Sewing Resources

 

On this page you'll find some of my favorite tools and advice to make sewing easier and more enjoyable. Some affiliate links may result in a small commission for 3KQ should you click and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

My advice on tools is this: Invest in the ones that are worth it for you, even if you have to save up or ask for it as a gift. Tools should be things that give your body and mind the help doing things that will allow you to sew longer - whether that's per session, per project, or over a lifetime. This applies to sewing machines too. I scoffed at the bells and whistles on the $1000+ machines for a year until I physically couldn't quilt on my little Singer Simple. I had to upgrade, and I realized that a lot of those features are actually accessibility options, like the automatic threader or cutter, the start/stop button or knee lift, even the decorative stitches that you'd have otherwise hand-embroidered, particularly if you plan to have the same machine for a decade or more. I sew on a Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 930 at home (almost 10" throat space, babyyy) and kept the Singer as my travel machine for guild meetings, workshops, sewcials, etc. - Sapphy is too heavy for me to carry if I don't need to. And if something is too expensive to be worth budgeting for, doesn't help you enough to provide a good return on its investment, or is just trendy or takes up too much space, don't sweat it. We all have different needs and priorities for different reasons. Remember: you don't owe anyone an explanation of how your ND or disability impacts your hobbies. You just need to make your hobbies work for you.

1. Creative Grids Stripology XL Ruler
Ergonomic rotary cutter: TrueCut My Comfort, Fiskars Comfort Loop Grip

Cutting is extremely difficult for me and when I say using the Stripology XL ruler and an ergonomic rotary cutter have saved me, I mean it. It's so much faster and easier, not just from a physical limitations perspective but from a neurodivergent one. I don't spend way too long agonizing over how straight my cuts are and lining things up. Holding the specially shaped cutter properly also cuts down on pain from my joint issues and inflammatory arthritis. I use the TrueCut, but some may find the Loop Grip on the Fiskars better for them. 

2. Standing lamp and magnifying glass
Floor/Desk Combo, Floor Only, Desk Only (Clamp or Base Options)
Being able to see things properly means I don't have to hunch over. Less hunching means less pain or decline! Win-win-win. Truly, ergonomics is massively important for any physical activity, and sewing is very physical! When/if you can, make sure where you put your machine is a good height and the chair you use has proper support. 

3. Ruler Handle: 12 inches, 5 inches
I have terrible hands. I drop everything. I have no dexterity. Using a rotary cutter is an accident waiting to happen for me. The Stripology keeps the cutter in a channel that makes it easy, but when I need to use a different ruler, I pop on a suction cup handle. It not only gets my hand out of the way but distributes the pressure on the ruler to keep it place. 

4. 1/4" Seam Tape
Everybody needs this, frankly. So much less stress to just slap some tape down and follow the lines. Your sewing will be more precise, I promise. 

5. Backup seam ripper and snips
If you're like me, you use both of these a lot, and if you're like me, you set them down who-knows-where all the time. Don't have just one.  I prefer tiny scissors over snips because they close and can have a cap put on which is way safer than trusting me to have sharp pointy real snips all over the place (and besides, cats). These come in fun colors. (Confession: my actual backup seam ripper is Graham.) 

ND tip: If you do a lot of sewcials or workshops, keep a notions kit in your car with spare thread (I recommend at least one dark, one light, one neutral all purpose), bobbins, seam ripper, snips, and pins. Make sure whatever you use to store it has a good locking mechanism so you don't end up with pins all over your trunk.  


I like to plan my "big" projects with intention - these are almost always skill builders and I know they'll take a long time. So I mix in "just for fun" or "quick win" projects as I go - things with lower stakes, or less required of me. I'm also typically working on more than one project at a time - space permitting - because it keeps my ND brain engaged, and it means I'm not doing the same motions all day or even back to back days, depending on what I'm doing. 

Unfortunately, there aren't really any magic shortcuts or tools that will enable us to keep up with our able-bodied, neurotypical tools. It's not just an accommodation issue. Things will almost certainly take longer to do than you think they should (or wish they would), whether it's because you need more frequent breaks or you have to re-do more mistakes. Practice acceptance. One of the greatest things about quilting is the joy of creating, not just the finished outcome. There's something healing to look at a project and think, "I MADE that!" It's not a race; it's not a competition. Listen to your body.