My ever-growing list of favorite useful sewing bits and bops, and books. I love discovering tools that help me sew quicker and neater.

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Tools and Supplies

A mini rechargable desk vacuum cleaner that is good for cleaning eraser dusts and thread pieces.
Rechargeable Mini Vacuum
I was surprised how often I use this when sewing and pattern drafting! The longer thread will not get sucked in, but it will get rid of the pesky tiny threads! The one that I use is not available right now, but this is a good alternative!
A blue colored fabric marking pen that washes off easily with water even after ironing and washing.
Water Soluble Fabric Marker
Markings on fabric wash off easily with water, even after ironing, steaming, and washing (not recommended but I sometimes forget, and still wash off!).
A heat resistant ruler that can be ironed over with fabric and useful for hemming over straight or curved edges.
Heat Resistant Ruler
This is super useful when you want to create an even hem. You can use the guides on the ruler to measure, and then iron/press with the ruler and fabric.
Fabric stamp with non-toxic ink and customizable with removable letters and symbols.
Fabric Ink Stamp
I love adding custom tags on my memades! You can customize it with removable letters/symbols and non-toxic ink. The ink is still there after several washes.
A roll of white bias tape that can be used to make DIY or handmade clothing label.
White Bias Tape
I love creating custom clothing labels. Just stamp your name on a bias tape strip and sew it on your clothes. Easy!
A fashion sketch book with pre-illustrated figures where you can draw clothing designs over them and write notes.
Fashion Sketch Book
Super fun to use if you love designing your clothes and taking notes of design features, etc. The figures are pre-drawn so you can sketch your clothing design over it.
A wooden block that is used to press over seams or fold lines after ironing and create crisps flat-pressed seams.
Tailors Clapper
Create crisps flat seam/fold line after pressing! Iron, press, clap!
A sawdust-filled pressing ham for ironing over curved edges or seams nicely. It features two different sides for ironing at different temperature settings.
Tailors Ham
For pressing and molding sleeve caps and curved seams! Did you know the 2 sides are for different temperatures? Plaid side for low-medium heat. Cotton side for medium-high heat.
A leather thimble that fits over your finger and protects your finger while hand sewing.
Leather Thimble
This is a lifesaver if you have to hand sew quite a bit for your project.
A small embroidery scissor with a sharp narrow tip that is useful to cut threads and trim at higher precision.
Embroidery Scissor
The sharp narrow tip is useful for snipping away threads close to the seam line and trimming tight corners.
A durable pinking shear with a zig zag shape blade to prevent edges of fabric from fraying.
Pinking Shear
I’ve had mine for years (since 2014 I believe) and they are sturdy and durable!
A long sewing or quilting ruler with gridline that is useful for measuring and making precise cuts through fabric.
Sewing/Quilting Grid Ruler
Very helpful when you want to mark a long straight line and evenly spaced lines.
Bias tape makers set of 5 sizes to create strips of bias tapes quickly and precisely.
Bias Tape Maker Kit Sewing bias tapes using self-fabric makes your garment look professional.
An adjustable double tracing wheel with blunt edges to easily mark seam line and cutting line.
Double Tracing Wheel
Great for tracing patterns onto other paper without damaging surfaces (blunt wheel)! I love the double wheel feature and it’s adjustable (0.4-1.2in) for marking different seam allowances.
A fashion ruler set that is useful for pattern making.
Fashion Rulers
I use these a lot when pattern drafting.
Heat resistant loop pressing bar set of 5 sizes to neatly press seam allowances open, or pull elastics through fabric tubes.
Loop Pressing Bars
Multi-purpose bars! Use these to quickly thread your elastic through or iron over the bars to press seams open inside fabric tubes. The different bars are for various elastic channel or fabric tube sizes
A set of loop turner with a hook and bodkin for turning fabric tubing and threading elastics with ease.
Loop Turner and Bodkin
Use the loop turner to create thin spaghetti straps. I use the bodkin to thread elastics through shorter channels as the loop pressing bars are too long.
A neon colored magnetic pin cushion to hold your sewing pins in place.
Magnetic Pin Cushion
I drop my sewing pins on the floor so often I’m scared I’ll step on them. I can hold this magnet over my sewing areas and it’ll pick up those stray pieces.
Large quantity of colorful invisible zippers that can be purchased at a really low price.
Invisible Zippers
I purchased this in bulk and it was so cheap and comes in 60 pieces, 20 colors.
A wondertape that is used to hold fabric pieces in place, and can be sewn over and washed away easily.
Wash Away Sticky Tape
Holds seams, hems, and zipper together. It can be sewn through. Very helpful when sewing with knits (stick tape, loosen sewing machine tension, and sew away = no more wavy fabric!)
A 6 tier closet organizers with clips to hang your pattern pieces and cutting mats.
Hangers for Pattern and Mat
A space-saving solution for me to hang my WIP pattern pieces and cutting mat.

Books

A book titled Fashionpedia containing many illustrations and information of various clothing styles and designs.
You can get many inspirations from the illustrations and information on different clothing designs.
A book titled Sew It Yourself containing many DIY projects from sewing clothes to accessories.
The book teaches you to self-draft your clothes using formulas. Super easy patterns, mostly from rectangular pieces.
A book titled The Art of Manipulating Fabric containing many fabric dimensional techniques from gathering to smocking.
I enjoy this book. I have a pleater/smocker that I’m itching to use and learn the techniques taught in this book.
A book titled Patternmaking for Fashion Design containing many information for drafting clothes with the perfect fit.
This book is heavy! It contains lots of useful info like basic sewing techniques, drafting your basic pattern, designing with darts, and more. Very helpful if you like self-drafting your clothes.
A Japanese sewing book containing simple and elegant sewing patterns.
Simple and elegant sewing patterns for blouses, dresses, and more. The texts are in Japanese but the pictures are easy to understand. I also use the camera app from Google to translate written words.
A Japanese sewing book containing simple and stylish outerwear sewing patterns.
Cute outerwear sewing patterns (e.g., hooded capes, simple coats, ponchos, boleros). I can’t wait to start making some of the capes.