If you follow me on Tiktok or Pinterest, you probably saw the video above outlining some of the items in my sewing studio that help me be more productive and keep my projects flowing smoothly.
In this post, I'd like to elaborate on the items that I mentioned in that video, as well as highlight some of the other things I use to keep making clothes and cosplays and an efficient manner.
Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. Shopping through them helps to support me and my content and I'm super grateful!
1. Magnetic Pin Cushion
Magnet or traditional pin cushion - which do you prefer? I want to make it clear that I use both, and both are good and valid choices... But I personally found that pulling out and sticking back pins into my plush tomato was slowing down my workflow a little. Being able to toss them into a magnetic bowl is in my opinion, a little bit faster, which is essential for me as a content creator and brand baddie who wants to be able to lovingly churn out sewing projects at a consistent pace and needs to complete things quicker. If time is not of the essence for you, feel free to stick to the traditional pin cushion.
There is one caveat to using a magnetic pin cushion - it will magnetize your pins after a while, causing them to stick to one another when you pick them up. While this is a little annoying, its not bad enough to make me stop using it.
Another important detail to keep in mind is how powerful the magnet is. Be sure to keep it away from things like electronics that are sensitive to magnets. My sewing area is right next to my gaming/computer desk, and I've gotten my bluetooth mouse stuck to my pin cushion a few times, causing it to make a very unpleasant clicking sound when that happened (yikes lol). Thankfully the mouse has survived so far.
2. Extra Large Seam Ripper
I'm going to be honest, the little baby seam ripper that comes with the sewing machine just doesn't cut it sometimes. I recently acquired a new (used) sewing machine to use at my parents house, and I managed to lose the seam ripper within a week of starting a project. I was pulling out stitches while watching TV, set it down at one point, and have not seen it since. Apparently it belongs to the void now.
A larger seam ripper with a more robust handle not only feels better in my hand, but is a lot less prone to getting lost in my opinion. I'm impartial to the kind with the curvy ergonomic looking handle thats shown in my tiktok video, but I also have the blue one with the straight handle above and they are both way better than the little dinky one that comes with the machine.
I recently realized I have a LOT of cone spool threads for my overlocker, and I really don't want to have to buy a corresponding small thread every time I make something. Furthermore, some of the plastic cones holding the thread up have seen better days (as you can see by the busted spool in the photo above, they chip SO EASILY!) and I'd like to use up the thread without having to go through all the work of re-threading my serger. These Cone Thread Holders enable you to use serger spools on a conventional machine. I was skeptical about them for a long time but after getting one, I absolutely love it.
I chose to pay a little more for the Superior Thread Holder as it has a few extra functions (and I admit - aesthetically it looks better with my setup lmao), but there are cheaper models made exclusively for holding cone threads.
4. Extra Bobbin Storage
My new machine does not have a storage drawer for bobbins, and instead came with a little bag to keep them and the other accessories in, which I find extremely annoying because it means my bobbins are just knocking around with presser feet and other assorted pieces. I found this bobbin holding case on amazon and so far I am a big fan of it. I like having the bobbins organized and handy for whenever I need to swap one out.
There's also these little bobbin caddies that can clip on to small spools to hold bobbins together with their corresponding spool of thread. Personally, I'm less of a fan of those because 1) they seem like they could get lost easily and 2) a lot of the bobbins I have correspond to cones (not small spools) and therefore the bobbin caddies can't clip onto them. However, if you are the type of person that has mostly small spools or you're not constantly losing things due to your adhd, they are a great alternative to the bobbin case I reference in my video.
5. Weights (Upcycled from Balloons in my case)
Sometimes if you're working with a long length of fabric, you need something to weigh it down and anchor it in place so gravity doesn't take it off the edge of the table. Since I recently upgraded to an adjustable height sewing table (rather than using the dining room table...), I felt that I have been needing them more. Then I remembered that I had been gifted some star shaped balloons that were left over from a party at my former job. The helium balloons came with these matching weights to stop them from floating up to the ceiling. I had been unsure what to use the weights for and just held onto them because I thought they were cute, until I realized I can use them to weigh down fabric!! They have been perfect for my needs and don't take up too much room in my studio. They are also just a lot cuter than the commercially available "fabric weights" that you see at most craft stores (which are usually just a plain blue or grey plastic block with a weight inside).
6. Desktop pencil holder
I used to keep my tailors chalk pencils in a drawer or pencil case, but I was finding I needed easier access to them during recent projects. Initially I just kept leaving them on my sewing table, which often lead to the pencils either falling on the floor or getting lost under the fabric or pattern pieces. When I saw this series of Sanrio themed pencil towers, I knew I wanted one for my desk. I put the chalk pencils in the top compartment and now that they have an easily accessible place to go, I'm able to keep track of them much easier.
For some reason, I completely forgot to mention this in my original tiktok (probably because its not specifically a sewing tool), but its probably the most important and valuable thing in my entire set up.
~Storytime~ At the beginning of my sewing career, I used a sturdy metal fold out table to work on. For the year I was getting my Masters, I was able to use the luxurious, extra tall, cushion-y top drafting table they had at my University, and I quickly learned that not having to bend over my work constantly was WAY less painful for my back. Having a surface that was higher up to work on was a game changer.
After completing my studies, I moved out, and for a while I used a crappy fold out table that shook really badly when I sewed anything. Eventually, I moved on to using the dining room table at two of the houses I've lived at. For years, during those moments when my back was killing me, I longed for a higher up surface like the one I had at university - but didn't think I had the room for anything like that. After all - I need a table to sit at while I sew as well - not to mention the desk for my gaming rig and computer. I don't have space for a drafting table on top of all that.
Enter the height adjustable table. Due to the popularity of standing desks and people wanting to stay active while they work from home, height adjustable desks and tables have become more prevalent over the years.
This has been a total game changer in my sewing studio. I simply crank the desk up to its maximum height when I'm doing anything that would normally require me to bend over - like tracing pattern pieces or cutting out fabric, then I lower it back down when I want to sit down at my machine and sew. No more bending over, and its much more versatile than a fixed height drafting table. So long, back pain!!
The table I use is the Husky Adjustable Height Work Table - I actually have two of them in my studio (as pictured above) - the 62 inch one that has my streaming stuff on it, and a 52 inch one that I use for sewing. My partner got mine at Home Depot but they are also on Amazon.
I hope this has been helpful for you on your sewing journey. Be sure to follow me on Tiktok to see what I'm up to - its a lot more than just sewing and cosplay content! The world of adorpheus is a very busy place!! I also stream on Twitch and can be found on Instagram as well.