Holiday Wish List: My Favorite + Wished For Sewing Gifts

The holidays are almost upon us! I’ve been working on my wish list, and I wanted to share with all of you! While I’m at it, I figured I’d also share my favorite items that I think should be on your wishlist, including several stocking stuffers for a perfect sewist holiday!

my favorite sewing gifts

Here are my absolute favorite items in my sewing studio:

Gutermann Mara 100 Thread 50 Spool Set ($198.50)

One of the things I hate most is getting all ready for a project — pattern altered, fabric cut, my first pieces even pinned together — only to realize I don’t have the right color of thread, or anything close. This set has absolutely changed that for me. No more surprise trips to Joann to buy a single spool of thread! The quality of this thread is also amazing.

While 50 colors of thread isn’t enough to have every color for every sewing project, it’s pretty damn close, and I can usually find a close enough match for my project (except burnt orange! Where’s the burnt orange?!).

Embroidex 60 Spool Thread Stand ($27.99)

Well, if you’re going to have 50+ spools of thread on hand, you’re going to need somewhere to put them! I have two of these hung on my wall, right above my sewing machine. It’s so convenient (and pretty! All the pretty colors!)

PurSteam Steam Iron ($29.99 after $5 coupon)

Look, I have an Oliso iron, and while they might retail for $60-200 (I got mine for $50 used, because I couldn’t resist a yellow iron!), I always reach for this iron over my Oliso. The steam is just so even, and the heat settings are pretty accurate. I also prefer the shape of this iron.

Goddess Pressing Sheet ($30.39)

With your new iron, you might give a pressing sheet a try! I use this to protect my iron while fusing fabric to interfacing — instead of cutting my fabric and interfacing separately and trying to match them up perfectly, I cut my fabric, lay it wrong side down on my interfacing, put this sheet on top, then press! Once it’s fused, I cut out the interfacing. (Yes, this means interfacing in my seam allowances, but I’ve never found that problematic.)

This sheet is also great if you do any appliqué work, or just to protect delicate fabrics.

Tula Pink 6″ Micro Serrated Duckbill Scissors ($18.84)

To give you an idea of how much I love these scissors, last week I thought I had lost them at the Madalynne studio during the retreat I attended. Maddie was out of town and couldn’t look for them. I couldn’t wait. I repurchased them. (Then I promptly found my original pair in the storage compartment in my sewing machine 😂 … but I’m not even mad owning two pairs!)

These scissors are just perpetually so sharp. I keep them next to my sewing machine for quick snipping of threads, but they’re also absolutely perfect for trimming seam allowances. The duckbill helps to ensure you’re only getting the seam allowance, not your newly made garment.

Ahead of the Curve Fitting Book ($23.49)

This is the fitting book for curvy folks. I use it as a reference for adjustments that I don’t make as often, like full bicep or full tummy adjustments. It’s absolutely fabulous, and comes with a bunch of patterns!

While you’re at it, also grab a copy of Jenny’s new basic sewing book — Sewing the Curve.

My sewing wishlist

Here are the items on my holiday wishlist this year! (A couple I’ve received as early Christmas presents already 😁)

LDH Prism 9.5″ Fabric Shears ($55)

I have a pair of 8″ Tula Pink fabric shears that I absolutely love, but sometimes I just want a bit longer of a blade and handle — one that I can get all my fingers into. But of course all my scissors must be rainbow!

My dad actually sent these to me last week as an early Christmas present (he called it a “Thanksgiving present”), and so far I’m really loving these. I’m still figuring out the weight of them — they’re so heavy compared to my Tula Pink shears — but they’re really perfect for long cuts and heavy fabric like canvas.

Bra/Boob Tailor’s Ham ($59.50)

I’m just soooo tired of trying to press my darts on my flat ironing board. As y’all know, my darts are very curvy, so pressing them without a boob ham is hard! I do tend to use the curved edges of my ironing board to press those darned darts, but it’s not always enough.

Enter a boob ham. I’ve been meaning to make a boob ham for years. Like I’ve literally had the pattern cut out and the supplies ready for years. So let’s all just be honest: It’s not happening.

This is another gift that I’ve been able to get a sneak preview of! My husband got this for me for Christmas, and I asked nicely if I could use it for my recent coat make, and he obliged. It was so much easier to press my princess seams with this!

Tailor’s Ham and Seam Roll ($84)

With my new love for pressing with hams, I want more! Specifically, wouldn’t it be great to have a ham for sleeves, so I’m not pressing them flat? And maybe one for larger princess seams? That’s where these come in! Definitely on my wish list.

Chalk Hem Marker ($29.85)

I’m not often sewing with others, so when I hem a garment, I most often just hem by measuring from the bottom and hope for the best 😬 This tool sprays a chalk line to help you mark your own hem, evenly!

Minerva Fabric Guide (and Swatches!) (£89.99 (~$112))

I recently saw this fabric guide on Instagram and immediately wanted it. This reference book includes descriptions of 70 different types of fabrics, including swatches of each one! How cool is that? Definitely useful when I’m trying to remember the difference between satin charmeuse and crepe satin.

Sewing Stocking Stuffers

For all the makers in your life, here are my favorite small items that would be perfect for stockings!

1. Clover Hot Hemmer ($12.43) — for helping to measure and press hems!
2. Dritz Mark-B-Gone Pen ($6.22) — I love this washable ink pen for marking light colored fabrics. It shows up blue, but is easily washed (or steamed!) out. Unlike similar products, this pen has an ultra fine point, so it’s more accurate
3. Clover Silk Pins ($8.26) — my go-to sewing pins! Perfect for fine fabrics, but sharp enough to handle almost anything
4. Dritz Sliding Sewing Gauge ($5.65) — amazing for double checking seam allowances and other quick measurements, where a small ruler is key
5. Westcott Eighths Clear 12″ Graph Ruler ($7.54) — this ruler is clear, helping to trace markings and such while being able to see where you are on the fabric. It’s also a good size — not as unwieldily as a 18″ ruler, but big enough for most things
6. NYX Gold Eyeliner ($6.23) — YES, I use this for sewing! This is my favorite tool for marking darts and other pattern markings. The thing I love most about it is that it shows up on any color of fabric — light colors, dark colors, whatever. I also have had no trouble getting it to wash out once my garment is done

There you have it, folks! My favorite sewing items that I think y’all should have in your collections, my most wished for, and my favorite small notions!

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