[birdblue]

I ordered my sewing machine. But now i have no idea about what kind of thread to use, what tools i need....the basics. So, i was hoping that any of you ladies that sew could give me the heads up on materials and tools necessary.

(btw, anyone notice all the cool new smilies? I love using them. )

[I<3HelloKitty]

You'll need bobbins. There are different types depending on your machine. It'll probably come with one or two, but you'll want one for each color thread you're planning to use. The types of thread will vary depending on the types of material you're sewing. A lot of times it'll tell you what to get on the pattern if you're using one. A good pair of sewing scissors is a must also and only use them for cutting fabric!

[birdblue]

thanks for the response!

JoAnn's had a sale, patterns for .99! So i got ten of them.

[noworries]

Have fun. It can be frustrating at first but push through.

[Lisigirl13]

Like diana said sissors are important. Usually depending on the fabric you choose what type of thread is best (polyester or cotton).
make sure you have a seam ripper as well and something to put in elastics.

[Celine]

I recently got a sewing machine and took a class at Joanns. The instructor gave us some pointers what gadgets to get. I want to sew some curtains for a few rooms and maybe make some stuff for Sophia.

What kind of thread you get will depend on the fabric. But I was told to get 10 bobbins so that you can have your primary colors that you use a lot ready to go, like white, black, beige, blue, green, etc.
I got a pin cushion, seam ripper, a rotary cutter, a cutting mat, fray block (this stuff that keeps the fabric from fraying when you cut it) and a magnetic seam guide (that is really cool- your seam won't get crooked w/ this gadget- you set it next to the presser foot (but not for computerized machines)). The teacher demonstrated it and it was really cool.

I am thinking of taking another class, since this is all new to me and it was fun. They have another sale on Feb 11th where all classes are 50% off, in case you are interested.

What kind of patterns did you get? Too bad I missed that sale. Have you started using your machine yet?

[I<3HelloKitty]

I used to work at JoAnns and the patterns go on sale fairly often. Subscribe to their email newsletter if you wanna get notified about them. I love the 99 cent pattern sales!