Sewing School - The Sewing Basket

Sew Mama Sew is conducting a Teach a Friend to Sew Series right now.  I have decided to participate in it because each week there will be a different topic representing a stepping stone to becoming a better seamstress. Each time you achieve one the goals, you earn a virtual sewing merit badge and gain an entry into a drawing for a fabulous sewing machine or a gift certificate to a fabric shop of your choice! 

The first part of the series involved building an efficient sewing tool kit.  There was an excellent post on what one needed in the kit and it gave me a few new ideas of notions that I must add to my existing sewing basket.  Having sewn for years my sewing basket was already nicely equipped but notions had become scattered throughout my storage area so I found this was a great opportunity to conduct a 'notion round up.'  There is nothing more frustrating than needing to mend something and having no idea where your darning needles are!

Two special items in my sewing basket are some Italian embroidery scissors and a little French mint tin.  The Italian embroidery scissors I almost had confiscated many years ago in an airport.  This was long before 9-11.  I was allowed to run back to the check in counter and the ticket agent walked the scissors down to my checked suitcase and put them inside. The French mint tin I bought at a bus stop in France when we were heading back to the ship from Paris.  It houses the sewing feet for my Viking sewing machine.

Another favorite sewing notion are my golden pair of Gingher Dressmaking Shears.  I love them and these babies cut nothing but fabric.  I want to keep them sharp as long as possible since I live a long way from the closes scissor sharpening man!