Whether you're a novice in the sewing and crafting world or a veteran seamstress with years of experience, one thing that we always endeavour to do is help out each and every one of our customers to the best of our abilities. This is a goal of ours in both of our stores as well as online through our website, where a lot of customers who pay us a visit come in search of Haberdashery items. In today's blog, I have put together a little checklist of Haberdashery items that I think should be in everyone's sewing kit - I imagine I would have a hard time trying to sew without any of them! All of these items that I have included are available to purchase from Calico Laine at both of our stores as well as online. Gutermann Sew-All Thread - This wonderful thread is highly recommended, and is favoured by sewing enthusiasts for its ability to sew through practically any fabric without shredding or fraying. The Gutermann Sew-All range has so many shades available, it has to be seen to be believed - no matter what colour your fabric is, you are guaranteed to find a great match for it amongst these threads. If you are sewing a lot of one particular fabric, check to see if a bigger reel size is available in the colour that you need; these bigger reels are more economical when it comes to price, and will save you money in the long run. Scissors - When it comes to cutting fabric, it is incredibly important to have the right pair of scissors for the job. Buying a pair made especially for dressmaking from our Haberdashery range is something that we always recommend, and we always advise that you should never consider using a pair that were not created for this purpose as it does not achieve a smooth cut and it can damage fabric (and sometimes it can be so bad that the fabric is beyond repair). At Calico Laine, our staff use dressmaking scissors from the Fiskars range, which are available in both left-handed and right-handed varieties. Quick Un-Pick - Have you sewn a seam that just didn't turn out the way you wanted it to? Don't worry - it happens to all of us, no matter how experienced we are! Mistakes are easy to make, especially if you are only just beginning to learn how to sew, but it is not the end of the world. A quick un-pick (also known as a stitch ripper or seam ripper) is made for removing unwanted stitches from fabric without having to resort to using scissors or other sharp objects. We do recommend that a quick unpick is NOT used on sheer or thin fabrics, however, as they are easily damaged if not handled delicately. Pin Cushion - Pins have a habit of escaping from storage, and so it is best to keep them somewhere safe before they cause injury. We recommend buying a pin cushion for this purpose, and our most popular one is our Prym Magnetic Pin Cushion. This great Haberdashery item is an easy and safe way to keep track of your pins, and also to keep them from falling out of your sewing box when they are not being used. We also stock a few other varieties of pin cushions including versions that strap to your wrist or around your fingers for easy use. Do you have any recommendations of your own when you are buying Haberdashery items? Let us know on our Facebook page – we love hearing back from our customers!