I sew in a small space (approximately 7’ x 8’), that is occasionally transformed into a bedroom for overnight guests. That means that I’ve had to get really creative with my storage solutions for fabric, machines, rulers, and notions.
The best solution I’ve found for storing all my tools and most-used items is my sewing cart. I love that it corrals everything neatly, and I can roll it out of the room when we have guests.
Of course, the first thing everyone asks me when they see it is: “What do you keep on your sewing cart?”
The answer is of course “A whole LOTTA stuff!”
I’m going to use this post as a way for you to peek into my cart. I plan to add to it over time (I would imagine it will eventually become very long). Keep in mind: I do 95% of all my sewing on my Juki TL-2010Q sewing machine, so a lot of the tools are geared towards this machine.
Without further ado, here’s what’s on my sewing cart.
My Most-Used Items
It’s Sew Emma Stash ‘n Store
My most-used items are all kept in this one organizer. I like that everything is held securely, and the taller items are easy to grab because they stand up. Over time the silicone has become damaged, but it still manages to hold everything together. If my cart was in another room, I’d still grab this little organizer and keep it next to my machine.
Screwdriver
There’s nothing special about this screwdriver - it’s a flat-head and honestly a bit too small for the job it’s doing. Maybe it came with one of my sewing machines? In any case, I keep it handy for changing the feet on my Juki sewing machine.
Scant ¼” Foot with Guide
This Janome product fits perfectly on my Juki high-shank sewing machine and sews a perfect scant ¼” seam. Since I press my seams to the side, this means that with very little effort, my blocks all turn out the correct size. Every time. I like that it has a guide, because it acts as training wheels for me as I sew.
If it's ever sold out, you can simply search for "Janome 767820105"
Zipper Foot
This foot came with my sewing machine, and has proved to be invaluable when attaching zippers. I love that it’s adjustable, so I can use it on either side of a zipper, and it helps me sew super duper close to the folded edge of my fabric. It results in a professional looking finish.
Narrow Foot
Apparently this is called a Hinged Zipper Foot 3mm? I just call it my narrow foot, and I love to use it whenever I need to sew a ⅛” seam (often when I’m topstitching or finishing bindings). With a quick swap of my feet, I can get really nice and even stitches as I’m finishing my projects (mostly bags).
Regular Hinged Foot
I know a lot of people use this foot as their main ¼” foot. In theory, if you guide your fabric along the edge of this foot, you’ll get a nice ¼” seam. But not me. For some reason, my seams are really uneven and wonky when I try to use this foot for piecing (see Scant ¼” foot with Guide above). But I DO use this foot whenever I need to sew an odd seam allowance (like ⅜”). I use this in conjunction with my magnetic seam guide and acrylic seam allowance guide (see below for both).
Teflon Foot
I only use this when I’m sewing a sticky substance (like vinyl). The smooth bottom of the foot helps guide the “fabric” through the machine without it getting stuck to the bottom of my presser foot. If you sew vinyl regularly, you’ll want to invest in this little doodad!
Acrylic Seam Allowance Guide
Sometimes a patterns asks me to sew a ½” or ⅜” seam, and that’s when I realize I have no idea how big either one of those are! There are some markings on the throat plate of my sewing machine, but not always the ones I need. In these instances, I grab my acrylic seam allowance guide, drop my sewing needle into the appropriate hole, and then butt my magnetic seam guide up to the edge of the piece of acrylic (see below for a photo).
Magnetic Seam Guide
This small tool has saved me a number of times when sewing odd seam allowances. I simply butt it up to my acrylic seam allowance guide (then remove the acrylic piece), and begin sewing. By keeping my fabric against the magnetic seam guide, it assures that I get a perfect seam allowance every time. If you’re doing more sewing than just pieceing a quilt, this is a really handy tool to have!
Small Screwdriver
This item came with my sewing machine and allows me to access the screws that hold my throat plate in place. It’s one of those things that I rarely need, but when I do, I want it to be close at hand.
Small Brush
When I just want to do a (very) quick cleaning of my bobbin case area, I’ll use this small brush to dust away any fluffies. I have a larger brush for more serious cleaning sessions.
Sewline Air Erasing Pen
My friend Kait introduced me to this pen, and I instantly fell in love. It’s a nice chunky pen which feels good in my hand, and it has a ceramic rollerball tip that glides effortlessly across fabric. The mark is nice and dark, and fades completely (and permanently) in a few hours. I wouldn’t recommend using this to mark out quilting lines on fabric (because the lines will disappear before you get to them), but it’s a great short-term solution.
Clover Seam Ripper
Everyone needs to have a seam ripper close at hand, and after trying about 50 of them I’ve decided this is my favourite. I can’t find a “proper” name for this product - it just seems to be called the Clover white seam ripper. I love the size of it, and the way the rounded bottom fits in my hand. It’s just the right size for me, and it has a nice sharp point for unpicking.
Olfa Precision Applique Scissors
Although I have many pairs of scissors, these are the ones I keep close to my machine. I like that they’re small enough to fit in my small organizer, but sturdy (and sharp) enough to clip any loose threads I come across while sewing. I often use these when trimming the threads from the back (and front) of my finished quilt tops.
Bent Nose Tweezers
These tweezers are perfect for reaching under my needle and pulling up my bobbin thread whenever I want a clean finish to my sewing (think: attaching a label to a visible part of a bag). I like that they’re not flimsy and can easily yank the thread.
