Intro to FCS Lenape High School Sewing Equipment Intro to FCS Lenape High School

Thimble Used to protect your finger when sewing by hand. Use to push needle through heavy fabrics. Worn on middle finger of sewing hand.

Tailor’s Pencil Used to transfer pattern markings to fabric. Helps you to assemble pattern pieces correctly.

Shears Used to cut patterns from fabric. Bent handles allow fabric to lie flat while cutting, for accuracy. Use only for cutting fabric! Shears will become dull from cutting paper, strings, etc.

Seam Ripper Used to undo sewing mistakes and remove basting stitches.

Skirt/Hem Marker Used to mark and even hem.

Pressing/Tailor’s Ham Used for pressing curved seams and darts. Allows fabric to lay flat against the rounded shape.

Straight Pins Used to hold patterns to fabric before and during cutting. Holds pieces of fabric together before sewing.

Tailor’s Chalk/Wax Used to transfer pattern markings to the fabric. Helps to put the pattern pieces together correctly.

Scissors Short blades with small matching holes for handles. Used to trim seams, clip around curves, and open buttonholes.

Sleeve Board Used for pressing small details like sleeves and cuffs.

Hand Sewing Needles Used for hand sewing. Sharps are the type of needle used most often for hand sewing.

Tracing Wheel Used with tracing paper to transfer pattern markings to fabric. Can have a smooth or “pointy” wheel.

Tracing Paper Used with a tracing wheel to transfer pattern markings to fabric. Choose a color close to your fabric color but that can still be seen.

Seam/Sewing Gauge A 6” ruler with a sliding marker. Used to measure short distances, such as, cuffs, hems, and spaces between buttonholes. Especially good for repetitive measurements.

Tape Measure Used to take body measurements, measure fabric, and measure pattern pieces. 60 inches long and does not stretch.

Thread Clipper Used to trim threads at the start and end of every stitching line.

Pinking Shears Used to give seam edges a finished look. Do not use to cut patterns from fabric.

Steam Iron & Press Cloth Used to press as you sew, to give garment a neat professional look. The press cloth will prevent the development of a “shine” on fabrics. Wetting the press cloth will create extra steam for a flatter seam.

Needle Threader Used to make threading a needle easier. Put wire through the eye of the needle, then put thread through the wire and remove wire from the needle.

Pin Cushion with Emery Used to store pins and pins will be less likely to spill. Emery (strawberry) is used to remove rough spots or a dull point from a needle or pin.