5 Favourite Affordable Sewing Tools That Upped My Sewing Game

There are certain small tasks in sewing that can feel unnecessarily fiddly and time consuming e.g. turning a strap inside out, looping elastic through a waistband. The good news is that there are several simple and affordable tools out there that will make sewing so much more of an enjoyable experience.

Over the years I’ve been sewing, I have accumulated some inexpensive sewing tools that have completely changed the game for me and I’d like to share my top five with you. These are by no means must-haves but rather, nice-to-have sewing tools that will make sewing more convenient. So here’s my list.

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1. Measuring gauge for seam allowances

A small, yellow, plastic sewing gauge with various measurements marked in black and red, shown against a white fabric background. The tool features several notched edges labeled with common sewing increments like 5/8, 1/4, and 2 inches.

As someone who is used to the metric measuring system, it took me a while to get used to seam allowances that are in inches. This handy little sewing gauge tool has been a life saver as it goes up in quarter inch increments, and each tip of the tool has a specific seam allowance measurement.

Unlike the sliding sewing gauge, this tool has fixed edges that correspond to a particular seam allowance. I got this at a craft shop and it’s such a widely used tool so I know you’ll easily be able to get your hands on it. You can also get a measuring gauge similar to mine online.

2. Finger Pressing Tool

A slim, light gray finger pressing tool for sewing, positioned vertically on a white fabric background. The tool has a wide, flat top with a thumb indent and tapers down to a sharp point at the bottom.

This finger pressing tool is angled, with a heavier weighted end on one side and a pointy tip on the other. The heavier end gives you enough pressure to press seams open so that you don’t always have to reach for your iron all the time.

It’s certainly not a replacement for your iron, but for those moments when you just need to quickly open a seam and keep moving it’s perfect.

3. Bodkins

Three different metal bodkin tools for sewing are arranged vertically on a white fabric background. From left to right: a long safety-pin style bodkin, a small needle-like bodkin with a large diamond-shaped eye, and a tweezer-style bodkin with a sliding ring to lock the g

Before I got my pair of bodkins, I was using safety pins to thread elastic and drawstrings through channels. While this is standard and even what I say in my sewing tutorials, safety pins can pop open, pierce your finger or snag your fabric as you guide it through the channel opening.It worked, but it was a whole ordeal — pulling it through slowly, praying it wouldn’t pop open mid-tunnel and snag the fabric. Not a good time.

The set I have usually comes with two pieces. The first is more like a large needle with an eye through which you loop your ribbon or cord. You then secure it and guide it through whatever opening you’re working with.

The second piece is the one that really changed the game for me. It’s like a pair of tweezers with a small ring/washer that slides along its length. You open the pinchers, grip your elastic (or whatever you would like to guide through an opening), then slide the down towards the pinchers up to grip the elastic in place. As you pull the bodkin through the channel, the ring also helps keep the channel open as it moves through.

4. Loop turner

A long, thin metal loop turner tool lies horizontally against a white fabric background. It features a large circular ring handle on the right and a tiny latch hook at the tip of the slender rod on the left.

I have no words to describe how much I love my loop turner. It has made turning straps and narrow tubes of fabric so much easier! In order to use it, feed the loop turner in through one end of your tube of fabric all the way to the other end. Pierce and secure the fabric at the opposite end, and then use the ring of the loop turner to pull your strap right side out.

5. Point turners

Two long, bamboo wooden point turner tools are positioned vertically side-by-side on a white fabric background. Both tools have a rounded top with a small circular hole for hanging, and they taper down.

For most of my early sewing life, I was using a chopstick or a big plastic crochet hook to push out corners. These worked well, honestly, but a point turner is such a nice tool to have as it not only has a blunt point but also a long, tapering edge that lets you really open up a corner rather than just pushing it out in one spot. You can find all point turners made from different materials, but my pair of point turners are made from bamboo and have served me pretty well.

That’s my round up of my favourite sewing tools. Let me know in the comments what other inexpensive sewing tools have transformed your sewing. Which from my list do you have?

If you’d like to read my review of AliExpress sewing tools, check that on my other blog post.

Happy Sewing!