Sewing Aids, Needle Theaders, Seam Guides

What are Different Types of Sewing Supplies?

There are several different types of sewing supplies, and basic ones include needles, thread and scissors. Sewing needles come in a variety of sizes and shapes in order to sew different types of materials. Thread can be found in just about any color imaginable, some is even metallic. Embroidery holders do just that, they act as an extra arm to hold an embroidery hoop or needle. The holders have a long, metal gooseneck arm that is bendable and can be attached to a tabletop or wheelchair frame with a clamp. A top stitch and seam guide enables neat seams for top stitching and quilt blocks. It fits on most sewing machines to make sewing easy and to save time.

An iron guide assists the visually impaired to iron with safety. The safety guard is made from dual polyethylene rods which surround the edges of the iron to guide and protect from burns. Measuring tapes can have tactile indicators to aid low vision users in measuring items. They may include large print markings as well as tactile holes at certain intervals. Others may have braille markings at each foot along with a raised tactile dot every six inches. An ironing cord holder keeps the cord out of the way while ironing to prevent accidents, and to keep the cord from getting tangled.

What is a Needle Threader?

A needle threader assists those who have poor eyesight, dexterity loss, or simply wish to thread a needle quickly. Some look like a small medallion, called the handle, with a wire doubled over and attached to the handle. The wire is flexible so it can fit into the smallest needle eyes. And, it is equally adaptive to use with larger needles, such as embroidery needles.

There are also automatic needle threaders that are simple to operate. Just push a button to thread large or thin needles for single or double threading. A threader for those with low vision is available and helpful for threading sewing machine needles. They may even come with several extra hooks for long lasting usage. Another type has an opening near the eye of the actual needle. Simply slide the thread along the needle towards its eye until the thread catches. This kind enables those with low vision or limited dexterity to easily thread the needle being used, and comes in different sizes of needles.

What are Battery Operated Scissors?

Battery operated scissors are a type of hand tool suitable for a variety of cutting applications. They essentially cut without manually moving the blades, and may also be known as cordless scissors. The scissors mostly resemble a utility knife with dual crossing blades on the end rather than a single blade. However, some models are designed slightly differently. Most styles are powered by alkaline batteries, but a few run with rechargeable batteries.

Battery operated scissors have a variety of practical uses. They can be a very efficient cutting device for those suffering from joint or muscle conditions, such as arthritis, which make manual scissors difficult to operate. These scissors can cut most anything manual scissors or shears can, including craft materials, fabric, paper, cardboard, and plastic. While they are useful for opening retail packaging that is sometimes difficult to open with regular scissors, they are not practical as kitchen shears. This is largely due to the shorter length of and lack of space between the blades. This makes it more difficult to cut thicker objects or bunches of food ingredients.

One thing to keep in mind is safety. If small children are around, be sure the scissors have a locking safety feature which disables them when the button is pushed. This is important in case a child accidentally got a hold of them. Also, scissors should be stored out of a child’s reach when not in use. Always supervise a child who is using scissors for any type of use because the blades are sharp and move very quickly.

Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Co-Founder & CEO

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