Best of Madam Sew: Sew Bright Edition

The Sew Bright Edition is all about seeing what you are doing and keeping every project in its place: bright light on your machine, crisp pressing, accurate marking, and three red project bags to keep it all sorted. It brings together ten Madam Sew favourites, so a beginner gets a well rounded kit in one go and a seasoned sewist gets the upgrades that make every session easier.

Stick the light strip on your machine and every stitch is easy to see. Mark dark fabric with the white pens, pin with the long flower pins or hold with clips, and set your seam with the seam guide ruler. Press on the 17 by 24 inch wool mat, grab your rulers with the suction grip, thread your needle with the threader, and give each project its own bag.

See it clearly. Press it crisp. Keep it sorted.

Why You'll Love It

• Light Where You Need It: The light strip's 24 dimmable LEDs shine straight onto your machine bed with no shadows, so straight seams and stitch in the ditch quilting (sewing right in the seam line) are easier to see. It sticks onto any machine.
• Press Crisp From Both Sides: The 17 by 24 inch wool mat sends your iron's heat back through the fabric so seams lie flat, and the protective cloth keeps delicate fabric safe from shine marks.
• Marks That Show on Dark Fabric: The four white pens stand out on navy, black, and burgundy, then vanish with a press of the iron, with no washing.
• Pin, Hold, and Measure Over It: Long flower pins lie flat so your ruler sits right over them, the clips hold layers with no pin holes, and the suction ruler grip keeps your fingers clear of the cutter.
• Three Projects, Three Bags: Three see-through red project bags, each with a 16 by 16 inch back pocket, a 10 by 16 inch front pocket, and a card slot, keep every project sorted and ready to grab.

1. Extra Large Wool Pressing Mat, 17 by 24 inches

• Size: 17 by 24 inches and half an inch thick, about 10.5 inches longer than the original mat
• Material: 100% felted New Zealand wool, naturally fire resistant
• How it helps: The dense wool absorbs your iron's heat and gives it back through the fabric, so seams and hems come out crisp and flat, with no puckering or stretching
• Weight: 34.5 oz (980 g), light enough to take to class
• Includes: A clear vinyl storage bag that closes with 2 snaps
• Good to know: Steam and moisture can seep through the mat, so protect wood or other sensitive surfaces underneath

2. Project Bags, Madam Sew Red, 3 pieces

• Count: 3 project bags, all in Madam Sew Red
• Size: Two pockets, a large back pocket of 16 by 16 inches and a small front pocket of 10 by 16 inches
• Material: Durable, tear resistant, waterproof mesh PVC, with nylon handles and binding and a nylon and metal zipper
• Features: See-through mesh so you can spot your project at a glance, and a front slot with a two sided project card for labelling
• How you use it: Holds cut pieces, quilt blocks, patterns, threads, and notions. Carry it by the handles or hang it from a hook, hanger, or door knob
• Care: Dust out the inside, wipe the plastic with a damp or soapy cloth, and dry it fully before using it again

3. Sewing Machine Light Strip

• Size: 12 inches long and 5/16 inch wide, with 24 dimmable LED lights
• Light: Clean white light with a subtle hint of blue or purple, shining straight onto your machine bed so there are no shadows
• Fits: Any sewing machine. Trim it with scissors to fit long and short arm machines and quilting machines
• Installs in seconds: An adhesive backing, so you just peel and stick, with no tools needed
• In the set: The light strip with a 98 inch power cord and dimmer switch, a USB adapter with a US plug, 4 white hook and loop cord organizers, 5 adhesive cord clips, and user instructions
• Good to know: Outside the US, any USB charger, like the one for your phone, works with it

4. White Heat Erasable Fabric Marking Pens, 4 pack

• Contents: 4 white gel pens
• Best for: Dark fabrics like navy, black, and burgundy, where white shows up clearly
• Tip: A fine 0.7mm point that draws a thin 0.35mm line
• How they erase: The marks stay as long as you need, then vanish with a press of the iron, with no washing
• Good to know: White ink takes a few seconds to appear, and a quick scribble gets a new pen flowing. Test on a scrap of each fabric, store capped and tip down, and use within 4 months

5. Long Flower Pins, 200 pieces

• Count: 200 pins in 7 bright colours (white, yellow, blue, green, red, orange, and purple), in a clear plastic box
• Size: A 1 3/4 inch stainless steel shaft that will not rust, with a flat flower head 3/8 inch across
• Flat heads: They lie flat, so your ruler or tape measure sits right over them, and the big head will not slip through loose weaves or lace
• Good for: Several layers of fabric and batting, medium to heavy fabrics, and loosely woven fabric, lace, and eyelet
• Good to know: You can iron and sew over the steel shaft, but keep the iron off the plastic flower

6. Sewing Clips, 50 pieces

• Count: 50 clips per box, in bright mixed colours
• Size: 1 inch long by three-eighths inch wide, opens to half an inch
• Made of: Plastic with a thick steel spring (contains nickel)
• Features: Raised teeth for a firm grip, flat backs that keep edges flat, and seam markings at 3/16, one-quarter, and three-eighths inch
• Good for: Holding layers, binding, and hems without pins, and fabrics where you do not want pin holes, like vinyl, leather, or silk

7. Seam Guide Ruler with Magnetic Seam Guide

• Ruler size: 5.5 by 2.5 inches, in sturdy, see-through fluorescent yellow green plastic
• Needle holes: 16 holes for seam allowances from one-eighth inch to 2 inches. Lower your needle into the hole you want to set your seam
• Extra markings: One-eighth, one-quarter, and 1 inch markings, a 45 degree line, quarter and half inch lines, and a quarter inch pivot cross for marking corners
• Magnetic seam guide: Steel with a strong magnet, about half an inch by 2 inches. It sits on most needle plates or metal machines to guide your fabric
• Good to know: For quarter inch seams, place the magnetic guide in front of the presser foot or move your needle to the right. For seams narrower than a quarter inch, use washi tape instead

8. Protective Ironing Cloth

• Size: 15.5 by 23.5 inches
• Material: See-through mesh, so you can watch exactly where you are ironing
• What it does: Prevents shine marks, scorch marks, and flattening on delicate and textured fabrics like silk, nylon, corduroy, and velour
• Heat: Made for delicate fabrics, so avoid your iron's highest settings
• Care: Reusable and machine washable

9. Ruler Grip with Suction Cup

• What it does: A handle that attaches to any smooth ruler or template with a strong suction cup, so you can grab, move, and hold it steady
• Safety: Keeps your fingers up and away from the rotary cutter blade while you cut
• Size: A 2 1/4 inch suction cup base and a 2 1/2 inch tall handle
• Material: Plastic handle with a rubber suction cup
• How to attach: Pull the handles open, press the cup firmly onto a clean ruler, and close the handles while pressing. Move it between rulers any time

10. Needle Inserter and Threader

• What it does: One end pushes the thread through the eye of your sewing machine needle, and the other end holds a new needle so you can slide it into the machine
• Works with: Needles size 70/11 and larger, including serger, overlocker, and double needles
• Size: 3 inches long and 0.18 oz, made of plastic
• Good for: Anyone with reduced vision or a less steady hand
• Includes: Clear user instructions

• Stick the light strip onto your machine where you want the light, trimming it to fit if needed, then plug it in and dim it to suit.
• Mark your lines on dark fabric with the white pens, testing on a scrap first.
• Pin layers with the flower pins or hold them with clips, and set your seam with the seam guide ruler and its magnetic guide.
• Attach the ruler grip to your ruler so you can move it easily and keep your fingers clear of the cutter.
• Thread your machine needle with the needle threader.
• Press on the wool mat, laying the protective cloth over delicate fabric. The heat also clears your pen marks.
• Give each project its own bag and write its name on the project card.