Essential Tools for Sewing

We all have our favorite sewing tools. Here are the ones that are most important to me:

1. My sewing machine. It was a Christmas gift from my parents a few years back. It is a Bernina 1008. It is the perfect machine for me. It is very basic. Not computerized, but man its a workhorse.
   

2. A really good pair of scissors. Mine are Gingher. My hubby and kids know that if you cut something other than fabric with these I might just come unglued. They are definitely expensive scissors but they are worth every penny.
3. Rotary Cutter. I have a fiskars version. I change my blade about once a month, but I cut yards, and yards of fabric also.
4. A cutting mat. The first one I bought was a package deal with my rotary cutter and ruler from fiskars. It worked great. It was 18 x 24 maybe? Well it worked great until there were ravines from me cutting in the same spot many times. Then I set my iron on the board not thinking anything of it but it warped it bad. So finally I broke down with my hubbys help and bought a much larger, self healing, reversible, cutting mat. It is 24 x 36 ish and looks like this:I love it. It works great for what I do. I use my cutting board everyday almost.

5. A cone thread stand. This thing is really great for using those large cone threads for your serger in the sewing machine. The cone thread is much more economical to use. You are not constantly changing out the thread because you ran out. Plus it costs a little bit more than the small things of thread.
I got mine at Joann's for $5-$10. You could use a coupon or buy it when they have their notions on sale for 50% off which happens fairly often. Definitely worth the money.

6. A small pair of scissors to cut thread. The scissors that I use came from my provo craft paper trimmer when I bought it. I actually have 2 pairs of scissors that are about the same size. One sits at my sewing machine and the other at my serger when I have it out.
7. Lots of extra sewing machine needles because I always break mine at the most inconvenient of times. I have had to call my hubby and ask him to stop by the store to get me more needles when he comes home from work. Then I wait very impatiently because it would be a waste for me to drive to town to just get needles when he will be coming home in a few hours.

8. Several extra bobbins. I think I have around 20 bobbins. When I am doing a bigger project before I thread my machine I wind up several bobbins of the same color. That way when my bobbin runs out of thread then I have some all ready to replace it without having to unthread my machine to wind another bobbin. Saves lots of time and frustration. If you don't have a bunch of bobbins already and think you might need some more make sure that they will fit your machine. My mom gave me some bobbins that did not fit my machine and many needles later I figured out it was the bobbin breaking my needles.

9. One of the best things I ever did when setting up my sewing table was to get a small set of drawers for next to my sewing machine with all the small essentials (like bobbins, needles, scissors, unpicker, ruler, calculator, etc). I got mine at walmart but I know lots of other stores that sell them to.
I am thinking I am going to get a set of drawers like this to sit next to my sewing machine for things like my regular cutting scissors, thread, velcro, elastic waistband, and all those other little sewing things that I need at the sewing machine.

10. A good place to store your fabric. I use those plastic drawers to store the fabrics that are less than 2 yards. I have 2 sets of them. For the fabrics that I buy by the bolt I keep on the bolt behind my couch, but I really need a bookcase to store them on so that I can see them. I have some fabrics that I keep forgetting about that are behind the couch.

If bolts would work well for you the fabric stores just throw away or recycle the cardboard pieces so just ask to take some home with you. I almost always leave the store with a couple of them. They are really handy for storing fabric on. It keeps it from getting wrinkled.

Do you have any tips or tools that are essential to you successfully sewing?