Your sewing experience often comes down to having the right accessories and attachments. A few tools can make your projects easier, faster, and more professional-looking. Here’s a rundown of the top 10 sewing machine accessories and attachments every sewist should consider:
1. Presser Feet
Presser feet come in various types and are essential for different sewing techniques. They hold the fabric in place as you sew, ensuring smooth feeding and accurate stitching.
Common Types:
- Zipper Foot: For sewing close to zipper teeth.
- Walking Foot: For quilting and sewing multiple layers.
- Buttonhole Foot: For making buttonholes easily.
- Rolled Hem Foot: For creating narrow, rolled hems on lightweight fabrics.
2. Bobbins and Bobbin Cases
Having extra bobbins and bobbin cases ensures you always have the right thread color and type ready to go. Bobbin cases keep the bobbins in place and maintain consistent tension.
Uses:
- Efficiency: Reduces the need to frequently stop and rewind bobbins.
- Organization: Helps keep different thread colors and types easily accessible.
3. Needle Set
A set of needles in various sizes and types is crucial for handling different fabrics and sewing tasks.
Types:
- Universal Needles: Suitable for general sewing.
- Ballpoint Needles: Ideal for knit fabrics.
- Sharps/Microtex Needles: Best for fine and delicate fabrics.
- Jeans/Denim Needles: Designed for heavy fabrics, like cork, canvas, etc
4. Seam Ripper
A seam ripper is an indispensable tool for correcting mistakes. It has a sharp, pointed end for picking out stitches and a blade for cutting threads.
Uses:
- Unpicking Stitches: Easily remove incorrect or unwanted stitches.
- Opening Buttonholes: Helps in cleanly cutting open buttonholes.
5. Quilting Guide/Edge Guide
A quilting guide attaches to your sewing machine and helps maintain consistent seam allowances and stitching lines, which is particularly useful for quilting and sewing straight lines.
Uses:
- Consistent Seams: Ensures even seam allowances.
- Straight Lines: Guides fabric for straight stitching.
6. Extension Table
An extension table provides a larger workspace, which is especially useful for quilting, large garments, and other sizable projects.
Uses:
- Larger Workspace: Supports large pieces of fabric.
- Ease of Movement: Allows for smoother movement of fabric.
7. Walking Foot (Even Feed Foot)
A walking foot has feed dogs that move the top layer of fabric in sync with the bottom layer, preventing shifting and bunching.
Uses:
- Multiple Layers: Ideal for quilting and sewing multiple layers.
- Slippery Fabrics: Helps sew tricky fabrics like vinyl and leather.
8. Twin Needle
A twin needle allows for two parallel lines of stitching, which is great for hemming and decorative stitches.
Uses:
- Hemming: Creates professional-looking hems on knit fabrics.
- Decorative Stitches: Adds decorative double lines to projects.
9. Embroidery Hoops
Embroidery hoops hold fabric taut while embroidering, ensuring precise and even stitches.
Uses:
- Stability: Keeps fabric stable during embroidery.
- Precision: Helps achieve detailed and accurate embroidery designs.
10. Thread Stand
A thread stand holds large spools of thread and feeds it smoothly to the sewing machine, preventing tangling and ensuring consistent tension.
Uses:
- Large Spools: Accommodates large cones of thread.
- Smooth Feeding: Ensures thread feeds evenly and smoothly.
Having the right accessories and attachments can significantly enhance your sewing experience, making it more efficient and enjoyable. Sometimes you think it may not be worth it, but it is!
