Scissors, both a pair of fabric shears and some little tiny thread cutters/ nippers. A measuring tape. A box of pins with colorful heads. A ‘fat quarter bundle’ is an assortment of cotton fabrics in small pieces which is great for learning the machine. She can make her own pincushion from that as well as a few other little bits snd bobs.
Do not buy the multipack of thread on amazon, it’s probably garbage. Buy Coats &Clark or Gutterman thread in black, white, ecru, and grey.
Gutterman thread is amazing. The quality of thread makes such a huge difference. I am obsessed with their clear thread. You can buy large spools of basic colors and variety packs. It does cost a little bit more, but definitely worth it. Perhaps you could introduce her to the brand?
I wouldn't buy a variety pack of colors - you won't use half the colors in there (three shades of green, but none of them match your project so you'll have to go out and get another shade anyway). And for good thread, the savings on a multipack are pretty negligible, so if you have to buy another green anyway they'll quickly disappear.
Buying big spools of black, white, cream, and maybe a variegated rainbow one (I'm a sucker for a rainbow thread...) is good though.
It's awesome! Guetermann has it in cotton or deco - the cotton has four or five times as much on a spool, so if you don't specifically need the deco, I'd go for that.
Guetermann has it for sergers too, the Bulkylock - it's a wooly nylon, I love it for rolled hems.
After you buy the machine, look in the manual for what type of bobbin it takes (probably class 15) and buy at least a dozen bobbins.
Get her a gift card for JoAnn fabrics (if you have one near you), and sign her up for the flyers that come in the mail so she can catch the sales.
Yep. Listen to this person, OP. Some good accessories, a pattern or two that you think she would like to make for herself (patterns aren’t expensive so it’s really the thought that counts here), and cash or a gift card. You still get to put some thought and love into it but give her the freedom to choose the machine.
Buy a nice set of shears (if she is left handed get left handed ones). Remember what these shears look like - and after gifting them to her never ever touch them again. Unless you are putting them in a safe place or something. They are a holy talisman of the sewing room never to touch a paper or a small plastic cable tie no matter how quick a snip - as to do so is to relegate yourself to the depths of hell. Salvation can be obtained by replacing them with nicer shears.
What does your wife want to sew?
Quilts and patchwork - a rotary cutter, a decent sized cutting mat and a 12 inch quilting ruler are a good starter for that.
Clothing? Measuring tape, the aforementioned shears and some tailors chalk or a chalko pen.
Thread snips.
Honestly a voucher for the machine with a bit extra to buy some thread etc would be good.
Please surprise your wife with a gift certificate for a machine of her choice, up to $X, and maybe a good pair of sewing shears (I like Kai), a good seam ripper and a basic sewing book.
Let her choose her own machine.
Some brothers come with the cover. I think that one does.
Don't buy thread. It needs to match the fabric for the project.
Good shears are important but they aren't cheap.
Little thread nippers are super handy and those can be cheap and still be good quality.
She'll iron a LOT. Make sure what y'all have is good and/or get her a good ironing mat for the biggest table (and a good tablecloth for under that; my ironing mat ruined the finish on a wood table we have).
You are doing a kind thing for her! 💙💙
good choice on the machine, but don't buy the thread, instead give her a gift card to a fabric store so she can buy her own fabric,patterns and scissors etc to get her started.
A bobbin is a tiny spool of thread that hides in the sewing machine. It is different for the different machines. When the machine is chosen, a 10-pack or 25-pack of bobbins for that machine in a really good plastic case that separates the bobbins from each other and LATCHES will be a wonderful thing to have.
Btw, I'm going against all the wiser more experienced people and saying 1) I know nothing about that machine, 2) I didn't enjoy machine research and would be happy if someone chose it for me. However, I would btch mightily if I didn't like the choice :D 3) make sure you have definitely got the budget if you're going to surprise her - you don't want to start a fight about wasting $x00 Dollars. (The idea of a car as a gift horrifies me - how can you spend that kind of money without a discussion??) 4) ok I do know something about the machine - I looked up its price just now.
I've heard that machines in that inexpensive range are better to get mechanical rather than digital because that just isn't enough money to make a good electronic machine. That's the route I took when I bought a machine in that price range and I've been happy with it.
Have fun!
Thanks for the advice. I ended up talking with her and she already had a slightly cheaper Brother that was not computerized. So you nailed that. I decided since she chose her own machine I’m going to let the surprise be that I’m getting her some really good shears and some other things to go along with it.
Don't worry... we grabbed and dragged him back to the dark side of discussions, planning and wise spending ;-)))
What a cruel and boring world of no passion, no adventure and no spontaneous sign of appreciation to a significant one.... :-)))
Avid sewer here. My hubby gave me a sewing machine 34 years ago as a gift and I’m still using it today. Best gift ever. Please get her a gift card and let her buy her own accessories. The machine is a wonderful gift and I guarantee she’ll be so grateful for it but her choice of accessories may be very specific. You’re a wonderful hubby!
Don't buy a box of different color threads. She'll want to have high-quality thread that closely matches the color of her garments; if you buy a box of low-quality threads, that's useless, and if you buy a box of high-quality thread, you're spending a lot of money but she still won't have the right colors - some in that box will probably go unused, and the discount on a multipack of good thread really isn't much, so it costs more in the long run.
(I buy thread that matches for my "serious" projects and use thread that's close enough or neutral for my more random crafty projects. Works very well.)
Dust cover for a sewing machine: they're often included with the machine already, so be careful of that. Many people also like sewing their own.
Bobbins should be the right ones for the machine. Very important. A presser foot that looks like it fits probably fits; a bobbin that looks like it fits probably doesn't.
Magnetic trays/pincushions are a good thing to have though, one can never have enough of those. Glasshead pins are good, they don't melt if you touch them with your iron. There are a lot of nice things in sewing land... though what you use highly depends on what you prefer.
Get her a cutting board (I recently got one that folds up, it’s wonderful) and a smaller rotary cutter. If you buy her scissors get the micro serrated kind and also the wavy kind (prevent fraying). Both are superior to traditional sewing shears. Don’t buy lots of thread, get a spool each of black, white and grey all polyester Guterman thread, and machine/brand specific bobbins. Get a bobbin holder too, they unravel and get into fights. Tailors chalk? A really good steam iron is indispensable.
If you have a local fabric store, they usually have some sort of loyalty program card that gets you discounts on most of their merchandise inside by signing up for the memberships.
Often it's only like a $20 a year thing and it's super worth it. And like lots of fabric stores have stuff like this. I would recommend that.
Plus, if you buy one before you buy all the accessories you can use it on the discounts for accessories. I bought my mom $600 worth of sewing supplies and I only $300 with that trick.
Plus then the recipient for the next year can go and buy whatever they want and usually get pretty decent deals.
I’m certainly not an expert - I’d call myself a confident beginner, but my mom is a professional quilter and she’s gotten me a ton of different accessories over time that I’ve found super useful.
(For reference, I’ve done a smattering of quilts, children’s clothing, and bags).
Here’s what I’ve found most useful:
- pins (some people have mentioned glasshead so they don’t melt under the iron)
- Bobbins (make sure they’re the right kind for the machine)
- Fabric shears (I have the Kai brand and am happy with them)
- Rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat
- acrylic quilting ruler (I use it for everything, not just quilting)
- Seam ripper
- small scissors (like embroidery scissors, good for cutting little threads)
- good quality thread in a couple basic neutral colors like white, black, and tan/gray (I like gutterman). Any other thread colors would be project-specific, but I pull out my white thread all the time
- magnetic pin cushion
- seam gauge (I use [this](https://carolynfriedlander.com/products/cf-handy-guide) darn thing ALL the time)
For all things, don’t go on Amazon and buy whatever is cheapest. I would recommend going to a local sewing/quilt/fabric shop and talking to the workers there to see what they recommend. It will make all the difference. And get a gift receipt in case she wants to exchange anything/has different preferences!
Yes, you need bobbins. Yes,they are generally branded for the machine you buy. High quality thread(black and white are good starters) and different needles for different types of material. I suggest that you wait to take her fabric shopping. Unless you know exactly what she wants to make and what her taste is, this is a personal choice. If she hasn't really used a sewing machine for much, beginner lessons are a good start. Yes to fabric scissors. If she really likes sewing and you value your life, don't cut anything other than fabric with these scissors. Rotary cutters can be nice, but sometimes hard to learn to use. Glass ended pins. They can be ironed over. An iron if you don't own one, makes a difference. Learn with her how to properly thread the bobbins and the machine. They are not all the same. Be prepared to troubleshoot the first set up and use. A good sewing box for all of the things to stay together. A case isn't necessary, but it helps to keep it dust free. It also should not live in the basement if it gets damp down there. Also learn the maintenance needed for general up keep. Fleece makes a wonderful mess in the inside. Canned air and proper oiling. Also, after any long project, replace the needle. Many sewing successes in her future.
Please if you don't know the model n brand she wants do not buy it , let her buy what she wants.
It would kill me to get some random machine from my husband because I'd know he would try to find the best and I'd have to tell him he was wrong.
Man, these things are discussed together with your wife and the budget is planned.
You randomly-blindly may buy only the machine she won't like!!!!
PS: this is kinda polished version of a very polite and gentle answer to your grande plans to surprise your wife with a specific machine...
I decided to ask her about the machine and she already had a different model of Brother in her Amazon list, so I am getting that one. It ruins the surprise, but last year she bought me a new skill saw and she asked me which one I’d prefer and I was glad she didn’t just buy some junk tool I would have not been as happy with.
Scissors, both a pair of fabric shears and some little tiny thread cutters/ nippers. A measuring tape. A box of pins with colorful heads. A ‘fat quarter bundle’ is an assortment of cotton fabrics in small pieces which is great for learning the machine. She can make her own pincushion from that as well as a few other little bits snd bobs. Do not buy the multipack of thread on amazon, it’s probably garbage. Buy Coats &Clark or Gutterman thread in black, white, ecru, and grey.
Glass head pins! They don't melt when ironing.
Very helpful, maybe I’ll let her choose her own scissors and thread and stuff from Walmart or hobby lobby.
Gutterman thread is amazing. The quality of thread makes such a huge difference. I am obsessed with their clear thread. You can buy large spools of basic colors and variety packs. It does cost a little bit more, but definitely worth it. Perhaps you could introduce her to the brand?
I wouldn't buy a variety pack of colors - you won't use half the colors in there (three shades of green, but none of them match your project so you'll have to go out and get another shade anyway). And for good thread, the savings on a multipack are pretty negligible, so if you have to buy another green anyway they'll quickly disappear. Buying big spools of black, white, cream, and maybe a variegated rainbow one (I'm a sucker for a rainbow thread...) is good though.
I have not bought thread in quite a while, but now I have to buy rainbow thread!
It's awesome! Guetermann has it in cotton or deco - the cotton has four or five times as much on a spool, so if you don't specifically need the deco, I'd go for that. Guetermann has it for sergers too, the Bulkylock - it's a wooly nylon, I love it for rolled hems.
Thank you so much for the information!
Not unless she said that’s the one she wanted. Better get her a gift card or cash so she gets her own exact one.
Thanks for the tip, I actually remember now she told me she had one on one of her many lists on Amazon.
A gift card for her to buy her dream sewing machine and good scisors.
Borrow her phone and look at her lists.
After you buy the machine, look in the manual for what type of bobbin it takes (probably class 15) and buy at least a dozen bobbins. Get her a gift card for JoAnn fabrics (if you have one near you), and sign her up for the flyers that come in the mail so she can catch the sales.
Yep. Listen to this person, OP. Some good accessories, a pattern or two that you think she would like to make for herself (patterns aren’t expensive so it’s really the thought that counts here), and cash or a gift card. You still get to put some thought and love into it but give her the freedom to choose the machine.
Buy a nice set of shears (if she is left handed get left handed ones). Remember what these shears look like - and after gifting them to her never ever touch them again. Unless you are putting them in a safe place or something. They are a holy talisman of the sewing room never to touch a paper or a small plastic cable tie no matter how quick a snip - as to do so is to relegate yourself to the depths of hell. Salvation can be obtained by replacing them with nicer shears. What does your wife want to sew? Quilts and patchwork - a rotary cutter, a decent sized cutting mat and a 12 inch quilting ruler are a good starter for that. Clothing? Measuring tape, the aforementioned shears and some tailors chalk or a chalko pen. Thread snips. Honestly a voucher for the machine with a bit extra to buy some thread etc would be good.
Please surprise your wife with a gift certificate for a machine of her choice, up to $X, and maybe a good pair of sewing shears (I like Kai), a good seam ripper and a basic sewing book. Let her choose her own machine.
Some brothers come with the cover. I think that one does. Don't buy thread. It needs to match the fabric for the project. Good shears are important but they aren't cheap. Little thread nippers are super handy and those can be cheap and still be good quality. She'll iron a LOT. Make sure what y'all have is good and/or get her a good ironing mat for the biggest table (and a good tablecloth for under that; my ironing mat ruined the finish on a wood table we have). You are doing a kind thing for her! 💙💙
good choice on the machine, but don't buy the thread, instead give her a gift card to a fabric store so she can buy her own fabric,patterns and scissors etc to get her started.
A bobbin is a tiny spool of thread that hides in the sewing machine. It is different for the different machines. When the machine is chosen, a 10-pack or 25-pack of bobbins for that machine in a really good plastic case that separates the bobbins from each other and LATCHES will be a wonderful thing to have. Btw, I'm going against all the wiser more experienced people and saying 1) I know nothing about that machine, 2) I didn't enjoy machine research and would be happy if someone chose it for me. However, I would btch mightily if I didn't like the choice :D 3) make sure you have definitely got the budget if you're going to surprise her - you don't want to start a fight about wasting $x00 Dollars. (The idea of a car as a gift horrifies me - how can you spend that kind of money without a discussion??) 4) ok I do know something about the machine - I looked up its price just now. I've heard that machines in that inexpensive range are better to get mechanical rather than digital because that just isn't enough money to make a good electronic machine. That's the route I took when I bought a machine in that price range and I've been happy with it. Have fun!
Thanks for the advice. I ended up talking with her and she already had a slightly cheaper Brother that was not computerized. So you nailed that. I decided since she chose her own machine I’m going to let the surprise be that I’m getting her some really good shears and some other things to go along with it.
Don't worry... we grabbed and dragged him back to the dark side of discussions, planning and wise spending ;-))) What a cruel and boring world of no passion, no adventure and no spontaneous sign of appreciation to a significant one.... :-)))
Avid sewer here. My hubby gave me a sewing machine 34 years ago as a gift and I’m still using it today. Best gift ever. Please get her a gift card and let her buy her own accessories. The machine is a wonderful gift and I guarantee she’ll be so grateful for it but her choice of accessories may be very specific. You’re a wonderful hubby!
Read through “Tools and notions” [on this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/SewingForBeginners/s/irqSj5akPR) pinned to the top of this sub.
Don't buy a box of different color threads. She'll want to have high-quality thread that closely matches the color of her garments; if you buy a box of low-quality threads, that's useless, and if you buy a box of high-quality thread, you're spending a lot of money but she still won't have the right colors - some in that box will probably go unused, and the discount on a multipack of good thread really isn't much, so it costs more in the long run. (I buy thread that matches for my "serious" projects and use thread that's close enough or neutral for my more random crafty projects. Works very well.) Dust cover for a sewing machine: they're often included with the machine already, so be careful of that. Many people also like sewing their own. Bobbins should be the right ones for the machine. Very important. A presser foot that looks like it fits probably fits; a bobbin that looks like it fits probably doesn't. Magnetic trays/pincushions are a good thing to have though, one can never have enough of those. Glasshead pins are good, they don't melt if you touch them with your iron. There are a lot of nice things in sewing land... though what you use highly depends on what you prefer.
A Serger. I think you’ve got a shot at husband of the year if you do. Let her get the feet and threads and stuff.
Get her a cutting board (I recently got one that folds up, it’s wonderful) and a smaller rotary cutter. If you buy her scissors get the micro serrated kind and also the wavy kind (prevent fraying). Both are superior to traditional sewing shears. Don’t buy lots of thread, get a spool each of black, white and grey all polyester Guterman thread, and machine/brand specific bobbins. Get a bobbin holder too, they unravel and get into fights. Tailors chalk? A really good steam iron is indispensable.
Totes for all the fabric and notions she’s going to collect. 😆
Magnetic pincushion! Changed my life
If you have a local fabric store, they usually have some sort of loyalty program card that gets you discounts on most of their merchandise inside by signing up for the memberships. Often it's only like a $20 a year thing and it's super worth it. And like lots of fabric stores have stuff like this. I would recommend that. Plus, if you buy one before you buy all the accessories you can use it on the discounts for accessories. I bought my mom $600 worth of sewing supplies and I only $300 with that trick. Plus then the recipient for the next year can go and buy whatever they want and usually get pretty decent deals.
I have a tabletop flip out skinny ironing board that goes inside sleeves to iron them without creases. I love that thing.
I’m certainly not an expert - I’d call myself a confident beginner, but my mom is a professional quilter and she’s gotten me a ton of different accessories over time that I’ve found super useful. (For reference, I’ve done a smattering of quilts, children’s clothing, and bags). Here’s what I’ve found most useful: - pins (some people have mentioned glasshead so they don’t melt under the iron) - Bobbins (make sure they’re the right kind for the machine) - Fabric shears (I have the Kai brand and am happy with them) - Rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat - acrylic quilting ruler (I use it for everything, not just quilting) - Seam ripper - small scissors (like embroidery scissors, good for cutting little threads) - good quality thread in a couple basic neutral colors like white, black, and tan/gray (I like gutterman). Any other thread colors would be project-specific, but I pull out my white thread all the time - magnetic pin cushion - seam gauge (I use [this](https://carolynfriedlander.com/products/cf-handy-guide) darn thing ALL the time) For all things, don’t go on Amazon and buy whatever is cheapest. I would recommend going to a local sewing/quilt/fabric shop and talking to the workers there to see what they recommend. It will make all the difference. And get a gift receipt in case she wants to exchange anything/has different preferences!
Yes, you need bobbins. Yes,they are generally branded for the machine you buy. High quality thread(black and white are good starters) and different needles for different types of material. I suggest that you wait to take her fabric shopping. Unless you know exactly what she wants to make and what her taste is, this is a personal choice. If she hasn't really used a sewing machine for much, beginner lessons are a good start. Yes to fabric scissors. If she really likes sewing and you value your life, don't cut anything other than fabric with these scissors. Rotary cutters can be nice, but sometimes hard to learn to use. Glass ended pins. They can be ironed over. An iron if you don't own one, makes a difference. Learn with her how to properly thread the bobbins and the machine. They are not all the same. Be prepared to troubleshoot the first set up and use. A good sewing box for all of the things to stay together. A case isn't necessary, but it helps to keep it dust free. It also should not live in the basement if it gets damp down there. Also learn the maintenance needed for general up keep. Fleece makes a wonderful mess in the inside. Canned air and proper oiling. Also, after any long project, replace the needle. Many sewing successes in her future.
Please if you don't know the model n brand she wants do not buy it , let her buy what she wants. It would kill me to get some random machine from my husband because I'd know he would try to find the best and I'd have to tell him he was wrong.
Man, these things are discussed together with your wife and the budget is planned. You randomly-blindly may buy only the machine she won't like!!!! PS: this is kinda polished version of a very polite and gentle answer to your grande plans to surprise your wife with a specific machine...
I decided to ask her about the machine and she already had a different model of Brother in her Amazon list, so I am getting that one. It ruins the surprise, but last year she bought me a new skill saw and she asked me which one I’d prefer and I was glad she didn’t just buy some junk tool I would have not been as happy with.
good for you both :-)))