You know, I’ve been trundling along with my 8 year old machine, very occasionally switching to a zipper foot and then back to the normal everything foot. It seemed like a simple life indeed.

But look at all these feet!

The picture is taken from the first chapter of the DK Sewing book, called ‘Tools for the Techniques’. It starts with the basics – pins, hand-sewing needles, scissors and works its way to how to use an overlocker, which was something I was completely in the dark about.

Other things I’ve learned so far:

• There are things called T-pins which stay in place better on open weave fabrics.
• ‘Sharps’, ‘betweens’ and ‘straws’ are all types of hand-sewing needle
• I could do with a liquid marking pen that washes out
• There is a thing called ‘stitching tape’ printed with coloured lines so that you sew in a straight line
• The mysteries of tension: “if the tension is too tight there is too little thread for a stitch; if it is too loose there is too much.”
• There are more feet available for sewing machines than I will ever learn to use: piping, pintuck, narrow hemmer, satin stitch, gathering, beading, embroidery, fringe, ribbon and sequin…and that’s not all

I’m sure that some of these things can be achieved without the necessary foot, but how much easier things become when you have the right tools! When I first got my rotary cutter and mat I was amazed I’d been managing with only scissors. I think that has been my major sewing equipment revelation of the last year – I’d love to know what yours have been.