Ashley E Horne
Losing your seam ripper mid-project is a rite of passage. Here’s exactly how i keep mine from disappearing and how I stay in my creative flow no matter what.
If you sew long enough, you will have a moment where everything is going perfectly. I mean your machine is humming, your seams are straight, especially the armpit seam, ha! And your fabric is cooperating. Then you need your seam ripper and it has vanished into thin air.
Not misplaced. Vanished. Like it had somewhere better to be.
I have ripped apart entire sewing rooms looking for that little tool. Accused my husband of moving it. I have ordered new ones in a panic only to find the original one sitting right where I left it.
So I did what any reasonable sewist would do. I stopped looking for one seam ripper and started stationing them everywhere.
Here is what actually works to always have a seam ripper
The goal is simple. Your seam ripper should never be more than an arm’s reach away no matter where you are in your sewing room. Here is how I set it up:
At the sewing machine
I keep one tucked in the compartment at the bottom of my machine. It lives there permanently. That spot is specifically for the tools I reach for most mid-stitch, which includes empty bobbins, the seam ripper, a screw driver, and spare universal needles. Nothing else goes in there.
In my notion bag
I have a cute clear zipper bag that travels with me to every sewing station from my cutting table to sewing table, and yes, the couch. Because if you have ever settled in to watch a show and realized you need to seam rip an entire side seam, you know the couch is a legitimate sewing station. That bag has my most frequently used notions for my current project and a seam ripper is always one of them.
In my filing cabinet
This one surprises people but hear me out. My filing cabinet is where I keep my sewing paperwork, patterns, and miscellaneous supplies. I keep a backup seam ripper in there because when I have exhausted every other option and I still cannot find one, that is my last resort. It has saved me more than once.
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The mindset shift that changed everything
Here is the honest truth… the seam ripper is not the problem. The problem is letting the seam ripper interrupt your momentum.
When I started treating it like a stationary item instead of a tool I carry around, and that’s when everything changed. I stopped breaking my flow to search, which would previous led me to spiral or tuck the project away. Now, I just grab it from one of my hideouts and keep it moving.
I will not let one little seam ripper stop my flow.
Say that with me. Write it down somewhere if you need to.
A few other seam ripper tips
- Buy them in multipacks. They are inexpensive and having extras removes the scarcity panic.
- Color code if you can. Pick colors that contrast with your project and area, so that it stands out on the cutting table. (See what I’m putting down).
- After every project do a seam ripper check the same way you check for pins. This is to ensure they are returned to their stations before you put everything away.
If this resonates a little too hard, you might also relate to Julissa — my animated alter ego who is currently tearing apart her entire sewing room looking for hers.
Shop the Julissa Collection here.
Until next time…
