God” is such a beautiful statement and embodies the way I feel about using my time and talents to create things with my hands.
While I was initially drawn to the beauty and sentiment attached to this box, I also selected it because it’s the perfect size to hold all of my supplies. When selecting a container to use for your sewing kit, consider what supplies you will include. There is no right or wrong size for a container, but remember that the size of the container will dictate the types and quantity of items you can include. So choose wisely.
My mom is an extremely talented crafter, sewer, and quilter, and she even made many of our clothes as young children. She makes quilts, curtains, afghans, counted cross-stitch designs and virtually any other type of craft imaginable (or so it seems!), so her sewing kit is more advanced, and her sewing container is slightly larger, than mine. Since she sews by hand as well as on her sewing machine, she uses a larger sewing basket so that she can also fit larger spools of thread. She saves buttons for use in embroidered hand towels in her “button basket” so that everything is organized and easily accessible.
2. Scissors
For a standard sewing kit, I recommend having at least one good-quality pair of scissors that has a sharp point. As you become more experienced with sewing and mending, you’ll likely find it’s necessary to expand your collection to include fabric scissors, embroidery scissors, and pinking shears. Be sure to reserve your scissor(s) for your sewing kit, and only use them to cut fabric or thread. If you were to also use them to cut paper, you’ll find they will dull more quickly and you’ll have trouble making nice clean cuts in fabric.
I put a tassel on a pair of scissors to designate them as reserved for cutting fabric only. If your scissors do become dull over time, you don’t have to throw them away; you can easily get them sharpened by a professional sharpener. There’s usually someone who sharpens knives and scissors at my local farmer’s market in Houston, and he is able to sharpen them in the time it takes me to shop the fruit and vegetable kiosks. I suspect you can easily find a professional sharpener close to where you live as well.
3. Pins – Straight and Safety
I recommend having a small supply of both straight and safety pins in your sewing kit. I keep mine in an empty Tiffany & Co. jewelry box because my name is Tiffany (and I think it’s kind of fun), but you can use any small box, pin cushion, or magnetic pin holder to collect and store them. Choose something that will fit nicely into your container.
Straight pins are useful for securing fabric pieces in place while mending, while safety pins are used to fasten multiple pieces of fabric together. Safety pins can also be used in a pinch if you rip your clothes and need something to hold the fabric together until you are able to make a proper repair.
When selecting straight pins, I recommend ones that have a round head on them, as they’ll be less likely to get lost inside your fabric as you’re sewing. Be sure to select glass-headed pins, and not plastic-headed ones, as the plastic ones can melt if you’re ironing fabric while it is pinned. Simply look for the label on the package – the material will be clearly denoted.
4. Needles
I have a small collection of needles in my sewing kit, and I’m not sure it’s possible to have too many, as they are so easy to lose. When looking for ones to include in your sewing kit, opt for brand name ones, as they will be less likely to break and bend with repeated use. You’ll notice my needles are bent slightly because of the way I use a needle, but they still function very well. Include needles of various lengths and sizes, as different projects and repairs will call for different needles. For example, I mentioned in my Japanese sashiko mending post that you’ll need longer needles because of the technique employed in sashiko, but for standard sewing kits, I recommend having a few smaller-sized needles on hand. Collect a few extra as you’ll likely lose some in your floorboards, sofa cushions, and just about any other place you can think of.
5. Thread
When selecting sewing thread, choose one that has a high strength to weight ratio, such as nylon, polyester, or cotton. Nylon is one of the strongest threads available, making it a great choice for sewing upholstery, leather, and vinyl. If you’re only sewing garments or home decor fabrics, one hundred percent polyester or cotton will create smooth seams and work well on a variety of fabrics such as cotton, linen, or synthetics. For clothing repairs, I select polyester thread since it has a bit of a stretch to it and allows the fabric to flex and move while you are wearing it.
I recommend selecting threads in a few colors (including neutrals) that coordinate with the fabrics you are most likely to repair. Since I normally wear neutrals and muted colors, the threads in my sewing kit are all pale pinks, blues, purples, and creams. If you almost never wear red or other bright colors, you won’t need to fill your sewing kit with threads of those colors.
6. Thread Snips
Many people only use embroidery scissors to cut thread, but I prefer thread snips as they allow for a cleaner cut that prevents the thread from fraying later. Their sharp tip could also be used as a seam ripper in a pinch, but I find the tip of the blade to be too wide, and therefore more likely to cut the fabric accidentally. Therefore, I prefer to keep both a pair of thread snips and a seam ripper in my sewing kit (see below).
7. Cloth Measuring Tape (Tailor’s Tape)
A cloth measuring tape, also known as a tailor’s tape, is designed to be flexible so that it can mold easily to the body. Tailors use them to determine accurate measurements for clothing designs and alterations, which is where they got their name. I have a vintage one that belonged to my maternal grandmother that I keep in my sewing kit and use frequently.
I prefer a cloth measuring tape over a traditional ruler for many of my projects, and I love that the cloth tapes fold easily and fit into sewing kits of even the smallest of sizes. Pro tip: cloth measuring tapes are also a great thing to keep in your purse – I have a retractable one in a plastic case I carry with me in my purse, and I’m always surprised by the number of times I find myself needing to measure something in a store.
8. Seam Ripper
Before starting on a sewing project, you may need to remove a few existing stitches so that you can begin with a clean surface. The seam ripper is designed to fit easily in the tighter spaces of garments and can remove finer stitches as well. If you make a mistake with your stitches or use a thread that just isn’t a good match for the fabric being repaired, you can quickly remove the stitches without damaging the fabric in the process. Whenever possible, opt for one that comes with a protective cover for the tip, as it’s extremely sharp.
9. Thimble
Until recently, I considered a thimble less essential and more of an optional item in a standard sewing kit. My recent sashiko mending projects have convinced me just how useful they are at protecting the tips of your fingers. If you are new to sewing, I especially recommend them – at least until you get more comfortable with the process and learn where not to place your fingers while passing a needle through the fabric. Thimbles can be either metal or leather, and many have a textured design that ensures the needle doesn’t slip as you sew. When I use a thimble, I almost always use a metal one, because I can quickly remove it from my finger or slide it onto another finger as I’m sewing.
What Additional Supplies Could You Include in Your Sewing Kit?
If you know you’ll be doing more frequent or advanced sewing, there are many additional supplies you can include in your sewing kit. While I consider all of these items optional, feel free to find what works best for you and your projects and slowly build a sewing kit that’s right for you.
- Buttons
- My mom and I were talking recently about whether buttons should be considered an essential item in a standard sewing kit. While we have both sewn buttons back on to garments, neither of us can remember having actually lost a button that was never found. If you are prone to losing buttons, then I suggest either having a few spares on hand, or tossing the extra buttons that come with many new garments in your sewing kit for future use.
- Needle threader
- If you find you’re having trouble threading a needle, a needle threader will help reduce the eye strain and frustration that can occur after struggling to pass thread through a needle’s tiny eye.
- Variety of Scissors
- I find it especially helpful to have scissors in a variety of sizes. Because I do a lot of hand crafts, I have a small collection of scissors, and almost all of them serve a specific purpose. Pinking shears are great for cutting cloth that you don’t want to fray, and I have a few pairs of scissors that are specifically designated for cutting fabric. I keep my larger specialty scissors in one of the drawers in my vintage sewing desk since I don’t use them for every sewing project I undertake.
- Fabric pencil or marker
- If you wear darker-colored garments or denim, a fabric pencil or tailor’s chalk will contrast with the garment color, allowing you to mark stitches that are easily visible. If your wardrobe consists of lightly-colored clothes, a fabric marker is recommended. They are usually blue or purple and contrast nicely with lighter colors. Just be sure to read the instructions that come with the markers and test on an inconspicuous piece of fabric before marking a main area to ensure the ink can be removed completely by wetting or ironing.
I mentioned earlier that there is no right or wrong size for a sewing kit. In addition to the sewing and button baskets my mom uses for her “everyday” sewing and mending, she also has this (now) vintage sewing cabinet her father built in the 1950’s. Not only is it beautiful, but it also doubles as a piece of furniture, which she keeps in her sewing room. If your sewing and mending practices are extensive, and you have room in your home for a sewing cabinet, it’s a great piece to add to your collection.
When opened, you can see the assortment of threads, scissors, pins, snaps, buttons and many more items stored within its pull-out and rotating drawers. The cabinet also houses rick rack, thread wax, seam tape, seam gauges and many other items we rummage through fairly regularly when approaching sewing and mending projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is needed for a minimalist sewing kit?
For the minimalists among us, I recommend having needles (in various sizes), thread (in a few colors), and a pair of scissors (opt for a pair with a sharp and narrow point so that it can also double as a seam ripper).
Do sewing kits make good gifts?
Yes, they make great gifts! They are practical and economical and can be as simple or as fancy as you like. I have created sewing kits in mason jars and given them as gifts, and they are always appreciated. What's nice is that you can also display the mason jar sewing kit on a shelf, making it both useful and decorative.
I hope this post has been helpful and informative and sets you up for success in building a hand sewing kit for your home. If you already have a sewing kit, what do you include?
I’d love to hear, so please feel free to share in the comments!
xo, Tiffany