I’m pleased to report that I have the perfect sewing kit for my family. Your sewing kit should fit your personal needs. Organization is a must if you will be able to find those odd little things you need in a hurry. Keep those things that you will use, which will not necessarily be the same things that another person will have need of in a kit. Store your sewing kit in a place that’s easy to get to.

My sewing kit is a canvas tackle box with lots of pockets. This works great for my needs. I like having a pocket to poke the zippers I save from old clothing before discarding it, making something new from it, or making rags of it. It’s convenient for me to have my scissors and similar items in the long front pocket.

I love the sporting goods section of the discount store. The small plastic storage boxes that cost a lot in the craft store are quite reasonable in sporting goods. Fishermen get great storage boxes at low prices! The little sections in these boxes designed for fishhooks and the like are great for snaps, hooks, grommets, buttons, etc. Larger plastic boxes store thread, bobbins, crochet hooks, and utensils.

There’s still room for a few patterns, tracing paper, crochet thread, and other items.

Sewing Kit Ideas (Items to Assemble & Organize):
Thread (all kinds)
String
Yarn
Pins
Safety Pins (assorted sizes)
Needles (sewing, upholstery, assortment)
Elastic (various sizes)
Seam Binding
Bias Tape
Zippers
Buttons
Velcro
Hooks & Eyes
Snaps
Grommets/Pliers (for tents & bags)
Patches (iron-on & sew-on)
Wooden Darner
Sailor’s Palm (for sails & tents)
Pin Cushion
Thimbles
Seam Ripper
Scissors (big & little)
Awl
Needle Threaders
Magnifying Glass
Hem Gauge
Marking Pencils
Tailor Chalk
Pencils
Tracing Wheel
Tracing Paper
Measuring Tape
Crochet Hooks
Patterns
Instructions
Lace, Ribbon, & Scraps
Sewing Machine Oil
Tools
Bobbins
Fabric Softener Sheet
Velcro closures or strips
Iron-on fusible web (for non-sewing closures)

You could use any bag or container that is portable and organized. Different thickness and color threads will come in handy at mending time. Clear nylon thread will always come in handy. Safety pins have many uses, even the larger diaper pins. The larger safety pins are great for threading elastic through a skirt or pants top. Crochet hooks can be useful even if you don’t crochet. Use one to pull the snag back through your sweater. You might also add a small non-colored beeswax candle for waxing thread to keep it from snagging and breaking. Save old zippers, buttons, hooks & eyes from old clothes before discarding or making rags of them. Use your old cotton clothing for bandages for your first aid kit and rags for household use. Scraps of old jeans make great sew-on patches. Make new things from old clothing. That dress that grew too short might make a nice skirt by cutting it off just below the armholes and adding a waste band or running elastic through the top. That old shirt might make a good apron. That ugly thing Aunt Jessie gave you years ago that has been taking up space in the back of the closet might make good pillow cases or kitchen towels. Be thrifty and wise.

Here are some helpful sites to help you organize your sewing kit.

Create A Sewing Kit
Learn an economic and realistic way to create the best sewing kit for any gift giving occasion.
http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa112400a.htm

How to Make an Emergency Sewing Kit
This is for the little kit you can tuck in your purse.
http://www.ehow.com/how_16826_make-emergency-sewing.html

Assembling Your Sewing Kit (PDF)
http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/77/07645684/0764568477.pdf