Swing tools

The abrasive action of these fillers removes dirt and rust, keeping the pins sharp and smooth. Hand sewing needles come in varying sizes with different types of points.

The most commonly used hand sewing needles are called sharps. Sharps have a medium length in comparison with all available needles , have a rounded eye for the thread, and are suitable for almost any fabric. When choosing a needle, use what's best for the project to save yourself some frustration. Use heavy needles on thick or difficult to sew fibers. Use finer needles on fine or delicate fabrics. Other specific hand sewing needles include embroidery needles , upholstery needles, quilting needles, doll needles, and more.

With most needles, the larger the size number, the smaller the needle. Failing eyesight or just being tired can make threading a sewing needle difficult. It doesn't have to be. Use a needle threader to solve the problem. The wire of a needle threader easily passes through the eye of a needle, then opens and creates a large opening for the thread. Then you can pull the wire and thread back through the eye of the needle. Use your needle threader with a needle that has a large enough eye for the thread you are using so you are not forcing the thread and needle threader through the eye of the needle.

Forcing the wire can cause it to break. Mistakes happen and seam rippers remove unwanted stitches. The fine tip of a seam ripper lets you pick out single threads, while the rounded tip allows you to remove stitches along a whole seam without tearing the fabric.

Take the time to learn how to use your seam ripper so you're ready when it's time to fix a sewing error. Sharp sewing shears help keep your cutting accurate while preventing hand fatigue. Generally, it's worth it to choose a high-quality pair of scissors and spend a little more money to start. Using fabric scissors on anything other than fabric will dull them, causing uneven cutting, shredded fabric, and hand fatigue.

It's a good idea to keep them tucked away with sewing tools and teach family members never to use your good scissors. To keep your scissors in good condition, clean the blades regularly and oil them occasionally. Avoid overextending the blades by trying to cut through too many layers at a time.

Pinking shears have jagged blades that fit together to cut a saw-tooth edge on your fabric. For many tightly woven or non-fraying fabrics, a pinked edge is sufficient as a seam finish.

This is especially handy when working with light-weight fabrics that a sewn seam finish will add too much thread or weight to the seam. Using pinking shears on non-fraying fabric such as fleece helps reduce a blunt edge from showing through when pressing a seam and adds a finished look to the fabric.

As with other sewing scissors, use pinking shears only for fabric, and keep them clean and oiled. As you sew, it's important to press your work with essential pressing tools. At the very least you should have an iron and ironing board. A press cloth prevents your fabric from scorching when applying more heat than you would if you were just ironing out wrinkles. They are available in different weights, including see-through press cloths.

If you don't have one, a piece of muslin will do, but it's worth adding to your sewing tools. Hams and sleeve rolls are wonderful for pressing curves and seams that are in a tube area without creasing another area of the garment.

They're worth having if you regularly sew clothing, but you can get similar results with a tightly-rolled towel. A bodkin is a handy tool to have but not a "must-have" item. Use this tool to thread or replace drawstrings, elastic, and other items enclosed in a casing.

Bodkins come in different styles and textures to make the process easier. The simplest form looks like an oversized needle. With this type, the item you're pulling through a casing gets threaded and doubled over like with a needle. A tweezer-style bodkin grips the item and doesn't need to be doubled, which is useful in tight casings.

If you do not have a bodkin, you can use a safety pin to pull the item through a casing, but it's often a bit more difficult to grasp and guide. The Swingyde Training Aid works for both right- and left-handed golfers, and is compact to easily transport around. It also includes an instructional DVD and written notes. Just swing the weighted clubs for 10 minutes 3 times per week. The set includes a light clubs green , medium blue , and heavy red.

Start with the light and then progress to the heaviest last. Designed to improve all aspects of your game, including driving distance, short game, and putting. The Grip Secret is a golf training aid that teaches you proper hand placement and helps you to not grip the club so tightly.

This simply attaches to your grips and, through muscle memory, teaches proper placement of your right index fingers and thumb. The Grip Secret is also designed to help you eliminate slices and hooks, which will lead to added yardage.

Disclaimer: Heavy Inc. By Craig Bennett. Updated Nov 19, at am. Izzo Smooth Swing Trainer. Powerchute Swing For Life Trainer. Swing Sock Weighted Golf Trainer. Matzie Assist Swing Trainer.

Swingyde Golf Swing Training Aid. SuperSpeed Golf Training System. Grip Secret Golf Training Aid. Shop at Amazon. Pros: Designed to build muscle memory and strengthen your swing Helps develop better overall mechanics, including swing tempo and flexibility The weighted stick will help build core muscles needed for golf Available in and inch lengths. Cons: A little pricey The shorter club 40 inch doesn't have as much flex as the longer 48 inch Some users found the grip wore down too quickly.

Pros: Helps keep your back elbow close to your body during your swing Helps improve accuracy and distance Helps with consistency by keeping your arms and body in sync. Cons: Might feel awkward the first few times using it Might not fit very small or large golfers Eventually the it might begin to fray or lose some elasticity.

This model has been hailed by many as one of the best golf training aids on the market today. Play Video Video related to izzo smooth swing trainer T Pros: Gives instant feedback on your swing Designed to eliminate hooks and slices to maximize distance Can be used with any club. Cons: Some users feel it isn't very durable Probably not best suited for players with stronger swings Some users said the ball flew out of the cable too easily. Play Video Video related to sklz pure path swing trainer T Pros: Helps correct lead arm break by keeping it fully extended Helps increase swing arc width which gets you more distance and accuracy Very simple to use and compact for easy storage.

Cons: Some found the brace is too small for bigger players Some found that the brace slides too much Some feel the brace is uncomfortable to wear. The fit of a garment depends on the precision of the cut. While assembling the pattern pieces, the seams must be ironed open, so do hems before stitching.

Ironing the seams after you finish your piece of clothing will give it that nice, professional look. Take note of the fabrication of your material at the fabric store, so you know how to care for it properly. Thimble When sewing by hand, you will need all of the above, plus perhaps the most common sewing tool the thimble.

This nifty metal object also found in plastic and leather is shaped like a bucket and designed to protect your finger when pushing a needle through layers of fabric. Sewing Needles Photo Courtesy: make something. Hand-sewing needles differ from sewing-machine needles.

See the section on needles below for more details on the different types of needles. To sew by hand, you will need hand-sewing needles. Do yourself a favor and practice threading a needle! There are several different types of scissors. This section includes essential sewing tools to make your sewing machine work, as well as accessories to help maintain your machine.

So whether you have a shiny new sewing machine or a hand-me-down family heirloom, make sure you get the materials you need to keep your machine running strong! There a several different types of presser feet. For general use, use the multi-purpose presser foot. One of the most common feet that are used is zipper foot to install zippers by pressing only on one side of the needle. It can also be used to insert piping, or a beaded trim, or whenever there is more bulk on one side than the other.

Bobbin Wind the bobbin, and then install it below the needle to feed the bottom thread of the stitch. There is usually a small brush that comes with your sewing machine. You can use it to clean lint from the machine, or use an old toothbrush. Screwdriver A screwdriver is a useful tool for sewists! You can use it to change your needles, or to expose parts of your sewing machine that need to be cleaned or fixed.

Oil Image Courtesy: cutsew. Sewing Scissors A good pair of scissors is crucial. When scissors are dull, they will chew up your fabric, and it will be very time consuming to cut even the smallest piece of fabric.

Plus, the edges will be jagged. There are scissors for general use, and some sewing shears with specific uses. Do not cut paper with your sewing scissors, ever, it will dull the blades.

You can mark your fabric scissors with some colored tape on the handles. General-Use Scissors In addition to sewing scissors, keep general-use shears to cut materials that are not fabrics, such as metallic trims, zippers, or even paper and plastic. This will allow you to preserve your sewing shears. Bent Scissors Image Courtesy: amazon. These scissors have a bent lower blade, which keeps the blades parallel to the table as you cut the fabric, assuring more cutting precision.

Spring-Action Image Courtesy: Walmart. These shears are equipped with a spring between the handles to reduce the amount of effort required to open the blades. This is nice if you suffer from carpel tunnel or arthritis. A rotary cutter is made with a circular blade affixed to the handle.

If you wish to work with silk, a rotary cutter will give you superior results when cutting your pattern pieces. Just lay your pattern piece on silk, use your fabric weights to keep the pattern in place, and cut the edges with the rotary cutter. Use a smaller blade to cut garment pieces. A larger blade is great for cutting straight edges and is useful for quilting. Pinking Shears Image Courtesy: Michaels. Pinking shears have saw-tooth blades and are designed to cut the edge of woven fabrics in a zig zag pattern, to prevent excessive fraying.

Dritz also has a product called Fray Check Liquid Seam Sealant that will prevent fraying when applied to the edge of your fabric. Thread Nippers Image Courtesy: amazon. Use these to nip the loose threads after you finish stitching. Thread nippers are optional, but if you think you need them, get the all-metal ones by Gingher.

You may be surprised by the number of sewing needles you will find in craft stores. Besides hand sewing needles and sewing machine needles, there are different needle types and sizes that work best with different types of fabric.

Sewing needles come in different sizes. Your sewing project, type of thread, and type of fabric determine which needle you should use. The size of the needle is the first characteristic. When sewing fine fabrics like silk, use the finest needle, to avoid leaving unwanted holes in the fabric. If you sew small beads to your creation, the needle must be very fine. Just pass the needle through the bead to test it. The size of the eye depends on the thickness of your thread.

If you finish your piece with an embroidery floss, make sure to choose a needle with a larger eye, or most of your time will be spent trying to thread the needle. There are different sizes and types of needles for different weights of fabric.