The holidays are on the horizon and we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite sewing-related items to give your quilty friends… or if you want to ‘treat yo’ self.’ Nothing in this post is sponsored, but includes some of our genuinely favorite tools that we regularly use while creating. 

Mascara Wand

We’re starting things off with one of our favorite unexpected wonders. A mascara wand may seem like quite an unconventional sewing notion, but its small and soft bristles make it the best tool for cleaning lint out of your sewing machine. You can purchase these online from Amazon for $5 to $12 depending on what kind and how many wands you want to purchase. Just search for “mascara wand.” 

Mettler Thread (or your favorite preferred brand of thread)

Any seasoned sewist knows the finest thread on the market is not cheap, thus making it a quality gift that quilty friends are certain to appreciate. We recommend getting your favorite neutral color so that it matches a multitude of projects. 

Wonderfil WonderGuards

Do stray thread tails tangling up drive you crazy? Wonderfil WonderGuards are the perfect solution. They will fit over a variety of different spools and keep your sewing spaces tidy. Pro tip? Cut Them in half so you get twice as many per package. 

Clover Wonder Clips and Sewtites

For your hand sewing friend that loves English Paper Piecing you can’t go wrong with a variety of clips to secure their small paper pieces together. We like using a combination of Sewtites and Wonder Clips, depending on the size and shapes of the pieces being sewn together. Having an array of Wonder Clip sizes on hand is especially helpful. The small skinny ones are perfect for tiny paper piecing, while the largest can save the day while maneuvering around bigger pieces. We find that Sewtites don’t hold pieces quite as tightly, but they can come in especially handy for tricky corners and don’t have edges to get your thread hooked on . 

Individual Bobbin Clamps

When taking projects on the go it can be very helpful to load needed threads onto bobbins to take up less room. Having an individual bobbin clamp that secures the thread makes for a much tidier sewing travel bag. A tip when using bobbins clamps: be mindful to not load your bobbin to capacity when threading it or the clamp doesn’t work quite as well and can slip off. 

CM Designs Grabobbin Magnetic Bobbin Holder 

This is our favorite bobbin organizer. We love the magnetic feature (which makes traveling with multiple bobbins super convenient and possible). We also like how easy it is to grab a bobbin and to see what color thread is wound around it. These are not as easily found in brick- and-mortar stores, but Amazon has them for a great price. 

Bohin Mechanical Pencil

There are many marking pencils on the market. The things we like about the Bohin Mechanical Pencil include its sharp point without having to use a separate sharpener, ease to refill, and most importantly, it marks well while also rubbing off easily (it even has an eraser that decently works to remove markings). When compared with one of the most popular marking pencils (General’s) we find that when applied with a strong hand, General’s chalk does not come off as well as the Bohin chalk.  

To see more of our favorite sewing tools, check out Curated Studio in the latest issue ofCurated Quilts.  

By Brittany Bowen Burton