Enhance your sewing business by staying well stocked with the best sewing machine accessories. Your ability to finish a sewing job quickly and efficiently, without making the client wait because you're out of an accessory, helps increase your customer base and profits.

Typical sewing machine accessories include bobbins, winders, needles, thread, feet and pedals. Optional accessories include bobbin boxes or keepers, dust covers, light bulbs, pedal pads and sewing machine oil. Whether you run a storefront sewing business or a home-based sewing business, find sewing machine accessories from reputable online suppliers. Consider the following when picking your supplier:

1. Pick a sewing machine accessories provider who's familiar with sewing products and can give recommendations.

2. Purchase good quality thread and needles. While most companies offer discount packs of thread and other accessories, these items are cheaply made and break or bend easily.

3. Read up on the newest sewing machine accessories information before making a purchase. Industrial sewing relies on computerized sewing and more products are available for smaller scale sewing businesses that want to use computerized sewing.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use online retailers that have a history in the sewing machine accessories industry

For reliable products, you should consider purchasing most of your inventory from reputable, established companies within the sewing industry. These companies, such as Singer and Brother, have good business policies regarding online orders and returns and have a well-known reputation amongst tailors and designers.

I recommend: The Brother International Corporation offers a great supply of bobbins, threads, feet and embroidery software. Find supplies from the Singer Sewing Company for Singer machines and other brand machines.

Check online fabric stores for sewing machine accessories

Popular fabric stores have websites that complement their in-store offerings and sometimes have web only specials. Check with the website, but many stores offer the opportunity to return products ordered online to the store.

I recommend: Hancock Fabrics offers an array of sewing machine accessories, has a message board for members and even offers wholesale pricing for large quantities of fabric. Find different foot attachments from Jo-Ann Stores.

Get sewing machine accessories at wholesale prices

Ordering wholesale lets you stock up on needed supplies and save money. Wholesale orders are great for heavily used items, such as bobbins, needles and thread. If you can't find a wholesale company with a sewing machine accessories list that includes the items you need, look for places that offer free shipping with a certain order amount.

I recommend: Get packs of 100 needles from a slew of sewing companies at CTSUSA.com. Find bobbins, foot pedals, presser feet and more at SewingMachinesPlus.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  While there are universal sewing needles that work with most fabrics, it's wise to stock up on all needle types. A supply of needles for denim, spandex and leather is useful even if you don't sew that sort of material very often.