Depending on the type of cotton fabric, cotton can be cool or warm. Being soft to touch and durable, this makes it comfortable to wear and easy to take care where it can be washed and dried repeatedly.

Since cotton fabrics are made from natural fibers, cotton has a tendency to shrink after the first wash. To counter this, you can consider to either pre-wash your cotton fabric before you start sewing or cater in a 3-10% (depending on the type of cotton fabric) more in your measurements. 

Cotton Weight:

The various types of cotton fabrics are produced through the different methods of weaving and knitting the different types of cotton fibers. These cotton fabrics are then classified according to the weight – lightweight, medium weight and heavyweight. By sorting the cotton fabric accordingly based on its weight, this is one of the factor that helps to determine the suitability of each cotton fabrics for different sewing projects. 

Lightweight Cotton Fabric

1. Cotton Lawn

Cotton lawn fabric is versatile and easy to work with, making it an awesome choice for beginner sewist. It is a great match for warm weather garments and linings. Being durable, it is excellent for dressmaking like shirts, blouses, dresses and skirts. Widely available and come in a variety of styles and textures.

2. Muslin

Muslin is ideal for summer clothing, muslin blankets and wraps for babies. It can also be used as a backing and lining for quilts.

In dressmaking, it is commonly used for making mock-up patterns before using the actual fabrics. Lower grade muslin is used for household cleaning cloths and some food production materials. 

As the cotton fibers used to make muslin are usually very delicate, hand washing in warm water is highly recommended to avoid ripping it. 

3. Poly Cotton

As its name suggests, it is a fabric made up of cotton and polyester fibers. The ratio varies with 65/35 and 50/50 blend of polyester and cotton being the most common ratio in the market.

By mixing cotton and polyester, it gives the consumers the best of both worlds with the following benefits

• Long lasting fabric which can perform well in more demanding environments like hospitals 
• Tends to resist wrinkles thus minimize ironing and are easy to press
• A breathable fabric that is durable 
• Cost-effective as the production cost is more affordable than cotton alone

Wide range of uses: Used in fashion clothing, demanding work environment uniforms, bed linen (bed-sheets, pillowcases), curtains, tablecloth and more.

4. Voile

Voile originated from the French word “veil”. Voile is a soft and sheer fabric which is usually made of 100% cotton or cotton-blended with linen or polyester. 

Comes in solid or printed pattern, it is great for making apparels like flowing dress, gathered skirts, scarf, lingerie, and home decor like day curtains and mosquito net.

Sewing voile fabric is a little tricky as the fabric is slightly slippery so using pins to secure the fabrics helps. Also, due to its sheer nature, french seams are recommended.

Medium Weight Cotton Fabric

1. Cotton Knit / Jersey Knit

Cotton knit or Jersey knit is a low maintenance fabric that can be machine wash and is easy to clean. 

Being a stretch and soft fabric makes it ideal for making tee-shirts, tops, sweats, underwear, especially sportswear. Some use it to make bed-sheets.

2. Linen Fabric

Linen fabric is an Eco-friendly fabric made from natural fibers which takes longer to harvest and make into fabric as flax fibers can be difficult to weave. As flax fibers are rougher, it can be a little rough on skin. 

It is popular in hot and humid climates environment for its ability to reduce heat retention and dries up quickly feature. Therefore it is used to make shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, jackets, blazers, aprons, pillowcase, bed-sheets, napkins and tablecloths.

3. Brushed Cotton / Flannel / Flannette 

Brushed cotton or flannel or flannelette has one side of the fabric being either brushed or has the characteristics of loose weave. It is warm and soft to the touch making it the perfect fabric to keep one comfortable in a cold weather environment.

Often woven in patterns like plaids and tartan. Useful for making tops, bed-sheets and pajamas. Easy to clean and care for where you don’t need to iron or replace often.

4. Poplin

Poplin is a plain weave cotton fabric with fine horizontal ribs that are tightly woven and resulting it being a strong fabric. Poplin may be pure cotton or a polyester blend. 

Commonly used in men’s and women’s shirts, dresses, sportswear and raincoats.

5. Quilting Cotton

Quilting cotton is made from a plain weave and is a closely woven fabric with slightly higher thread count than regular cotton fabric. It is also known as patchwork print or craft cotton.

Often used for home decor like quilts, pillowcases and accessory sewing projects. Can be use for clothing but it may or may not last as quilting cotton is not made to be washed a lot.

6. Sateen

Sateen is a cotton fabric woven in a 4:1 thread ratio which means four threads go over or under one thread. With a similar look and feel to Satin, Sateen has a luxurious feel and shiny appearance on one side and dull on the reverse. 

Gentle and easy on the skin makes it a favorite for women’s clothing particularly in dresses, skirts, blouses and jackets. Sateen has the versatility to keep one cool in summer and warm in cooler environment thus it makes comfortable bed-sheets and sleepwear. With great light control feature, Sateen makes great curtain lining for hospitals, hotels, and some restaurants and bars.

Heavy Weight Cotton Fabric

1. Canvas

Canvas is a compact and heavy plain weave cotton fabric. Known for being durable, sturdy and strong, it is slightly rough to the touch.

Used to specialise in making boat sails and tents. Currently have expanded to making sports gears, sneakers, bags and heavy duty work-wear. 

Cotton canvas is robust making it easy to maintain which do not need regular ironing. 

2. Denim

Denim is a sturdy cotton twill fabric which is usually dyed indigo blue. It is one of the most well-known and commonly worn fabrics for jeans, jackets and dresses. Being widely used in jeans since 1850s, jeans is still the most popular apparel on earth. Levi Strauss & Co. is usually the first brand one will think of when it comes to denim jeans.

Authentic denim is made with 100% cotton. Being tough and durable makes it a great fabric for hard-working trousers / hard-wearing work clothes / a labourer’s daily wear. One of the low maintenance fabrics that washes well and hardly wrinkle.

Located on the second floor of People’s Park Food Centre, it houses tons of fabric stores. Here, you will be spoilt with a wide variety of fabrics and sewing accessories. The good news is they come with affordable competitive price tags so you will not be burning your pockets.

Being in operation for many years, these fabric shops owners possess in depth knowledge about fabrics where you can learn a thing or two from them. Some of the second generations have started to take over from their parents and this is why you start seeing these fabric stores’ presence on the internet. 

To keep up with the trend and provide convenience to their customers, some of the fabric stores offer the options to buy online and in-store. Whether you love shopping for the fabrics at the stores or you have a busy schedule that makes it challenging for you to pop by physically, the fabric stores listed below are some of the fabric stores that offer these two options for you to get hold of your favourite fabrics. 

Nested in the heart of Chinatown, People’s Park Food Centre is easily accessible via either the MRT or bus. So, how do we get there? 

Getting to People’s Park Food Centre

Address:
Blk 32 New Market Road, People’s Park Food Centre, Singapore 050032

Nearest MRT:
Chinatown MRT Station NE4 (purple North-East line)
Exit C and walk 1 minute

Nearest Bus Stop:
2, 2A, 12, 12e, 33, 61, 63, 80, 143, 197, 961, 961M, 970
Drop off at bus stop ID 05013 and walk 2 minutes

List of Fabric Stores to Shop for Fabrics Online and In Store at People’s Park Food Centre

Lye Nai Siong

Type of fabrics: 
Satin lining, PUL fabric, Cotton, Faux leather, Muslin, Polyester 

Address: 
#02-1018A/B

Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday: 10:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday: 11:00am – 6:00pm
Closed on Sunday and Public Holiday

Website:
https://www.lyenaishiong.com

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/Lye-Nai-Shiong-454341874683936/
https://instagram.com/lyenaishiong

Phone:
+65 6532 6013

Teoh Huat Textiles

Type of Fabrics:
Cotton, Cotton Voile, Cotton Embroidery, Tweed, Cotton Twill, Cotton Satin, Linen, Denim, Cotton Canvas, Satin

Address:
#02-1144 / #02-1146

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 10:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am to 5:30pm

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/teohhuattextile/
https://www.instagram.com/teohhuattextiles

Phone / WhatsApp:
+65 9756 5643

Brighton Accessories House

Type of Fabrics:
Cotton, Double gauze, Linen, Batik

Address:
#02-1160 / #02-1162 / #02-1164 / #02-1166 / #02-1168

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 9:30am to 5:30pm
Closed on Sunday

Website:
https://brightonaccessorieshouse.com/

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Fabric-Store/Brighton-Accessories-House-697649447045810/
https://www.instagram.com/brightonaccessorieshouse/

Phone:
+65 6532 4589

Fabricity

Type of Fabrics:
Cotton Poplin, Tweed, Linen, Wool, Luxe, Cotton stretch

Address:
#02-1098

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 12:00pm to 7:00pm
Saturday: 11:00am to 7:00pm
Closed on Sunday

Website:
https://www.fabricity.com.sg/

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabricity/805646836163975?ref=hl
https://www.instagram.com/fabricity.sg/?hl=en

Phone:
+65 6533 3033

Thye Guan Textile

Type of Fabrics:
Polyester, Rayon, Linen, Cotton Canvas, Cotton Lawn, Silky Cotton, Cotton, Tencel, Jacquard, Pique Cotton, Tweed, PVC, Ottoman

Address:
#02-1006

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 11:30am to 7:00pm
Closed on Sunday

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/thyeguantextile/
https://www.instagram.com/thyeguantextile/?hl=en

Phone:
+65 6535 5537

NICOLEXAVIER

Type of Fabrics:
Liberty/ European fabrics 

Address:
#02-1138

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Closed on Sunday

Website:
https://nicolexavier.com

Social Media:
https://facebook.com/NicoleXavier-188055658471462/
https://www.instagram.com/nicolexavier1138/

Phone:
+65 9365 3727

Supposedly you still have your S$500 SkillsFuture credit still sitting comfortably in your account, you can actually utilize it to enrol yourself in a fashion apparel course. 

These fashion apparels courses will teach you the basics of sewing, drafting patterns to sewing your own apparel from scratch. 

Since these courses are fully SkillsFuture claimable, you may not even need to fork out a single cent. This makes it more pocket-friendly for you, striking a win-win situation. 

Where to find SkillsFuture Claimable Fashion Apparels Courses?

Textile and Fashion Industry Training Centre (TaF.tc)

TaF.tc is a design school in Singapore and the first Continuing Education and Training Centre (CET) for the textile and fashion industry in Singapore. 

At TaF.tc, you get to learn the fundamentals of drafting and sewing with the various fashion apparels sewing courses. With the courses available in on-campus and online, it makes it more convenient for the students. 

(1) Basic Drafting and Sewing (online)
TaF.tc course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,510.00
Application Fee: S$26.00
Sewing Tool Kit: S$55.00

(2) Intermediate Drafting and Sewing (online)
TaF.tc course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,510.00
Application Fee: S$26.00
Sewing Tool Kit: S$55.00

(3) Develop Apparel Patterns Through Drafting and Sew Basic Tops and Skirt
My SkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,510.00

(4) Develop Pattern Draft and Sew Jackets
TaF.tc course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,960.00
Application Fee: S$26.00

(5) Develop Apparel Patterns and Sew Bottom
My SkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,600.00

(6a) Develop Pattern Draft and Sew Dress (Synchronous e-learning)
TaF.tc course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,960.00
Application Fee: S$26.00
Sewing Tool Kit: S$55.00

(6b) Pattern Drafting and Sewing – Dress (on-campus)
TaF.tc course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,960.00
Application Fee: S$26.00
Sewing Tool Kit: S$55.00

(7) Develop Apparel Patterns and Sew Top
My SkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,600.00

(8) Bespoke Series: Men’s Classic Shirt
My SkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,200.00

(9) Bespoke Series: Men’s Casual Trousers 
TaF.tc course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,960.00
Application Fee: S$26.00
Sewing Tool Kit: S$55.00

(10) Bespoke Series: Men’s Classic Pants
MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$800.00

(11) Bespoke Series: Men’s Classic Jacket
My SkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$800.00

(12) Men’s Blazer / Bespoke Series: Men’s Blazer
TaF.tc course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,200.00
Application Fee: S$26.00

Address:
Main Office: Central Plaza #14-06, 298 Tiong Bahru Road, Singapore 168730
Branch Office: Thye Hong Centre #02-09, 2 Leng Kee Road, Singapore 159086

Fashion Makerspace (FMS)

FMS offers 2 types of claimable sewing courses:

• WSQ (Workforce Skills Qualifications) + SkillsFuture Credit
• SkillsFuture Credit only

Let’s focus on their SkillsFuture claimable courses in this article. These courses will teach you how to create the apparel that will fit your body shape like a glove. This is why you will need to provide them with your measurements before the class start as the patterns are fully custom fit to your measurements.

You will learn various sewing tips and finishing techniques like installing a concealed / invisible zipper and attaching bias-bound feature which you can apply in your other sewing projects. In addition, you will learn how to handle and use the sewing and locking machines, a necessary skill you need for clothes creation. 

Course fees ranges from S$468 to S$568. If you still have your initial SkillsFuture credit of S$500, you won’t even need to pay a single cent for the courses that are S$468. All fabrics, sewing tools, machines are provided so there is no material fee. 

FMS offers 4 types of SkillsFuture claimable courses that are suitable for beginners:

• Sewing: Women’s Cheongsam (Dress or Jumpsuit)
• Sewing: Women’s Dress (Shift Dress or Jubah)
• Sewing: Men’s Casual Shirt (Mandarin or Hawaiian Collar)
• Sewing: Culottes Pants

Address: 42B North Canal Road, Level 3 Singapore 059298

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

For those who are interested in acquiring the essential skills of pattern making and sewing for constructing apparels, NAFA has the courses that are designed for you. You will be guided and taught on the various techniques and methods from body measurements to handling fabrics to sewing each components together. 

Beginners with little or no prior knowledge are welcome to enrol in their SkillsFuture claimable fashion apparels courses: 

(1) Certificate in Garment Construction
My SkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$822.43

(2) Garment Construction – Making a Skirt
My SkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$470.00

Address: 80 Bencoolen Street Singapore 189655

LASALLE College of The Arts

Under LASALLE’s Continuing Education Programme (CEP), they conduct a number of short courses for all ages to help them gain knowledge and skills in the area of arts and design. 

Aspiring fashion designers, young assistant fashion designer, apprentice in the tailoring industry and even beginners who have passion about fashion can find various Fashion Design & Textiles courses here.

Besides getting your foundation right with the basic sewing techniques, LASALLE will show you how to make a top, shirt, skirt, pants, trousers, dress, jacket from start to scratch. At the end of the courses, you will be able to draft and adapt your patterns to create different styles of apparels that accentuate your body shape. 

Some of the courses have prerequisite requirements so be sure to read through them carefully. 

Below are their Fashion Design & Textiles courses that are SkillsFuture claimable:

(1) Design & Construction of Men’s Jackets
LASALLE course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,000 per unit
Special Package Course Fee (excluding GST): S$4,000 (Unit 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5) 
Material Fees: Approximately S$120

(2) Design & Construction of Men’s Trousers
LASALLE course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,000 per unit
Special Package Course Fee (excluding GST): S$2,100 (Unit 1 + 2 + 3) 
Material Fees: Approximately S$70

(3) Design & Construction of Men’s Shirts
LASALLE course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$950 per unit
Special Package Course Fee (excluding GST): S$1,250 (Unit 1 + 2) 
Material Fees: Approximately S$70

(4) Fashion Design: Implementation of Design Through Pattern Drafting
LASALLE course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$680
MySkillsFuture Course Fee: S$635.51
Material Fee: Approximately S$30

(5) Fashion Illustration I & II
LASALLE course link | MySkillsFuture course link 1 | MySkillsFuture course link 2
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$520.00 each
Special Package Course Fee (excluding GST): S$920.00 (Fashion Illustration I + II) 
MySkillsFuture Course Fee: S$485.98 each

Address:
McNally Campus (Main): 1 McNally Street, Singapore 187940
Winstedt Campus: 9 Winstedt Road, Singapore 227976

Note: *The special SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career Support) of $500 is not claimable for LASALLE Short Courses. Please contact LASALLE to verify first before you proceed any further or submit your SkillsFuture credit claim. 

Institute of Technical Education (ITE)

A-line skirts are a great staple for every wardrobe. It is flattening for all women as this silhouette accentuates the waist, the smallest part of a women’s body, and doesn’t hug the hips. 

At times, it is challenging to find an A-line skirt that looks good on you. So, why not learn how to sew an A-line skirt with your own measurements? 

In this short course, ITE will teach you not only the basic techniques like taking body measurements, picking and cutting fabrics, drafting patterns and operating the sewing machines, but also equip you with the skills like attaching zippers. 

(1) DIY Fashion – Sew a Skirt
ITE course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$340.00

On a side, for those who are interested to achieve a National ITE Certificate (Nitec) so as to help them enter the fashion or apparel industries, ITE does provide a full-time course on fashion apparel production and design. The best part is, it is SkillsFuture claimable. 

(1) Nitec in Fashion Apparel Production & Design
ITE course link | MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$860.00

Address:
ITE College Central: 2 Ang Mo Kio Drive , Singapore 567720

People’s Associations (PA)

People’s Associations (PA) offers dressmaking and garment making courses for beginners at some of its community centres. These courses will teach you the basics of dressmaking which includes taking measurements, operating and maintaining the sewing machine, and using the basic tools. 

You will also learn to assemble and sew a garment that fits you perfectly. The skills needed to achieve this which you will be taught are basic drafting, fabrics cutting, sewing with the sewing machine and hand stitching. 

(1) SkillsFuture@PA Dressmaking (Elementary)
MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$100.00

(2) SkillsFuture@PA Dressmaking (Advanced)
MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$105.00

(3) SkillsFuture@PA Introduction to Garment Making
MySkillsFuture course link
Course Fee (excluding GST): S$568.00

Next, ensure that you have sufficient credit balance before informing the training provider that you want to use your SkillsFuture credit to register for the course. After you have successfully enrolled in the course with the training provider, the training provider will provide you with the invoice, course schedule and any supporting documents that you will need when submitting your claim.

Are you all set for the above? Let’s proceed to make a SkillsFuture claim for your upcoming course!

Making SkillsFuture Credit Claim

For all courses except Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) by overseas training providers (e.g. Udemy), you have to submit your claim from 60 days before the course start date.

For MOOC by overseas training providers (e.g. Udemy), you have to submit your claim within 60 days before and 90 days after the course start date.

Remember to submit your SkillsFuture Credit claims within the stipulated time frame so that it is valid.

(1) Head over to the SkillsFuture page

Open up the MySkillsFuture Portal and click “Login” located on the top right of the page. 

(2) Login with your SingPass

On the login page, you have to login with your valid Singpass; click the red button “Singpass”.

Either open your Singpass app on your mobile phone and scan the QR code shown on the webpage or you can click on “Use password login instead” then“Password login” to manually enter your Singpass login details.

(3) Click on “Claim SkillsFuture Credits”

Upon successful login, hover over “Digital Services” located on the top menu bar. You will see a dropdown menu, and under Individuals, click “Claim SkillsFuture Credits”.

(4) Proceed to submit a claim

Next, click on the blue button “Proceed to Submit a Claim”.

(5) Search for your SkillsFuture Credit-eligible Course

You can search by 3 methods:

• Course name
• Course reference number
• Training provider

After entering either of the 3 methods above, click the button “Search” and the search results will appear right below.

(6) Select your course intake

Click on the blue arrow to select the course and the upcoming available course schedule for the selected course will appear. 

If you don’t see any schedule at all or the schedule that your training provider has given to you, don’t panic! Click on the “Course Start Date” tab and manually input the start date of your course as provided by your local training provider or indicate the purchase date of the overseas course as the course start date. 

(7) Input the amount of SkillsFuture credit you would like to claim

• Fee Payable By You (including GST): This is the amount indicated on the course invoice given to you by the training provider
• Amount of Credit To Claim: The amount of SkillsFuture Credits you would like to deduct from your balance

Next, click on “Tap to upload documents” to attach your course invoice and any other supporting documents provided by the training provider. 

(8) Almost there!

Check the Terms and Conditions checkbox and click “Submit”.

A pop-up for your declaration will appear. Simply read through and click “Agree and Submit”.

(9) Review your submitted claim

Don’t worry if it shows “Pending” on the claims, the SkillsFuture system takes awhile before it reflects an “Approved”.

Remember to update the training provider on your submitted claim for the course and pay any outstanding amount to the training provider; contact the training provider for the procedures.

So how do you check your SkillsFuture credit balance?

(1) Head over to the SkillsFuture page

Open up the MySkillsFuture Portal and click “Login” located on the top right of the page. 

(2) Login with your SingPass

On the login page, you have to login with your valid Singpass; click the red button “Singpass”.

Either open your Singpass app on your mobile phone and scan the QR code shown on the webpage or you can click on “Use password login instead” and “Password login” to manually enter your Singpass login details.

(3) Check your SkillsFuture Credit balance

Once login successfully, you will see your SkillsFuture credit balance on the top right of the webpage.

Alternatively, you can also click on your name located on the top right of the webpage and select “SkillsFuture Credit” to see a full breakdown of your SkillsFuture Claims history.

There are 3 types of SkillsFuture Credits

(1) Opening SkillsFuture Credit S$500 

• Every Singaporeans aged 25 years old and above receives an opening credit of S$500 
• Can be used on a wide range of SkillsFuture Credit-eligible courses
• Does not expire

(2) SkillsFuture Credit Top-Up

• On 1 October 2020, to further encourage Singaporeans to reskill and upskill, every Singaporeans who are aged 25 years old and above as at 31 December 2020 (inclusive) receives a one-time S$500 credit top-up
• Can be used on all SkillsFuture Credit-eligible courses
• Expires on 31 December 2025

(3) Additional SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career Support)

• To improve individuals’ access to career transition programmes, every Singaporeans who are aged 40 to 60 years old in 2020 as at 31 December 2020 (inclusive) receives an additional one-off special S$500 credit
• Claimable for 
  • SGUnited Skills Programme
  • SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Company Training
  • SkillsFuture Career Transition Programmes
  • Courses delivered by SSG-appointed CET centres
  • Courses that fulfill training requirements for Progressive Wage Model sectors
  • Full qualifications programme delivered by Institutes of Higher Learnings
• Expires on 31 December 2025

What Can You Use It For?

You can use your SkillsFuture credit on top of existing government course subsidies to offset a wide range of Skills Future Singapore (SSG) approved skills-related courses provided by the following

• Ministry of Education (MOE)-funded institutions (ITE, Polytechnics, autonomous universities, LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts)
• Public agencies
• People’s Association (PA)
• Infocommunications Media Development of Singapore (IMDS)’s Silver Infocomm Junctions
• National Silver Academy

Are you thinking of doing simple alterations or basic sewing at home? Here is a list of shops in Singapore where you can buy mechanical or computerized home sewing machines.

Brother Singapore 

Despite the fact that there is no way to purchase Brother products on their direct website, they do provide a link to their Lazada shop. 

Brother Singapore website has a list of their authorized distributors or retailers which makes it convenient for you to contact them if you are interested in getting Brother sewing machines or accessories. 

Website: https://www.brother.com.sg/en/products/all-sewing-machines/sewing-machines

BERNINA Singapore

BERNINA has 2 outlets in Singapore: 

• BERNINA Funan is their retail storefront and
• BERNINA M38 is mainly for machine servicing and holding corporate events. 

Here, you can sign up for their kids or adults workshops where you can have a feel of the BERNINA and bernette sewing machines, and its accessories while learning to sew. 

You can choose to purchase online or at their retail store; they offer 3 interest-free installments with either credit or debit cards by hoolah. 

Website: https://www.bernina.com.sg/

Authorized Distributors

Ban Soon Sewing Machine Pte Ltd (BSSM in short)

BSSM has been in the sewing industry for over 43 years. They offer a wide variety of home sewing machines, industrial sewing machines and all types of sewing machine that suits individual sewing needs. 

The home sewing machine brands that BSSM carry are Husqvarna Viking, Brother, Singer, Juki, Janome and Merrylock. For purchasing their sewing machine, they provide complimentary training on how to operate your sewing machine at their Clementi retail shop.

Aside from sewing machines, BSSM also carry sewing machine accessories, sewing related materials and sewing machines parts. 

You can make your purchase online on their website or at their Clementi retail shop or their pop-up stores at Punggol and Changi T3. Only limited products can be seen at their pop-up stores. Delivery is available or you can choose to pick it up at their retail shop or pop-up stores. 

If you need help to repair, service or maintain your sewing machines, BSSM has the technical team to help you with these services.

Website: https://www.sewing.sg/
BanSoon @ Clementi (Retail Shop & Classroom): 431 Clementi Ave 3, #01-328, Singapore 120431  (Google map link)
Pop-Up Store @ The Blues Oasis Terraces (Till 2023): 681 Punggol Drive, #02-18/19/20, Oasis Terraces, Singapore 820681 (Google map link)
Pop-Up Store @ The Blues @ Changi Airport Terminal 3: 65 Airport Boulevard, #B2-36, Public Area, T3 Changi Airport, Singapore 819663 (Google map link)

Ghim Soon Machinery Private Limited & Stitch4You.sg 

Ghim Soon Machinery Private Limited is the parent company of Stitch4You.sg who has over 40 years of experience in the sewing industry. Ghim Soon Machinery heads the physical retail store and runs Stitch4You.sg as their e-commerce store. 

The home sewing machine brands that Ghim Soon Machinery carry are Husqvarna Viking, Singer, Juki, Janome and Merrylock.

This is where you can also shop for specialised sewing machines, industrial sewing machines, sewing machine tables, sewing accessories, sewing materials and sewing machine spare parts.
You can make your purchase online on their website, Stitch4You.sg, or at their retail shop. 

Since Ghim Soon Machinery started off with providing sewing machine repair services, there is no way that they don’t provide repair, servicing and maintenance services for sewing machines.  

Website: http://www.ghimsoon.com/ – https://www.stitch4you.sg/
Address: 129 Geylang East Ave 2, #01-104, Singapore 380129 (google map link)

SMH (Sing Mui Heng) Craft

SMH Craft focuses on supplying good quality crafting and haberdashery products for more than 40 years before expanding to sewing machines, fabrics, sewing tools and more. 

One thing that put them apart from the other distributors is that they conduct sewing workshops from time to time. 

Being one of the authorized resellers of Brother sewing machines, it is obvious that the only home sewing machines brand that SMH Craft carry is Brother. 

You can make your purchase online on their website or at their retail shops. At times, they sell on Facebook live but mainly on fabrics. Delivery is available or you can choose to pick it up at one of their retail shops. 

Website: https://smhcraft.com/product-category/sewing-machines/
Office – Sing Mui Heng Pte Ltd: 315 Outram Road, #13-03, Tan Boon Liat Building, Singapore 169074 (google map link)
Chinatown Branch: 101 Upper Cross Street, #01-36, People’s Park Centre, Singapore 058357 (google map link)
Textile Centre Branch (Sewing Machines & Fabrics & Notions): 200 Jalan Sultan, #01-25, Textile Centre, Singapore 199018 (google map link)
Sewing Studio: 200 Jalan Sultan, #01-14, Textile Centre, Singapore 199018 (google map link)

Hong Lin Sewing Machine Pte Ltd

Being the pioneer and leading company in South East Asia’s garment supplies industry, Hong Lin Sewing Machine has over 40 years of experience offering a wide range of products of home and industrial sewing machines, spare parts and accessories. They also holds embroidery and patchwork workshops at their office. 

Although their website doesn’t provide any information on their home sewing machines, you can see from their Facebook page that the home sewing machines brands they carry are Juki, Okurma and Brother. That said, it is recommended to contact them directly to enquire prior to purchasing or heading down to their office. 

Aside from providing repair and maintenance services for sewing machines, they service fabric cutter too and is able to tailor to every customer’s needs. 

Website: https://www.facebook.com/sewingsg/ – http://www.sewingmachine.sg/
Address: 15A Tannery Road, Singapore 347725 (google map link)

Tai Ma Sewing Machine Pte Ltd

Tai Ma Sewing  Machine is established in 1978 and has more than 40 years of experience in the industry. They are an importer/exporter, dealer, distributor, wholesaler for industrial and home sewing machines, spare parts and accessories in Singapore.

Brother and Juki are the only home sewing machine brands they carry. You have to email or give them a ring to ask for quote and more details. 

Website: https://www.taima.com.sg/
Address: 1 Genting Link, #04-03, Perfect One, Singapore 349518 (google map link)

Physical Retailers

These electrical appliance retail chains carry limited brands and models of home sewing machines at their physical shops and online store. 

Watch out for their online or members deals as they can help you save some bucks to buy other sewing accessories or materials. 

COURTS (Singapore) Pte Ltd 

Home sewing machines brands they carry are Brother, Singer, Husqvarna Viking.  https://www.courts.com.sg/home-appliances/small-appliances/sewing-machine

Gain City Best-Electric Pte Ltd

The only home sewing machine brands they carry is Brother.  https://www.gaincity.com/catalog/category/111/sewing-machines

Challenger – Singapore

The only home sewing machine brands they carry is Brother. https://www.challenger.sg/home-kitchen/home-appliances-m/sewing-machines

Specialized Craft and Home-wares Store

Spotlight Stores (S) Pte Ltd

When we think of getting fabrics, haberdashery, crafts materials, costumes, decorations and home-wares, the first all in one shop that comes to our mind is Spotlight.

They carry limited home sewing machines brands and models. The home sewing machines brands you can find at Spotlight are Brother, Simplicity and Singer. 

You can make your purchase online on their website or at their retail shops. They provide delivery at a fee or you can self-collect at their physical stores. 

The benefit of being their VIP is that you can save a few hundreds off their selected home sewing machines. 

Website: https://www.spotlightstores.com/sg/sewing-fabrics/sewing-machines-equipment/sewing-machines-overlockers
Spotlight Plaza Singapura: Level 5, 68 Orchard Road (Located at the Dhoby Ghaut MRT), Singapore 238839 Singapore (google map link)
Spotlight Westgate: Level 3 Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive, Singapore 608532 (google map link)

Online Marketplaces

On these online marketplaces (Lazada, Shopee, Qoo10), you will see some of the distributors listing their home sewing machines for sale. The prices might be different from the prices they have listed on their own website. According to one of the distributors, it is due to the fee charged by the individual marketplace.

If you are a frequent buyer from these marketplaces who has some perks or coupons to utilize, you can consider to purchase on these online marketplaces. One advice is to purchase from a local seller as it is easier to get help or do an exchange locally. 

• Lazada Singapore https://www.lazada.sg/shop-sewing-machines/
• Shopee Singapore https://shopee.sg/
• Qoo10 Singapore https://www.qoo10.sg/

Fashion School

FMS Fashion Makerspace

Fashion Makerspace is a place that provides fashion sewing, dressmaking, pattern making, accessories making and digital design classes for kids and adults. On top of this, they are able to help you actualise your idea and conduct corporate event or workshops. 

Since conducting sewing classes is their core business, they only have 2 home computerised sewing machines, Juki LB5100 and Brother Innovis A16, for sale. If you do not have a sewing machine at home, they provide rental for a computerised sewing machine, Brother Innovis 15P, and a basic sewing tool kit. 

Other products that they carry are fabrics, patterns, masks and gift cards. 

Website: https://www.fashionmakerspace.com/collections/marketplace
Address: 42B North Canal Road, Level 3, Singapore 059298 (google map link)

By understanding the parts of a sewing machine needle, it will be able to help you choose the correct needle size and type of needle for the fabric and thread you are using for your sewing project. 

All sewing machine needles have the same basic parts. The differences in needles is determined by the shape of the parts and the length of the parts.

Parts of A Sewing Machine Needle

Shank

It is located at the top of a home sewing machine needle. The thick part that is round on the one side and flat on the other side is called the shank. This part of the needle is inserted into your sewing machine. 

Shaft

Below the shank, there is shaft which is the round part from the bottom of the shank to the point. The shaft consists of the groove, scarf, eye, and point of the needle. 

Groove

A groove is the side of the needle below the shank all the way to the eye. The thread will travel down the groove before going through the eye of the needle. 

Feel the groove and you will feel the difference in the thickness of a sewing machine needle. This will make you understand why a different size needle is needed depending on the fabric you use. 

Scarf

Above the eye of the needle is a short groove called scarf. The curved slot allows the bobbin case hook to pick up the upper needle thread to form stitches.

Eye

The eye of the needle is the hole you see below the scarf where the thread channeled through it. It holds the thread so that the sewing machine can keep forming stitches. The size of the eye can vary and works in conjunction with the groove of the needle.

Point

Point is the part from the needle eye to the tip. It helps the needle to pierce into the fabric. Selecting the right needle point that is appropriate for the type of fabric you are using will prevent any damages. The most common types of needle points are sharp, ballpoint and universal. 

Sewing Machine Needle Sizes:

What do the numbers mean?

Sewing machine needle comes in varies sizes. Understanding the numbers associated with the sewing machine needle will help you pick the correct needle size which in turn reduce any possible machine problems and delays. 

When looking at sewing machine needles, you will see two numbers labeled on the needle and this is when the confusion comes in. The numbers is the needle size and represent the thickness of the shaft. Though it is a simple labeling system, manufacturers use both the European and American labeling system. 

The European needle sizes ranges from 60 to 120 with 60 being the fine needle and 120 being the thick needle. The American needle sizes starts with 8 to 19 with 8 being the fine needle and 19 being the thick needle. Either way, the smaller the needle size, the finer the needle and the finer the thread it can accommodate. 

This is why you often see needles having the two measurements label – a European size number followed by a backslash and then an American size number, or vice versa. For example, 80/12 or 12/80.

One fun fact is the European size number is the exact diameter of the needle. A 100 European size needle is 1mm in diameter and a 0 European size needle is 0.8mm in diameter.

The general rule is the bigger the size number, the bigger the needle. 

Considering Fabric Weight

Fabric weight is determined by the thickness and composition of the threads it is made of and the density of these threads. In general, a delicate or light weight fabric just need a fine needle to pierce through. Using a thicker needle will damage the fabric. 

To sew a chiffon scarf, a 8/60 needle will do the job. A 18/110 needle will leave big holes on the chiffon fabric which is quite unsightly. 

Think of sewing a heavyweight canvas tote bag. You will need a thicker needle like 18/110 that is strong enough to pierce through the canvas fabric effortlessly. Using a fine needle like 8/60 will lead to the needle breaking or bending. 

Now let’s take a look at this combination: 

You want to sew 6 layers of lightweight cotton fabrics and a zipper. Referring to the table below, the 12/80 or 14/90 needle will be the needle size for cotton fabric. However, that will risk your needle from breaking or causing machine problems. All in all, you have to take into consideration on the combined weight instead of just the individual fabric type. For this combination, try experimenting with a needle that is 16/100. 

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to which needle to use for each type of fabric. For example, there are lightweight and heavyweight denim fabric so you have to pick the right needle size for each. Therefore, take this table as a guide to help you have a general overview. Make sure to be flexible enough to adjust accordingly base on the various materials combination you use.

Considering Thread Weight

The thread weight and type of thread you are using are also factors you need to consider when picking a sewing machine needle size. 

A fine needle has an eye wide enough to fit a fine thread, and conversely a thick needle accommodates well for a thick thread. If you use a fine thread with a thick needle, the needle point will leave larger holes on your fabric which is not pleasing to the eyes and might mimic a tension problem. Likewise, if you use a thick thread with a fine needle, you risk broken threads and skipped stitches when the thread face difficulty running through the fine needle’s eye. 

Always test your thread, needle and fabric combinations on scraps of fabrics rather than the actual materials you will be working on for your sewing project. 

Type of Sewing Machine Needles

Universal Point Needle

Universal point sewing machine needle has point being sharp yet slightly rounded. It is your best all-purpose needle and is the most common needle in every sewists’ studio. Used for woven or knit fabric. 
With the characteristics of a ballpoint needle and sharp point needle, you can start with a universal point needle when in doubt.

Ballpoint Needle

With rounded point, this needle is designed for knit fabric as it slips through between the loops of a knit fabric rather than piercing through. In this way, it protects the fabric from damaging or skipping stitches.

Sharp Point Needle

As the name indicated, the sharp point needle has a sharp point and narrow shaft. Perfect for piercing through all woven fabric especially high-density ones like silk. The sharp point makes it great for sewing straight lines and topstitching. 

Stretch Needles

When a ballpoint needle skipped stitches, it can be easily solved with a stretch needle which has a slightly less rounded tip.  

Stretch needle is your go-to needle for sewing high stretch knit fabric or elastic materials such as silk jersey, rib knit, Lycra, or spandex. With a modified scarf and eye, it is better at picking up the top thread by the hook which is helpful in preventing skipped stitches on knit and elastic fabrics. 

Leather Needles

Use a leather needle if you are sewing with leather, faux or heavy non-woven synthetics. It is a wedge-shaped needle with sharp point and edges that cuts the fabric as the needle inserts, creating visible holes. As such, you will want to go slow and be careful with every stitch. 

Denim / Jeans Needles

Don’t be deceive by its name, denim needle is not just purely for sewing denim. 

These needles have a very sharp point and strong shaft thus making it a strong needle for sewing through many layers of fabric or tightly woven heavyweight fabrics like denim, canvas and duck.

Embroidery Needle

When you want to add embroidery on your projects to give it a personalised feel or to beautify it, using an embroidery needle with rayon, acrylic or specialty embroidery threads allows you to have a trouble-free embroidery process. 

The specially-shaped scarf and longer eye help to protect the delicate embroidery threads, preventing them from breaking and fraying as the needle goes in and out rapidly through your fabric. 
If you want to sew embroidery on knit fabric, use ball point embroidery needle. 

Quilting Needle

A quilting needle has a tapered sharp point and slightly stronger shaft for sewing through multiple layers of fabrics and intersecting seams. Engineered for use in both piecing and machine quilting.

Topstitch Needle

Topstitch needle has an extra large eye, a large groove and a very sharp point to serve thick decorative threads, embroidery threads or more than one strand of all-purpose thread for topstitching multiple layers. 

Metallic Needle

This is the needle you need to use when sewing metallic threads for decorative stitching or embroidery. Metallic needle has an extended eye, a larger groove and a sharp point. 

The large eye is able to reduce the chances of thread breaking and prevent shredding of metallic thread, allowing metallic thread to pass through easily with minimal friction.

This needle is also compatible with monofilament. 

Twin Needle (Double Needle) and Triple Needle (Drilling Needle)

Twin and triple needles are attached to a single shaft where the needles are evenly spaced out. Twin needle also known as double needle produces two rows of parallel stitches. Triple needles also labeled as “drilling needles” is your needle if you ever find yourself needing a line of three parallel stitches.

Perfect choice for sewist who wants flawless parallel stitches. These needles are usually used to sew hems on garments like jeans and decorative stitching. 

To use these needles, make sure that your sewing machine has the ability to perform it as it requires certain functions like having more than one thread spool holder so that each needle has its own thread spool holder. Before proceeding to use either a twin or triple needle, refer to your sewing machine manual on operating your sewing machine with the various sewing machine needles. 

When purchasing twin needle, the first number on the packaging is the space or distance between the needles, and the second number is the needle size.

Hemstitch Needle (Wing Needle)

When you are ready to try your hand on hemstitching (also known as heirloom stitching) or decorative stitching, this needle is a must have. Suitable fabrics are light or medium weight loosely woven fabrics.

Hemstitch needle has a wide blade on each side making it looks like a pair of wing. The wings needle produces the hemstitch effect as it makes its way through the fabric where threads are sewn around the small holes creating eyelets, lacework and embroidery. 

When to replace a Sewing Machine Needle?

It is recommended to change your sewing machine needle after 8-10 hours of sewing or every time you start a new project. That said, this really depends on your usage and sewing machine. If you regularly sew heavyweight fabrics or layers of fabric, then you will need to change it more frequently. 

Below are four scenarios that you definitely need to change the sewing machine needle:

• Your machine is making an unusual thumping sound as the needle pierce through the fabric.
• Dull needle causing skipped stitches, uneven stitches and thread breaking or fraying.
• Needle is bend or broken.
• When you need a different needle size or type for the fabric and/or thread you are using.

Needles are inserted into your sewing machine in different ways depending on which brand and model your sewing machine is. It is best to check your sewing machine manual for the correct needle replacement instructions. 

Finishing off

Here are some of the sewing machine needles for your consideration. Just again, remember that the lighter weight your combined fabric is, the smaller needle size you will want to use. Not to forget to take into consideration the type of fabric and thread you are using.

• SCHMETZ
• Organ Needle
• SINGER
• Klasse Needle

With so much options, fret not. You can kick-start your sewing journey with the essential sewing tools in this list that can be of big help to you for most of your sewing projects. As a beginner sewist and as tempting as it may be to build a fully equipped sewing tools box, you won’t want to burn a hole in your pocket especially when sewing is an expensive hobby. 

Sewing Machine

Finding a suitable and affordable sewing machine is the first step and first essential sewing tool you must have. A right sewing machine is going to be your capable partner who makes all your sewing projects done easily. 

With a wide range of sewing machines in the market that offer different functions and features, it is going to be challenging to know which sewing machine to get. Janome, Juki, Brother, Singer and Bernina are some of the well-known sewing machine brands which produce reliable sewing machines that have price tag from S$100+ to few thousands dollars. 

Your sewing machine doesn’t need to be expensive with a lot of stitches and operations as it is unlikely you will ever need all of them. At the core of sewing, you only need a straight stitch and zig zag stitch to accomplish sewing for almost all sewing projects. 

Ultimately, get one sewing machine that feed your primary sewing needs and fall within your budget.

Measuring Tape

A measuring tape is one of the necessary tools that you have to keep in your sewing tools box. Being soft and flexible in texture, it is commonly use in taking body measurements. However this ruler is more often used for daily tasks like measuring fabric and drafting patterns. 

There are two ways for measuring using the measuring tape, namely the Metric measurements and Imperial measurements. Metric measurements is measurements in centimeters, millimeters and meters whereas the Imperial measurements is measurements in inches, feet and fractions of inches.

In Singapore, we usually measure in centimeters and meters. On the measuring tape, these measurements are usually marked with inches on one side and centimeters / millimeters on the other. 

The most common length of a measuring tape for measuring body is 45 inches / 1.5 meters long. 

Straight Rulers

A straight ruler comes in handy when making markings on fabrics and drawing patterns. It is your best friend when you need to mark the position for your buttonholes, points to start and stop sewing for an opening, connecting dots with a straight line and to measure seam allowance.

It is ideal to have one 30cm straight ruler and a 15cm straight ruler for smaller measurements. Transparent rulers are great option as you can see where you are putting the ruler on. 

Fabric Markers

You will be surprised at how often you use them throughout your dressmaking or accessories or embroidery or quilting projects. There are a few types of fabric markers – Chalk, Air dissolve pen, Water dissolve pen and Heat dissolve pen. Be sure to choose the one that works with your project as you want to remove any marking on your end products before mailing to your customers, family members or friends. 

For dressmaking and accessories making, fabric markers are useful in outlining the sewing pattern on the fabric before cutting it, and good for marking certain positions on the fabric. 

In quilting projects, drawing the quilting lines onto your fabric before sewing will allow you to have a good overview of your placement and to ensure that your stitching will be on-target. 

Before you start embroidery, you will need to transfer your design onto the fabric with the help of fabric markers and transfer papers.

Fabric markers for sewing are not the same as fabric markers designed for decorating your t-shirt. If you use the wrong type, the markings may be permanent and won’t look presentable for your sewing projects. 

Sewing Pins and Pincushion (Pin Cushion)

Sewing pins, also known as dressmaker or seamstress pins, are used to hold pattern onto the fabric to prevent shifting during cutting, keeping the fabrics and materials in place before or during sewing, and marking position on the fabric where you need to start and stop sewing. 

In the market, there are a variety of sewing pins with different thickness, length and pinheads made of different materials. Each with their own purpose. Generally, have lots of pins with visible heads as they will work for most of your sewing needs and they make sure you are always ready for your next sewing project. 

A pincushion is a small stuffed cushion which is used to hold the pins and needles upright to keep them organised and free of accidental pricks. It can be placed on your sewing table. Some sewists crafted it into an adjustable elastic wristband. 

Sewing Fabric Clips

Sewing fabric clips are colorful flat back clips which comes in small and big sizes. Each clip opens wide enough to hold layers of fabrics and materials like zipper together thus keeping the stack in order. 
Unlike sewing pins, these clips won’t prick you or leave holes on your fabrics. 

Despite being easier to use and handle, these clips are only great to use on the edges whereas sewing pins are more flexible which can be use anywhere on the fabrics. 

Make sure to have a handful of these fabric clips because you will be clipping here and there during sewing. 

Thread Cutter

A thread cutter has sharp blades which makes it easy to snip off loose threads from seam and fabric, giving you the smoothest cut with no fray. Some use it as an alternative for a seam ripper to remove unwanted stitches since the sharp point is able to slip under the thread too.

It is a necessary tool to have to make your seam and stitches neat and professional looking. 
Although most sewing machines come with thread cutter mounted on them or high-end sewing machines has automatic thread cutting function, some still prefer to use a thread cutter to snip off thread after sewing. 

Seam Ripper

When sewing mistakes happened, a seam ripper is your saviour by removing any unwanted stitches out of your fabric without ruining it. 

The sharp tip on one side of a seam ripper allows easier insertion in tight stitching. To pick out one thread at a time, insert the sharp tip into the seam underneath the thread and lift upwards. The round tip on the opposite side can remove the full seams. 

Once done, the loose ends can be pull out from the fabric and you can resew the seam.

Fabric Scissors (Dressmaking Scissors / Sewing Shears)

A fabric scissors is specially designed just for cutting fabric and thread. 

Using scissors that is not dedicated for cutting fabric or dull fabric scissors will cause uneven fabric cutting, shredded fabric and hand fatigue. If budget allows, invest in a high-quality fabric scissors to keep your fabric cutting accurate and prevent damaging your fabric. 

One important tip is keeping your fabric scissors safe in your sewing tools box away from other stationery to avoid it from being used for other purpose which will spoil the blades. 

Needle Threader 

A needle threader is a small device to help put thread through the eye of a needle. Be it to cut the hassle or to avoid straining your eyes, using a needle threader will solve all the difficulties you face when threading a sewing needle. 

It is very easy to use which can put the thread through in three seconds! Hold a needle with one hand and the needle threader with another while putting the wire loop of the needle threader through the eye of the needle. Insert your thread into the wire loop then pull the wire loop and thread back together through the eye of the needle. 

You can use the needle threader to thread your sewing machine too if your sewing machine does not come with a threading function. One thing to note is to use the needle threader with a needle that has an eye large enough for the thread and wire to go through. 

Pressing Tools – Iron, Ironing Board and Spray Bottle

Pressing tools play an important role in all sewing projects that draw a line between poorly made and professionally made sewing product. Iron, ironing board, spray bottle and pressing cloth (muslin or silk organza) are the 4 essential pressing tools. 

The first thing you have to do before cutting any fabric is to iron your fabric to ensure that it is wrinkle free thus preventing inaccurate cutting that will put your sewing project at risk. 

It is necessary to press your fabric in between each step as you sew in order to achieve amazing end results. Pressing is often needed when you need to open curves and flatten seams. 

Hand Sewing Needles

Hand sewing needles come in varies sizes (length and thickness), different types of points and eye holes, that serve different purpose. The most common hand sewing needles for general sewing is called Sharps. Sharps are medium length needles and usually thin with sharp points that is suitable for most fabrics. 

With the abundance of having a sewing machine, there will still be times when hand sewing is still required. Times like:

• Closing an opening using whip-stitching to hide the stitches
• Temporary holding layers of fabric steadily together as they go through the sewing machine
• Attaching decorative embellishments such as buttons, beads to your project
• Mending rips and tears in clothing 

For specialised crafts like stitching leather material or doing embroidery, you will need specialty needles. For instance, if you decided to hand embroidery name or wordings on your project to give a personal touch, you cannot do it without your hand embroidery needles. 

Sewing Machine Needles

Sewing machine needles come in different sizes. The type of sewing machine needles you need will depend on the material of the fabric, fabric thickness and the kind of sewing project you will be doing. There are needles dedicated for sewing thick fabric like denim and leather, and needles specially for finer fabric like silk. 

The numbers on the sewing machine needle packages represent the thickness of the fabric you are able to sew with the needles. The larger the numbers the thicker the fabric you can sew. Contrarily, smaller numbers are for sewing finer fabrics.

Most of the sewing machine needles in the market can be used in all sewing machines with the exception of a minority sewing machine like Sergers, Overlock machines and embroidery machines that require specific needles to work well. Schmetz is one of the sewing machine needles that works well with all sewing machine brands.

Using the right sewing machine needles for your sewing project is crucial in preventing your needle from breaking or damaging your fabric or having any frustration during sewing. 

Read more on the different types of sewing machine needles.

Threads

Threads are essential in sewing. Without it, you cannot sew anything. 

Choosing the right thread for your sewing project is a big step to a successful outcome. Thread that is too thin or weak in material can cause a project to break apart while thread that is too thick or coarse can tear the fabric. Investing in good quality thread like Gütermann helps to keep your sewing machine in good condition and avoid any frustration during and after sewing. 

The type of sewing you are doing will determine the kind of thread you need. Cotton and 100% Polyester threads are the two widely used thread type as they are suitable for all kinds of projects and types of fabric including stretch. 

To start and keep it simple, you can purchase the basic colors such as white, black, cream and blue for your threads kit first as they generally can match with all fabric patterns.

At times, you have a fabric that you love on first sight or perhaps you have one or two favorite colors but are scratching your head on what other fabrics will go well with it in order to achieve that final captivating look you desire. 

This is the point where you can follow two simple directions to kick-start mixing and matching fabrics – Patterns or Colors. Through these two directions, you are able to create a variety of fabric combinations based on the fabric pattern or color you love. 

Of course you can too apply these guidelines, which are pretty straightforward and highly versatile, throughout your life whenever you need patterns or colors matching from web design to make-up to home styling.

In this article, we are going to talk about mixing and matching patterns with a little coverage on colors.

For mixing and matching colors, you can read our article at this link. 

Let’s get started on the simple guidelines that will help you put up your own fabric combinations for your next sewing or quilting project!

Start with A Fabric Pattern You Love

This is the fabric pattern that will determine what makes all the other patterns and colors work nicely together. To start, you can build up to three (e.g. one solid color and two patterns) around this pattern. 

Choosing colors is the most exciting part of this journey. The only rule is to stick with one or two colors from the color palette you will create out of your favorite fabric in this step. 

To create a color palette out of this fabric pattern, you don’t have to look at the color wheel nor do you have to think of any other colors aside from what you see on this fabric pattern. With the colors combination already decided by the fabric pattern designer, go ahead to draw out the colors from this fabric pattern effortlessly and lay them on the table. 

At the same time, pick one or two colors that pop to be your base colors for the other fabrics.

Next, determine whether your fabric pattern is organic or geometric. This is to help you pick your next one or two fabric patterns. 

Does your primary fabric has organic or geometric pattern? 

If your first choice of fabric pattern is organic inspired, you are going to want to choose a geometric next. If your first choice is geometric, you will want to choose something nature inspired.

Organic Pattern

An organic pattern is of shapes and forms which are typically irregular or asymmetrical. Instead, organic patterns are akin to shapes with a natural look with defined lines and can have movement. Since organic patterns are associated with things from the natural world, some examples of organic patterns include leaves, clouds and animals.

Geometric Pattern

A geometric pattern is a kind of repeated pattern formed by geometric shapes like lines, squares, circles, rectangles, ovals, triangles, pentagons, hexagons, octagons, diamonds and stars. These shapes create a lot of interesting complex and simple geometric pattern design. Polka dots or stripes are the simplest geometric patterns. 

Consider Pattern Scale (size)

Your choice of patterns combinations should be in different scales so that it will be more smoothing for the eyes without being too busy. 

To make it visually interesting, you can try these combinations: 

• One large scale pattern, one medium scale pattern and one small scale pattern
• One large scale pattern and two small or medium scale pattern

Large scale patterns work best on large pieces like curtains and bed sheets, while medium scale patterns tend to work better on pillow cases and tote bags. You can take these into consideration though there are some exceptions like dresses look good in varies scales. 

Go with Your Instincts

At the end of the day, not everything has to match perfectly and the sky is the only limit when it comes to mixing and matching fabrics.

Have fun playing around with all the patterns and colors till you find the fabrics combination that you fell in love with and is a feast to your eyes. The one rule that you should really keep is the color rule because chances are the combination will work just fine if you follow the color rule. 

When in doubt, remember to keep it simple as less is really more. 

To eliminate any uncertainty feeling and to finalize the combination, lay down all your choices and look at them few days later. If your first fabrics combination choice still gives you butterflies, you have your answer. 

To take the stress out of the color matching process, all we need is to based on a color wheel.

Not only can you use these tips when mixing and matching colors for your next sewing or quilting project, there are plenty of scenarios where these tips come in handy too. Scenarios like painting your home, selecting your OOTD or designing for your Instagram stories.

Forming Your Color Palette

To create a particular look or feel, use the color wheel to find your perfect color combination. This is made simple by applying the commonly used color harmony rules like Monochrome Color, Complementary Color, Split Complementary Color, Analogous Color and Square Color. Doing so will ensure a harmonic balance of colors based on the color you have set as the base color. Aside, color temperature also play a crucial role in this which will be covered near the end. 

Adobe Color has provided an online tool to help us create our own color palette with your first color choice as the base color, check it out at https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel. 

The colors you pick for your design play a key role in the final outcome as color influences the message you want to project to your audiences. It can be showing your personality or evoking a particular feeling. So before we move on, let’s do a quick touch base on the color wheel to have a basic understanding on the relationship between colors. 

RYB Color Wheel

There are three types of color wheels. The RYB (red, yellow, blue) color wheel is typically used in art and design education particularly painting while the RGB (red, green, blue) color wheel is designed for on screen purpose like web design. Lastly, CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black)) color wheel is solely used for color printing.

For fabrics color combination, we are using the RYB color wheel. 

What is Primary Colors?

Primary colors is the basis for every other color where you can create any color on the color wheel just by mixing the three primary colors (Red, Blue and Yellow) together. 

What is Secondary Colors? 

The three secondary colors are found in the middle of each primary color on the color wheel. The secondary colors are created by mixing an equal amount of the two primary colors on each side:

• Green: 50% Blue + 50% Yellow
• Orange: 50% Red + 50% Yellow
• Purple: 50% Red + 50% Blue

What is Tertiary Colors?

Tertiary colors are combination of one primary color with one secondary color. There are six tertiary colors on the RYB color wheel:

• Amber: Yellow (Primary) + Orange (Secondary)
• Chartreuse: Yellow (Primary) + Green (Secondary)
• Teal: Blue (Primary) + Green (Secondary)
• Violet: Blue (Primary) + Purple (Secondary)
• Magenta: Red (Primary) + Purple (Secondary)
• Vermilion: Red (Primary) + Orange (Secondary)

Color Harmony Rules

1. Monochrome Colors

Monochrome means one color. You can build a monochrome color palette by putting together the various color shades, tints, and tones of your favorite color (the base color). Usually we keep to between three to seven colors on one monochromatic color palette. 

If you are unsure which color to set as your base color, go with the dominant color. Dominant color is the first color we notice when we look at a fabric.

Since contrasts is an important factor to avoid it from being boring, be sure to choose a mixture of lighter and darker versions of the base color. You can build a color palette by putting together the various color shades, tones or tints of the base color.

• Shades: Base color + Black
• Tones: Base color + Gray
• Tints: Base color + White

2. Complementary Colors

Complementary colors are two colors located across from each other on the color wheel. Because the two colors are totally different, this combination provides a high contrast impact thus making it more prominent and eye catching as compared to others.

Thanks to this factor, a pair of complementary colors is often used to capture the audience’s attention by having a smaller amount for one complementary color. Examples of complementary colors are:

• Red, Green
• Yellow, Violet
• Blue, Orange

3. Split Complementary Colors

A split complementary color palette is basically a variation of a complementary color palette. 
Rather than a mixture of two opposite colors on the color wheel, it is made up of three colors where a base color is used with the two analogous colors of its complementary color. This ends up with a balance combination of warm and cool colors.

As compared to complementary color palette, split complementary color palette is less vibrant and eye-catching. This factor is also its advantage as it is less intense making it more pleasing for the eyes. 

One way to draw your audience’s attention to the important part is to use the two analogous colors for most part of your design with touches of the third color as the accent color to make the important information pop. 

4. Analogous Colors

Analogous colors are the three colors that lie side by side to each other on the color wheel. To make an analogous color palette, choose the two colors on each side of your favorite color. If you prefer one more, you can extend it further outwards. 

They usually consist of one primary color, one secondary color and a tertiary color that is a mix of the two. Some examples of analogous colors are

• Red, Vermilion, Orange 
• Yellow, Chartreuse, Green
• Blue, Violet, Purple

5. Square Colors

This is one of the lesser known color harmony rule and is usually not one of the top choices for most. A square color palette consists of four colors evenly spaced out on the color wheel; forming a square on the color wheel. 

Thanks to it being less common, you can seize the opportunity to use this in your project to set you apart from the rest. Since it is a very colorful palette, it works best when you want to attract attention in a dramatic manner. 

Because there’s a lot of contrasts built within this square color palette, it can end up projecting a fun and vibrant feel or an old school feel. To make it work on the former, let one color be the dominating color or allow neural colors to take the center stage with the square colors as accent colors. 

Warm vs Cool Colors

Not only does color temperature plays an essential part in color theory and application, each color temperature can evoke certain feelings in people. This is crucial because you have to be mindful of how your creations will affect people emotions when working with colors. 

By having an understanding of warm and cool colors, and how they interact with one another, it will automatically makes any design project easier and able to help you to take your work to the next level.
The color wheel is split in half between warm and cool colors, which are each other complementary colors.

In general, warm colors are those in the red, orange, and yellow families, while cool colors are those in the green, blue, and purple families. As each name indicates, warm colors remind you of warm things such as sunlight and fire while cool colors remind you of calming things like sky and snow which are smoothing to look at. 

Since warm colors contain higher amounts of reds and yellows, they can also make one feel very aggressive. On the other hand, cool colors contain higher amounts of blue which are much less aggressive though it can also make one feel loneliness and sadness. 

Truth is, every color family has both warm and cool colors depending on their undertone. For example, cool blues have a greenish undertone, while warm blues have a reddish undertone.

Neutral Colors

Although neutral colors are hardly noticeable but they play a very important role in mixing and matching colors. By including neutral colors into your color palette, it acts as the background for the vibrant colors and helps them to pop.

Each neutral color often has their own hidden undertones and can be on the warm or cool colors sides. Black, beige, tan, gold, cream, ivory are examples of warm neutral colors. White, grey, silver are on the cool side. If you have warm colors as main go for the warm neutrals and if you have cool colors as main go with the cool neutrals.  

Concluding on mixing and matching fabrics using color wheel

Don’t let the color theory scare you, your message will be convey effectively with the right mood evoked to your audiences when the colors are in harmony. Simply start with one color and be bold to experiment with all the color theory above. By keeping to the color harmonies rules, it is the safest bet that everything will turn out stunning. 

One way to help you put a tick beside one of your color palettes is to post it on your social media and get your followers or friends to pick their favorite color palette. Not only does this help you to decide, you can also gain insight on what your audiences likes and dislikes. 

To end off, let your imagination go wild on the color wheel!

Stay tuned and be patient. Your patience will be well paid.