Sewing · starter kit
What you need to start sewing
Three things — or four if you’re sewing. Total cost: ~£140 including machine. Everything you need to follow our top course pick, with budget swaps if you’re not sure yet.
Matched to our top course
Following Sewing for Beginners — Machine Confidence? You’ll need the specific items below. That’s the whole point — no generic “best of” list, just the exact kit for the course we recommend.
The top-pick kit
What we'd buy for a friend starting today.
Total: ~£140 including machine. These are the specific items we use and recommend — not the cheapest, not the fanciest, just the ones that get out of your way.
Brother LX17 sewing machine
Our pickReliable, easy to thread, straight and zigzag plus one-step buttonhole. The machine that won't overwhelm you.
Fabric scissors + pins + measuring tape
The three notions every beginner needs before their first project.
Quilting cotton (1m) + polyester thread
Forgiving, affordable, presses beautifully. The ideal learning fabric.
Total to start: ~£140 including machine
See all on AmazonSome links on this page are affiliate links — we earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend things we’d use ourselves.
On a tight budget?
Under £100 if you go for the swaps.
These will absolutely get you through your first course. The top-pick kit is nicer, but the budget kit works while you’re finding out if this is your thing.
Singer M1500 mechanical machine
instead of Brother LX17
Supermarket dressmaking scissors
instead of Fiskars
Old cotton sheets or pillowcases
instead of new quilting cotton
What to skip
What we wouldn't recommend
Machines sold as “for professionals” for £500+
A beginner doesn’t need 50 stitches, embroidery heads or dual feed. You need straight stitch, zigzag, and a one-step buttonhole. Anything more is features you’ll never touch. Start at £100–150, upgrade when (and if) you decide you want to.
Got your kit?
Now pick your course.
We’ve reviewed the best beginner sewing courses — find the one that suits how you like to learn.
Starter-kit questions
- What's the absolute minimum I need to start?
- The three items in the kit above. Anything else is optional — fancy accessories can wait until you know you're sticking with sewing.
- Can I use supplies I already have?
- Yes, where you can. Our budget kit lists the household swaps that work. The only things we'd replace are an ancient machine that skips stitches.
- Why do you recommend this specific brand?
- Because we've used it. Each pick is the one we'd buy for a friend starting from zero — not the cheapest, not the most expensive, just the one that gets out of your way and lets you focus on the craft.
Ready when you are
You’ve got the kit. Now make something.
Pick your course and you’ll be making something real within a week.