SEWING TOOLS

Stitching Awl:
A stitching awl is a simple tool with which holes can be punctured in a variety of materials, or existing holes can be enlarged. It is also used for sewing heavy materials, such as leather or canvas. It is a thin, tapered metal shaft, coming to a sharp point, either straight or slightly bent.These shafts are often in the form of interchangeable needles. They usually have an eye piercing in it at the pointed end (as opposed to normal sewing needles) to aid in drawing thread through holes for the purpose of manual lockstitch sewing, in which case it is also called a sewing awl. Stitching awls are frequently used by cobblers (shoemakers) and other leatherworkers. Sewing awls are useful for making lock stitches. The needle, with the thread in the eye is pushed through the material. The thread is then pulled through the eye to extend it. As the needle is pushed through the material,the extra thread from the first stitch is then threaded through the loops of successive stitches creating a lock stitch.The action is likened to that of a "miniature sewing machine". The thread Styles may vary, as they are adapted to specific trades, such as making shoes or saddles. They are also used in the printing trades to aid in setting movable type and in bookbinding.

Bobbin:
A bobbin is a spindle or cylinder, with or without flanges, on which wire, yarn, thread or film is wound. Bobbins are typically found in sewing machines, cameras, and within electronic equipment. As used in spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing, or lacemaking, the bobbin provides temporary storage for yarn and may be made of plastic, metal, bone or wood.

Bodkin:
A sharp slender instrument for making holes in cloth or a blunt needle with a large eye for drawing tape or ribbon through a loop or hem.

Dress Form:
A dress form is used to give a three-dimensional view on the article of clothing that is being sewed. When a piece of clothing is made, it can be put on the dress form so one can see how the piece of clothing will turn out. Then one can make alterations upon the clothing after seeing what it looks like on a body.

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Dressmaker/Tailor Shears:


Measuring Tape:
A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible form of ruler. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, or metal with linear-measure markings, often in both imperial and metric units. Surveyors use tape measures in lengths on the order of hectometres. It is a convenient, common measuring tool. Its flexibility allows for a measure of great length to be easily carried in pocket or toolkit and permits one to measure around curves or corners. Tape measures intended for use in tailoring or dressmaking are typically made of flexible cloth or plastic, while those designed for carpentry or construction often use a stiff, curved metallic ribbon that can remain stiff and straight when extended, but retracts into a coil for convenient storage. This type of tape measure will have a floating tang on the end to aid measuring. The tang will float a distance equal to its thickness, to provide both inside and outside measurements that are accurate. A tape measure of 25 or even 1000 feet can wind into a relatively small container.

Needle:
A sewing needle is a long slender tool with a pointed tip. The first needles were made of bone or wood; modern ones are manufactured from high carbon steel wire, nickel- or gold plated for corrosion resistance. The highest quality embroidery needles are made of platinum. Traditionally, needles have been kept in needle books or needle cases which have become an object of adornment. A needle for hand sewing has a hole, called the eye, at the non-pointed end to carry thread or cord through the fabric after the pointed end pierces it. Hand sewing needles have different names depending on their purpose. Needle size is denoted by a number on the packet. The convention for sizing is that the length and thickness of a needle increases as the size number decreases. For example, a size 1 needle will be thicker and longer, while a size 10 will be shorter and finer.

Pattern:
In sewing and fashion design, a pattern is an original garment from which other garments of a similar style are copied, or the paper or cardboard templates from which the parts of a garment are traced onto fabric before cutting out and assembling (sometimes called paper patterns). Patternmaking , pattern making or pattern cutting is the art of designing patterns. A custom-fitted basic pattern from which patterns for many different styles can be created is called a sloper or block.

Pattern Weights:


Pin:
A pin is a device used for fastening objects or material together. It is usually made of steel, and is formed by drawing out a thin wire, sharpening the tip, and adding a head.

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Pincushion:
A pincushion (or less commonly pin cushion) is a small cushion, typically 3-5 cm across, which is used in sewing to store pins or needles with their heads protruding so as to take hold of them easily. Pincushions are typically filled tightly, so as to hold pins rigidly once placed. The distinctive appearance of a pin-filled pincushion has resulted in the term being used for a variety of other things including several varieties of plants, and a type of starfish. In addition, the form of the cushion itself has lended its name to the phenomenon of pincushion distortion in optics and video displays.

Rotary Cutter:
A rotary cutter is a tool generally used by quilters to cut fabric. It has a circular blade that can be found in different sizes.

Scissors:
Scissors are types of tools used for cutting thin material which requires little force.

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Seam Ripper:
A seam ripper or stitch ripper is a small tool used for unpicking stitches. The most common form consists of a handle, shaft and head. The head is usually forked with one side of the fork flattening out and becoming a blade and the other side forming a small point. In some designs the blade side then tapers back to a point to allow easier insertion in tight stitching.It is also known as a threader-er remover.

Sewing Table:
A sewing table or work table is a table or desk used for sewing. Generally is has large amounts of space and a full set of sewing tools. Nearby there will be a chair and a waste bin. A common attachment is a dropleaf to give expanded space. Other attachments can be a cloth bag for storing sewing materials, drawers, or shelves.

How to Make Sewing Patterns

Tailor's Chalk:
Tailor's chalk is traditionally a hard chalk used to make temporary markings on cloth, mainly by tailors. Nowadays it is usually made from talc.

Thimble:
A thimble is a protective shield worn on the finger or thumb generally worn during sewing.

Thread/Yarn:
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibers, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing. Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for hand or machine embroidery.

Tracing Paper:
Tracing paper is named as such for its ability for an artist to trace an image onto it. When tracing paper is placed onto a picture, the picture is easily viewable through the tracing paper.

Tracing Wheel:
A tracing wheel is an instrument with serrated teeth on a wheel attached to a handle. Used to transfer markings from patterns onto fabric with or without tracing paper, this sewing tool also makes slotted perforations. Such markings might include pleats, darts, buttonholes, notches or placement lines for appliques or pockets. There are two basic types of tracing wheels available to the modern sewer, one with a serrated edge and one with a smooth edge.

Wax:


Sewing Box:


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