Sewing Kit Essentials and DIY Hacks You’ll Actually Use

From cropped blazers to custom corset tops, your sewing game is about to level up. This guide is packed with essential tools, clever techniques, and beginner-friendly instructions that make every stitch count. Whether you’re building your kit or bringing thrift flips to life, these are the must-haves and hacks that get the job done. Let’s dive in!

Altering Blazer to Cropped Blazer

Difficulty

Easy – Medium – Hard

Materials

• Thrifted Blazer
• Scissors
• Sewing Machine
• Thread
• Pins
• Chalk

Instructions

1. Using a Men’s thrifted blazer, cut just above waist all around (can chalk line across to follow). Save the bottom half for the next part.
2. Seam rip a hole in the sleeve lining seam (should be a few inches wide).
3. Then after flipping the blazer inside-out, pin the lining to the main fabric at the bottom of the blazer to hem (will look like a burrito).
4. Sew shut and flip right side out through the open sleeve hole lining. 
5. Sew hole shut.
   

Optional to make sleeves shorter:

1. Cut sleeves an inch above the wrist (towards the palm of your hand). 
2. Then make the lining a half inch shorter than the main fabric. 
3. Next, holding the lining to the main fabric flip inside out. 
4. Pin the  sleeve together and sew.

Bottom of Blazer to Corset

Difficulty

Easy – Medium – Hard

Materials

• Eyelet Tape
• Black Nylon Cording
• Thrifted Blazer
• Scissors
• Hand Sewing Needle 
• Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Pins
• Chalk
• Separating Zipper

Instructions

1. Taking the bottom half of the men’s blazer, sew the vent shut first.
2. While upside down, bring both sides of the blazer to the front and safety pin blazer in front of you until fitted. Then carefully twist around until the vent is in the center front.
3. Then pin the excess of the bust to create darts on both sides of your bust.
4. Chalk lines down the princess seams to mark where to add the eyelet tape and chalk bust darts.
5. Have someone help to chalk the back seam (or can turn back around and chalk yourself, but may need to be readjusted later).
6. Take off and cut off chalked excess of the blazer from the back seam. 
7. Seam rip the side seams just a bit past the top of the dart, but not fully up the side seam. Pin the two darts in the front bust and copy darts to the front lining.
8. Sew all the darts. Then pin to side seams (there will be excess fabrics from the back side seam) and sew. After, trim the excess fabric off the bottom.
9. Place pins around the chalked princess seams and then carefully cut the princess seams.
10. Cut eyelet tape to size of either side of the princess seam (minus half an inch at bottom for the hem). Then pin eyelet tape sandwiched in-between the princess seam of the main fabric and lining. Sew then flip out to reveal a clean finish. Repeat on all the sides of the princess seam (4 total).
11. Hem bottom of the corset. 
12. Then layer the eyelet over each other. Pin and sew half way down.
13. Lace up the eyelets with a nylon cord.
14. Pin zipper facing inward to side seam. Then flip out and top stitch down. Repeat to  the other side.
15.  Now try on your new corset top!

Asymmetrical Circle Flounce

Difficulty

Easy – Medium – Hard

Materials

• Fabric
• Large circular lid (like a cookie tin lid)
• Chalk
• Yarn
• Ruler
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Lay fabric out.
2. Place the lid in the center of the fabric.  Mark around the lid with chalk.
3. Mark the center of the circle.
4. Then tying a piece of yarn around the chalk, hold yarn taut from the center of the circle to the edge of the fabric. 
5. Move in circular motion, keeping the string held down in the center, until circle is chalked all around.
6. Using a ruler, draw a radius line from the center to outer edge of large circle.
7. From the in between both circles and starting at the line midway down draw a spiral until it reconnects to the circle.
8. Cut all around the circle. Cut down radius. Then cut out center circle.
9. Now you have a flounce!
   

Magnetic Cutting Mat

Difficulty

Easy – Medium – Hard

Materials

• Cutting Mat
• Circle Magnets
• Metal Sheet – galvanized steel (from hardware store)
• Fabric
• Pattern
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Place the metal sheet underneath the cutting mat.
2. Lay fabric on top of mat.
3. Place patterns onto fabric and then add magnets to the edges of the pattern.
4. Patterns should be secured and now you can take your scissors and easily cut out your fabric!

Ribbon Flower

Difficulty

Easy – Medium – Hard

Materials

• Black Ribbon
• White Ribbon
• Lighter
• Candle
• Tweezers
• Hand Sewing Needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. Cut 4 pieces of black ribbon and 4 pieces of white ribbon. Cut the top of each ribbon into a U.
2. Light a candle.
3. Then taking the tweezers, hold the ribbon and melt along the edges of the U to create a petal like formation.
4. Pleat the bottom of the petal and melt to hold shape. Repeat to all ribbons.
5. Hold the ribbon pieces and form a cross with the black petals. Then add in the white in an X formation.
6. Hand sew the center down.

Chopstick Bow

Difficulty

Easy – Medium – Hard

Materials

• Chopsticks
• Tape
• Ribbon
• Button

Instructions

1. Tape chopsticks hanging off the table about 6” apart.
2. Take a long piece of ribbon, holding a long tail, start to wrap around two times.
3. Then take the ends and tie a knot. 
4. Cut off ends to desired length and remove from chopsticks.
5. Add flower ribbon to bow and sew together. And lastly top with a fancy button!