General Sewing Resources
- Reader’s Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing, The Reader’s Digest Publishing Co., 2011
- Threads Sewing Guide, Taunton Press, 2011
- Vogue Sewing Book, Butterick Publishing Co., 2000
General Fitting Resources
- The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting, by Sarah Veblen, Creative Publishing Int’l, 2012
- Fit for Real People, by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto, Palmer/Pletsch Inc., 2006
- Vogue Sewing Book, Butterick Publishing Co., 2000
Sewing with Knits Resources
- Sewing with Knits, by Connie Long, The Taunton Press, 2000
- The Colette Guide to Sewing Knits, by Alyson Clair, Colette Patterns, 2014
The following is a list of sewing tools, equipment and resources recommended at the 2022 h+h Americas sewing show.
Tools Needed for Garment Sewing
Basic Sewing Tools
- Seam ripper, at least one
- Sheers, large and small
- Rotary cutter and cutting mat
- Fine sewing pins, not too long
- Pin containers like pin cushions, wrist pin cushions, magnetic pin wants and cups
- Plastic clips
- Pattern weights
- Marking tools that give accurate dots
- Tape Measure
- Rulers, straight 18″ x 2″
- Curved fashion
- Small seam gauge ruler
- Fine fusible interfacings, several weights
- Elastic if projects require it
- Zippers if projects require it
Equipment
- Sewing machine
- Serger
- Table, raised for cutting, lowered for sewing
- Good lighting
- Iron
- Classic ironing board, over door or table top will do, needs one curved end
- Sewing machine needles: universal, jersey, microtex in size 80
Patterns
- Independent pattern companies offer good options that do not require ordering from the big four.
- Choose companies that offer good resources for buyers like fitting information and tutorials and possibly provide content for newsletter or social media.
- Order patterns that work with the fabrics to be stocked. Start with simple designs that will assure sewing success.
Wholesale Resources
Tools
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- Brewer, Nifty Notions line
- Wawak
- Delaware Dry Goods
Equipment
- Bernina, sewing machines and sergers
- Laura Star Irons, works for knitters too
- Oliso Irons, on the H and H show floor, small and reasonably priced
- Brewer, starter sewing machines and other reasonably priced equipment
Fabric Resources
- Carr Textiles, utility fabrics and pants fabric
- Sextet, knits
- Mood Wholesale
- Michaels Fabrics
- Elliott Berman, Ermani Group
- Artistic Artifacts, hand-made Indian fabrics only
- Diamond Textiles
- Robert Kauffman
- Art Gallery Fabrics
- SoHo Fabrics/Silk Safari
- Style Crest
- Speckler Vogel
- DG Expo, a place to meet vendors who sell in small lots
- MODA
Hope this list proves helpful to you. Download it as a PDF here. Contact rae@fitforartpatterns if you have particular questions.
