In the year and a half I’ve been sewing, I’ve made dozens of outfits, including colorful shirt and shorts sets, high-waisted pleated pants, and patchwork hoodies.
Everything involved in sewing takes longer than expected, but after discovering a small but powerful tool called a magnetic seam guide, the speed at which garments can be mass-produced has accelerated. It acts like a metal bumper as you thread the fabric through your sewing machine, keeping the stitches straight and an even distance from the edge of the fabric.
I’m no Cinderella and I don’t have a lot of talented mouse friends to help me, but this little bastard is the next best thing.
staff pick
This stitch guide is magnetized to the sewing machine’s throat plate and ensures uniform stitch width while sewing.
I first learned about this handy gadget through one of the many sewing accounts I follow on Instagram, and was curious to see how well it actually worked. Some sewing machines come with seam guides (including my upgrade pick, the Singer Quantum Stylist 9960), but mine didn’t. So I decided to try three inexpensive seam guides (one cost about $2).
There are many other products on the market, and I didn’t do a comparative test, but of the products I tried, the Madam Sew version had the strongest magnet. It’s also less bulky than other models I’ve tried, making it easier to sew curves. Since then, I have been thanking the sewing gods.
I wish I had known sooner. It helped me level up my skills better than any other tool I’ve tried. Gone are the days of erratic sewing, where you had a few drinks before sitting down to sew.
I’m a perfectionist so I hate reaching for the seam ripper to rip seams. And I’m sure the magnetic seam guide saved me from hours of tedium (and cursing under my breath).
Ever since I started sewing, I’ve been using a hand-me-down Singer sewing machine. It gets the job done, but the seam guide has made my mediocre machine much easier to use (I’m currently saving up for an upgrade).
