Sewing Tools, Aids, and Supplies

• Sewing tools are classified according to use.
• 6 classifications of sewing tools include:

  Measuring

  Cutting

  Pinning

  Marking

  Pressing

  Stitching and turning
• Tailor’s square or L-square


  • Used to draw perpendicular lines, square corners and divide measurements
• Marking tools

  • Tracing wheel
  • Tailor’s carbon paper
  • Tailor’s chalk
  • Darning thread
• Measuring tools and aids

  • Tape measure
  • Yardstick/Meterstick
  • Transparent ruler
  • Seam gauge
  • Hem marker
  • Tailor’s square/L-square
  • Hip curve
  • French curve
• Transparent ruler


  • Used so the sewer can see through
  • Blades are 15.2cm to 30.5cm long
• Flat iron


  • Electrically heated appliance for flattening, creasing, and shaping fabric
• Padding


  • Resists heat of iron useful for marking pleats, bias-strips, and so forth
• Tailor’s chalk

  • Oil-free chalk for transferring markings
• Dressmaker pins

  • Sharp points, will not leave marks on fabric
  • Used for holding the fabric in place
• Sewing scissors

  • Pointed for trimming and clipping work
  • Two handles are same in size
  • Blades are 5 to 6 inches long
• Tape measure


  • Used for taking body measurements
  • Flexible with metal ends
• Seam gauge

  • 6-inch marking ruler with a sliding marking used to measure hems, buttonholes, and pleats
• Hip curve


  • Used in shaping hip skirt hemline and hip shape seam lines
• Stitching and turning tools

  • Needle (machine and hand)
  • Needle threader
  • Thimble
  • Pincushion/Emery bag
• Pressing cloth


  • Used to cover fabric while pressing
  • Distributes heat, prevents scorching, and when wet, creates steam
• Hip curve


  • Used for redrawing gently curve lines
• Pinking shears

  • Prevent fraying on raw hems by cutting fabric in a zigzag pattern
• Tracing wheel

  • Used with tailor’s carbon paper to transfer pattern markings to fabric
• Shears


  • Used for cutting fabrics
  • Two handles are shaped differently for precision cutting
• Darning thread


  • Used with needle to make tailor’s tasks
• Pincushion/Emery bag


  • Keeps needles and pins handy while working
• Yardstick or meterstick

  • Rigid tool used to take and mark long straight measurements or check grain lines
  • Made of wood, plastic, or metal
• Hem marker


  • Human-made measuring tool used to measure hem lines
• Pressing tools

  • Flat iron
  • Pressing cloth
  • Ironing board
  • Padding
  • Hip curve
• Tailor’s carbon paper


  • Used with tracing wheel to create temporary markings on fabric
• Basic tools for measuring

  • Ruler
  • Tape measure
  • Yardstick or meterstick
• French curve


  • Used to shape necklines, collars, arm holes, and other curved modified designs
• Ironing board


  • Padded flat surface for ironing and pressing
• Pinning tools

  • Dressmaker pins
  • Pincushion/Emery bag
• Seam ripper


  • Used to remove seams/stitches
• Cutting tools

  • Scissors
  • Shears
  • Seam ripper
  • Pinking shears