MOST ESSENTIALS LEARNING COMPETENCIES

• At the end of this lesson you should be able to:

LO 1. Identify sewing tools and equipment and their uses

2.1 Identify sewing tools and equipment

 TOOLS FOR MEASURING

• Tape Measure-This is usually made of

a flexible non-creasing synthetic
material, with smooth surface and edges
and with thin metal ends. The tape
measure is 60 inches on one side with
the corresponding equivalent in
centimeters on the other side.
• Ruler - Rulers are usually
made of transparent or
opaque plastic or plain light
brown wood. The
measurements are usually
indicated on one side of the
tool; one edge measures in
inches and the opposite
edge measures in
centimeters.
• Curved stick - This is
usually made of thin, smooth,
and slightly varnished wood,
or thick cardboard. The tool
is for accurate ruling of
curved lines, which are
usually found in the hemline
and in the side seams of
ladies' skirts.
• French curve - This tool is usually
made of thin, smooth wood or
cardboard. It is used for drawing
curved lines found in the armhole,
neckline, and crotch.  
• Gauge - This can be easily made
by using a firm or thick
cardboard. It is a small
rectangular board, straight on
three sides with the fractional part
of the fourth side cut across
indicating the measurement
needed.
 TOOLS FOR MARKING
Tailor's chalk - This is available
in pencil or in cake form, usually
square in shape and orange in
color. The chalk is hard and
smooth and does not pulverize like
ordinary chalk. The chalk is used
for marking on pattern paper and
on fabric usually on the wrong side
so that the colors do not leave
strong marks on the right side.
• Tracing wheel - This is a
round (less than an inch in
diameter) saw-toothed metal
disk held by a wooden handle
about six inches in length.
 TOOLS FOR CUTTING

• Scissors - These are made of

light iron, chrome plated, painted
or oxidized, or of stainless steel,
and are usually small and light,
hence, they are handy. They are
used for cutting threads, for
trimmings, and for slashing.
• Shears - They are longer and
heavier than scissors. They have
either straight or bent handle.
They are used for general
cutting.
 TOOLS FOR PINNING AND SEWING
• Needles - These are usually made
of fine steel. They have sharp
points and smooth and well-
polished eyes. They are used for
basting and stitching. They come
in different sizes, with the lower
number indicating a larger needle.
Small needles are used for fine
stitching, while larger needles are
used for bigger stitches or coarser
or thick fabrics.
• Pins - These are almost similar
to needles but shorter and less
slender, with no eyes but a
head instead. They are used to
hold folds or pleats of two or
more fabrics temporarily. This
is done usually before basting.
Pins come in varying sizes like
needles, from the finest (silk
pins) which are used for fine
delicate fabrics, to the coarsest
(dressmaker pins) which are
used for paper and thick
fabrics.
• Thread - These are spins of
very thin fibers used for sewing
by hand or machine. It is sold
in spools or balls, the former
being used more popularly for
sewing garments. Most threads
for sewing are mercerized
cotton or plain cotton. Others
include silk, nylon, and Dacron.
• Thimble - It is a metal or
plastic device placed at the tip
of the middle finger, shaped
like a hollowed hat with tiny
depressions all around. It is
used for pushing the needle
into the cloth for easy sewing.
Use a thimble that fits snugly
on your finger for comfortable
and easy use.
• 
• Pincushion - Square or rounded
cushion bag. approximately three to
four inches in length or diameter
filled with sawdust, wool, hair, or
candle scrapping. Cushion cloth can
be velvet, felt, silk, or wool to allow
easy slipping of pins and needles.
• Emery bag - It is similar to
the cushion in size or shaped.
Its fillings, however, maybe
fine sand or fine ground
glass. It is used to remove
rust and dullness of needles
and pins.
 TOOLS FOR PRESSING

• Iron - This comes in various sizes

from light to heavy. Electric irons
usually have heat controls for
different kinds of fabrics. This is
usually indicated at the front,
below its handle.
• Ironing board - This tool
comes in two sizes and is
made either of wood or
metal. It must be stable, flat,
and smoothly padded. Some
ironing board is adjustable in
height. Wood or perforated
metals can suit the individual
purpose of the user. Pads and
covers need to be changed
when tarnished or torn. These
are available in the market.
• 
• Press cloth - Clean and absorbent
cloth, like cotton or muslin, can be
used for ironing some fabrics.
OTHER TOOLS

• Bodkin - This is similar to

a large needle, usually
blunt and not sharp.
• Crochet hook - This is used
to chain loops and other
similar structures. buttons
• Loop turner - This is a
long wire rod with a hook
at one end. It is used in
cloth or fabrics inside out.
 
• Point turner - This is a device
made of wood, bamboo or metal
with a long, flat handle, and
pointed end.
• Ripper - This is a blunt
device similar to a razor
blade. It is used for ripping
sewn edges or folds.
• Tailor's square - This is a
wooden L-shaped device
used for measuring and
dividing lines in drafting
patterns.
 
THE SEWING MACHINE
 PART OF THE SEWING MACHINE

• Spool pin- it is a three-

inch rod structure that
hold the top spool of
thread.
• Thread guides - They hold the
thread in place, from the spool
pin down to the upper thread
tension regulator.
Upper thread tension regulator
– This consists of two small discs
that keep the thread slightly taut. It
regulates the tightness of stitches
and prevents formation of loops in
the fabric.
Wire spring - It is a small, bent
wire located at the left side of the
upper thread tension regulator. It
functions as a thread guide.

 
Take-up lever- It moves down to
loosen the thread in preparation
for the formation of a stitch and it
moves to remove the slack as the
stitch is completed.
• Needle - A sewing machine needle
can be bought in varying sizes. The
most common type of needle used
in sewing ordinary fabrics is size 14.
The needle is attached by loosening
the needle clamp and pushing the
needle up with a flat portion facing
inside. Thread the eye of the needle
from the outside going inside.
Presser foot -It holds the cloth
in place while it is being sewn.
It is located just below the
needle.
Feed dog- It is located directly
beneath the presser foot. It has a
saw-like edge that pushes the
cloth backward as it is being sewn.
Stitch regulator - It is located near
the balance wheel and contains a
lever and numbers indicating the
number of stitches per inch. It
regulates the length of stitches.
produced while sewing.
• Bobbin winder - It is a short rod
beside the balance wheel where
the bobbin is inserted. It is used
to wind the thread in the bobbin.
• Clutch-it is the rounded
structure at the center of the
balance wheel. It disengages the
stitching mechanism of the
machine when loosened.
• Answer Matching Type 1-10 on your Worktext
(Learning and Living) on pages 171-172.