A good sewing machine is essential. You don't need to spend a fortune, but do your research before buying one. At the workshop, we have a Bernina B350, which we love and highly recommend if you're looking to invest in a nice machine. A bit pricey though, this machine isn't the most recommended if you're just starting out. The Silvercrest for example (available in limited editions at Lidl, among other places) was recommended to us.

A set of universal machine needles and a pack of standard hand-sewing needles will be ideal for the first few projects. As you complete your projects, you can purchase more needles that are better suited to your chosen fabrics.

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To get started, there's no need to raid the entire department; one spool of black thread and one white spool are more than enough. You'll buy more depending on your projects; the right thread, in the right color, helps you achieve perfect finishes! It's an additional cost for a project, but it makes all the difference in the final result. We recommend spools of good-quality polyester thread. Poor-quality threads tend to break easily and damage your sewing machine.

You will find 200m reels, ideal for a particular project, and 500 or 1000m reels for “basic” colors that you will use often.

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An iron will make all the difference in the quality of your finishing touches. It flattens your fabric and makes sewing easier, making them neater and more precise. It will be your best friend for truly successful finishes; you'll use it after each sewing step. Be sure to test the heat of your iron on a piece of fabric.

You'll need two pairs of scissors. One will be used exclusively for cutting fabric and a second for cutting paper. It's a good idea to invest in a good pair of fabric scissors to avoid having to buy new ones regularly. A pair of sewing scissors deserves to be pampered! Don't keep one pair for both materials: paper will damage your blades, and fabric cutting will be less precise. You can also invest in a pair of small precision scissors, perfect for pinking or cutting small, precise details.

A seam ripper, as its name suggests, allows you to remove seams cleanly and efficiently. It often has a handle and a Y-shaped metal head. It slides across a seam and, by pushing from one end to the other, undoes the seams.

Pins and clips are useful for holding fabrics in place before sewing. We recommend headless or glass-headed pins. Plastic pins tend to melt when ironed. Depending on your project, you may need to use extra-fine clips (viscose, fine fabrics). For fine fabrics or fabrics that mark when poked, choose plastic clips.

The tape measure is a flexible, graduated measuring instrument that rolls up. It takes up little space and can be used to measure a wide variety of materials, from a fabric curve to a waist circumference. Dressmaker's tape measures are mostly made of fabric and are 1, 1.5, 2, or 2.5 meters long.

Choose a workspace that is well-lit, clean, and large enough for all your equipment.

A box to organize all your sewing accessories will simplify your life. You can buy a commercial sewing box or reuse one you already own. Think of our grandmothers' metal boxes, filled with treasures...

These are small, curved metal objects with a guard that open to temporarily hold two pieces of fabric together. They will make many projects easier. We use them a lot for threading and basting elastic and securing fabrics before sewing.

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Often overlooked, the thimble is a valuable ally for hand sewing. It protects your fingers and is especially useful for giving your needle momentum when working with thicker fabrics. There are two types:

Dressmaker's thimbles, with a solid tip. You use them by pushing with the tip of your finger.

Tailor's thimbles, used by tailors. The end is hollow, resembling rings. You use them by pushing with the side of your finger.

Tailor's chalk comes in a multitude of shapes and colors. The most common form remains rectangular cut chalk. It will be useful for all your projects. You can also use cut soap, fabric markers, or heat-erasable pens. Be sure to test your tracing tool on a corner of your fabric before using it everywhere. If it doesn't come off with a little water, a quick iron, or brushing the fabric, it may stain your piece.

We love Frixion pens at the workshop: they erase with heat, it's magical! You can trace anything you need onto your fabric, and the marks disappear with an iron or a little steam. Again, test them on a piece of fabric.

There are several options for tracing your patterns. Pattern paper is a paper designed specifically for pattern making. Slightly transparent, it can be found in traditional haberdashery stores. However, if you don't have access to it when you start your project, kraft paper, tissue paper, tracing paper, or baking paper will work just as well. The important thing is to choose thin, transparent paper.

It often comes with your sewing machine, if it doesn't we highly recommend you buy one. It allows you to sew clean and neat buttonholes in very little time.

The rotary cutter is a cutting tool with a circular blade attached to a handle. It allows for clean and precise fabric cutting. The blade allows you to cut multiple fabrics at the same time, forward or backward, precisely following the cutting markings. The rotary cutter is especially useful for delicate or stretchy fabrics that tend to warp slightly when cut with scissors, eliminating the problem and ensuring an accurate cut. Be careful when using it to protect your material. We recommend using a cutting mat!

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The thread cutter is a small tool that cuts excess sewing threads precisely.

It's a small cogwheel used to transfer lines and markings from a pattern onto fabric. Use with carbon paper.

Colored carbon paper is used to transfer sewing markings from a pattern to fabric using a pattern wheel. The different colors allow for better visibility on different types and colors of fabric.

The cutting mat is a work surface, often self-healing, on which you can cut your fabrics without damaging your table. Typically, the cutting mat is equipped with graduations to facilitate measuring, tracing, and cutting your fabrics. We highly recommend it for pattern projection or when using a rotary cutter; it will protect your work surface.

The ruler is a flexible, thin, durable, and precise metal tape. It is used to take measurements, guide a marking or cutting tool (e.g., rotary cutter), and trace your patterns.

The patchwork ruler is a very useful measuring tool for sewing. Flexible and gridded with measuring lines in centimeters and inches, it makes it easy to take measurements, trace, and create angles.

Weights are used to hold fabrics in place while cutting. They prevent the fabric from shifting and eliminate the risk of holes in your delicate fabrics. You can use heavy objects or weights specially designed for sewing. We recommend using them with a cutting mat and a rotary cutter for best results. This trio will ensure precise and fast cutting.

An awl is a small, pointed tool used to make holes in fabrics. It is particularly useful for thick fabrics like leather, or for marking the spot where you will place a denim button, to be hammered in.

The zipper machine foot is a necessary accessory for installing zippers. It allows you to sew as close as possible to the zipper teeth, ensuring a clean and professional finish in no time.

It's a small ironing board used for ironing delicate or curved pieces like sleeves, armholes, cuffs, or collars. The Jeanette looks like a small, padded, fabric-covered board supported by a stand. It allows you to iron areas that are difficult to reach with a conventional iron.

It attaches to your sewing machine's needle plate and helps you sew straight, even lines. It's very useful for quilting: it allows you to sew parallel lines without tracing them. A guaranteed time saver!

There are several types, in glue or spray, permanent or temporary, etc. It allows you to fix fabrics together before sewing them. It replaces pins. There is also pattern glue, which holds the pattern on the fabric while cutting.

Temporary patches are washable. We love them for attaching labels or pockets before sewing them on, to avoid excess thickness with pins.

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Pin cushions are often worn as bracelets, keeping pins close at hand without them scattering. A great alternative to pin cushions is pin magnets. These sometimes come in bracelet form and make it easy to hold and group pins.

Similar to the magnetic seam guide, this one attaches to your sewing machine with a magnet. Placed on the needle plate, it serves as a guide for sewing straight and even seams by maintaining a constant distance from the edge of the fabric. The fabric follows the seam guide, ensuring straight seams. It is useful for projects requiring great precision or for those with visible seams.

A hem measure (or sewing gauge) is a handy and versatile sewing tool designed to help create even and precise hems. It resembles a metal measuring tape with a plastic or metal gauge. It makes it easy to mark the hem width before folding and sewing, ensuring even and well-finished hems.

Quilting pins are long, flexible, thin pins with a wide head designed to secure layers of fabric and batting together before sewing. They are particularly useful for quilting and patchwork projects.

A needle threader is a small tool that makes it easier to thread the thread through the eye of the needle. It usually comes in the form of a thin metal rod with a loop, but there are also automatic needle threaders. Some sewing machines have one.

The collar turner is a tool used to turn fabric pieces, such as collars and corners, into a clean, well-defined shape. It enhances the finish.

A sewing gauge is a small measuring tool used to check and mark precise distances when sewing, such as hems and seam allowances.

Pinking shears have serrated blades that cut fabric, creating zigzag edges. This helps prevent fraying and provides a clean finish.

A small pair of scissors is used for precision cuts and finishing touches. It is ideal for cutting threads, small pieces of fabric, and delicate work. It can replace thread cutters.