In the earliest recordings of the word, a haberdasher was simply “a seller of various small articles of trade.” Nowadays, haberdashery has become strictly a sewing term, covering all those items we surround ourselves with. On account of our utilitarian ethos, we rarely dabble in some of the flashier products like sequins. We like rivets and industrial sash cord for our bags and, for simplicity’s sake, we tend to avoid zippers and buttons in dress construction. In this chapter we introduce a small sampling of haberdashery, with a little history thrown in.
Once upon a time, thread came on lovely wooden reels with charming designs printed on round labels, top and bottom. Invariably it was made from cotton and so we called it cotton. Today though, we are more likely to be working with the ubiquitous sew-all multipurpose thread. Made from 100 percent polyester and slippery as silk, it resists knotting and is the professionals’ choice for its strength, durability and endless range of colors. Sometimes however, you will need a specialist thread according to the cloth and nature of your project.
POLYESTER THREAD Usually labelled “sew-all” or “all-purpose,” this is the thread you will see in your local sewing shop. It has the widest range of colors and is suitable for all types of fabric. It is the first choice for nearly every nonspecialist sewing task and it is ideal both for hand sewing and machine use. It is also highly resistant to unexpected knotting.
COTTON THREAD Use for light and medium-weight cotton fabrics that have little or no stretch to them. Cotton thread is essential if you want to dye the fabric. It is not as strong as sew-all thread, having no elasticity, so your stitching can break if it is used on a stretchy fabric.
SILK THREAD This is the best option for fabric that has stretch to it. It has more “give” than sew-all thread and is made for use with delicately woven, thin fabrics such as those used for lingerie. Although you should always use silk thread for finer silks, don’t use it for chunkier or raw silks.
HEAVY-DUTY THREAD Made for sewing strong and durable stitches in particularly stiff or heavy fabrics such as strong canvas or upholstery. Jeans thread and upholstery thread will match the heavier weight of your fabric and are much better suited to the demands of these weighty cloths.
TOPSTITCHING THREAD A heavier weight thread designed to make topstitching stand out rather than look like a deep scratchy line on your project. It can look much better than standard threads on heavier fabrics where the stitching can disappear into the fabric.
Despite its tiny size, the humble pin bears a lot of responsibility in the sewing process. There is a vast array of pins made for every application from fine silk to upholstery and so much more. In general, we use dressmaking, entomology, glass-headed and toilet pins. Buy the best you can, and if you are using a specialist fabric, match it to a specialist pin.
Stainless steel pins are the most common and, for our purposes, the most useful. They are fabricated from corrosion-resistant wire that is hard to bend, allegedly, though try explaining that to a careless sewing machine. Our size of choice is 11/4 in (size 20)/ 30 by 0.6 mm. For brass and mild-steel alternatives, a nickel finish is applied to ensure they remain as shiny as new pins.
Standard pins have a sharp point, but you can also find extra sharp as well as ballpoint for knitted fabrics.
Some sewers prefer to use glass-headed pins for all dressmaking. They are easy to find in the fabric and the large head makes them easy to handle while preventing them from slipping through open-weave fabrics. They are heat-resistant, unlike plastic-headed pins, which quite frankly fail to earn a place in our dressmaking world.
Although originally intended for pinning butterflies and the like, we find these long, fine, exquisite pins are an essential workroom ally. The better versions will be enamelled and hence will not corrode to leave a mark in your fabric. This makes them first choice for very fine silks and antique fabrics, and a joy to use. Note: entomology pins often have a nylon head so be sure to remove them before pressing.
Traditionally long and strong glass-headed pins, to be used for thick layers of fabric or heavy weights like denim. They are also especially useful in curtain making.
We love these just for their name. They are the tiniest of ultrafine, small-headed pins for fine fabrics and sheers. Indispensable for very fine appliqué and lace work.
These are traditionally colored for lace making so that you can use the colors to follow the pattern. As they have finer heads than glass-headed pins, they are more accurate to place and less likely to get caught.
Pins pictured from left to right: standard, lillikins or duchesse, dipped-headed, glass-headed, cawkins or toilet, and entomology.
Needles are, of course, at the very heart of sewing, with archaeological finds uncovering truly ancient examples fashioned from animal bone. For most sewing projects we do not go far beyond the stalwart sharp. As eyes get older, the easy-thread type becomes a real friend, especially when used under the glare of a 150-watt bare lightbulb.
These medium-length needles are the most popular needle for hand sewing and feature a sharp point with a round eye. Much like pins, there are different qualities available, the most premium being coated with a mixture of platinum and titanium. However, the stainless steel or good old-fashioned nickel-coated varieties have yet to let us down. Needle sizes are chosen according to the fabric you are stitching:
Sizes 2, 3 and 4 |
Suitable for medium to heavy fabrics |
Sizes 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 |
Suitable for light to medium fabrics |
Sizes 11 and 12 |
Suitable for fine fabrics or small delicate stitching |
Needles pictured from left to right: sharps, between, easy-thread, long darner, straw, mattress, darner, curved repair.
These needles are very short and fine with a small round eye and are the best needles for slip stitch and hemming. Their short length renders them easy to maneuver to create quick and even stitching, making them a favorite of the artful tailor while being similarly well suited to the fine art of quilting. Sizes range from 3 to 12, and we recommend starting with a size 7 or 8.
These are traditionally used in hat making, hence they are also known as milliner’s needles. They are extra long with round eyes and are ideal for speedy tacking, basting and pleating. Straws are available in sizes 3 to 10 and should be chosen according to the demands of your cloth.
Also known as calyx eye needles, these have a slotted eye at the top through which the thread is passed. They are specially made for people who have difficulty threading ordinary needles.
These are serious needles with long eyes suitable for thick thread or yarn. As the name suggests, they are the perfect choice for darning your socks and also do a good job of more industrious mending projects.
These are more like straws and can handle not only darning but also basting and layering fabrics together.
This type of needle is really useful for awkward tasks as the bend puts the point right where you can find it, especially in a tight corner. It may take a little getting used to but it will be worth it.
A very long needle designed to go right through a cushion or thinner mattress. We use this straight sewing needle for securing covered buttons onto our cushions.
Without fastenings, most of our clothes would be loose, floppy and more revealing than anyone is comfortable with. For the sake of simplicity in our dress patterns, we tend to avoid zippers and buttons, but there will always come a point when two pieces of cloth need to be held together in use.
There must be as many buttons in the world as grains of sand. They are vastly collectible and can make or break a sewing project. The gamut of sizes, styles, materials and colors is infinite, from the standard transparent two-hole shirt number to the bespoke covered button with your own choice of cloth; they are a neat and simple way to stamp your personality on a garment. You can spend a fortune or join the ranks of thrift shop raiders, liberating old dresses and coats for a nice set of buttons at a bargain price.
For all its popularity, the zipper as we know it is only 100 years old. It’s the only haberdashery item we’ve found that is onomatopoeic, named after the sound it makes. Choose a zipper according to your cloth, pay attention to the weight and base fabric, and fit it neatly so it sits nice and flat.
These are bought on a card for individual use or on a tape for corseting. They are particularly discreet and come in different strengths from ultrafine to industrial. As well as being used for bra fastenings, they can be found on dresses and tops, on coats and as a trouser hook and bar instead of, or as well as, a button. The dressmaker will use them above a closure, such as a zipper, to bring the very top together to take the stress off the fastener.
These are simple metal rings to seal the cloth edges of a hole for threading cord through. They often come as a set with a simple tool for inserting them and will require a bit of hammering. Always test the eyelet on surplus fabric before attacking your finished garment.
What would jeans be without a copper rivet? They are great for the industrial look and add extra strength to the areas of a garment that are especially stressed. Metal rivets are very easy to use on leather and for bag making, offering you the added bonus of getting the hammer out and venting some of that repressed frustration while achieving a neat and professional finish.