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MYOG = Make Your Own Gear
To start making your own gear, what will you need?
This is a pretty easy hobby to begin, as there are only a few tools you absolutely need. Then there are some that will make your process easier. Here are my recommendations.
Absolute Needs
Sewing Machine
A heavy duty sewing machine so that you will be able to sew through lots of different fabrics. Also one that is versatile in that there are different presser feet for it that may come up with different needs. It needs to have at least a straight stitch and a zig zag stitch. At the time of writing this, you can get the Singer Heavy Duty 4423 for $210.
Fabric Scissors
I like these Fiskars fabric scissors. They are affordable and do the job, have nice ergonomic grips, and also make left handed scissors.
A surface to lay out your fabric and cut it
A table top would be great, and a floor can work if you don’t have that.
A Marker
Tailor’s chalk works great, but use a colored pencil or a marker, even a pen if you don’t want to use that.
A measuring device
A tape measure or a quilters ruler. Decide if you want to work in inches or centimeters or both, and get a measuring device in those units. Note that most US patterns tell you things in inches, but if you are making your own gear, you can create your own dimensions in the unit you are more familiar with.
Fabric
You can use fabric from things you already have, or you can buy fabric. My favorite place to get outdoor use fabric is Ripstop by the Roll. A few other places include Dutchware, DIY Gear Supply, and Seattle Fabrics.
Thread
For gear, get a strong polyester thread such as Gutermann Mara.
Some Tips and stuff you don’t absolutely need, but will make things more efficient for you:
These are little things you might not think about until you begin your projects.
Clips
Fabric clips help you hold your fabric in place when you bring it to the machine. You may not necessarily need these for every project, but they sure can save a lot of strain on your hand. I prefer them to pins because they don’t leave holes in your fabric. Depending on your project though, pins could be the only way to secure your fabric.
Extra Needles
It is important to sew with a sharp needle. A dull needle may have trouble piercing your fabric then altering the timing of everything in your machine leading to skipped stitches, knots, and a lot of frustration. Keep replacing your needles and sewing with sharp ones so you can keep the quality of your gear up and your frustration low. There are different kinds of needles for different fabrics. Some general information is that a universal needle will do fine for most applications, and a ball point needle is what to use if you are sewing with stretchy knits. Make sure you get needles that are compatible with your sewing machine.
Extra Bobbins
When you change your thread, you will change your bobbin too if you want them to match. Having extra bobbins on hand makes this a simple process, instead of having to rethread your bobbin every time you change your thread, you already have a threaded bobbin ready to go. Make sure you get bobbins that are compatible with your sewing machine.
Seam Ripper
Your sewing machine will likely come with one, but when you make mistakes, this will be your friend for picking out your stitches and redoing it.
Nippers
When you are done, clip all your stitches close to your fabric. Fabric scissors can definitely do this, but nippers make it faster to do this with a lot less risk of cutting your fabric.
A way to Sharpen your Scissors
A lot of local fabric stores will sharpen your scissors for you for usually about $4-$7. Or you can buy a sharpening stone. They make some specifically for scissors, but I find the most effective thing to be a whetstone. This can be used for any scissors, and also your kitchen knives. By the way, I do not recommend using aluminum foil to cut to supposedly sharpen your scissors. I found this to be completely ineffective.
A Large Cutting Mat and a Rotary Cutter
If you want to save time, getting a nice big cutting surface and a rotary cutter is usually way faster than cutting fabric- depending on the shape your cutting.
Fabric Weights
These will help you keep your fabric in place when you use a rotary cutter, and your pattern in place if you are tracing one.
Organization
A way to organize your space with boxes, drawers, or shelves.
The more organized and set up your space is, the easier it will be to be productive. Then you can spend your time creating instead of setting up or searching. Things like a thread rack for different colors of thread, a shelf or drawers for different fabrics, boxes for tools and bobbins, and a rack for in progress projects are a few examples.
