What you will need :
Scissors:
 You
will need two pairs of good quality scissors to begin with - general
purpose dressmaker's scissors, and a small pair of scissors about
12 cm (5 in) for clipping and trimming inside-seam turnings. Eventually
you will also want to buy a pair of long-bladed dressmaker's shears
for cutting out.
Good scissors should last a life time if they were kept only for
dressmaking and never used to cut anything else - especially not
cardboard.
Steam Iron:
For perfect dressmaking, whatever you sew, you press. So a really
good steam iron with extra burst of steam is a must. Keep any old
sheet, linen drying-cloths and muslin squares handy as pressing cloths.
Measuring Tape:
A flexible tape with both metric and inch markings are useful.
Metal-tipped ends give it a longer life.
Glass-Headed Pins:
These are sharper than ordinary pins, easier to handle and are not
as easily lost.
Needles and Thimble:
The smaller the needle you use, the better the hand sewing you will
achieve. Buy a packet of assorted needles and a thimble.
Tailor's Chalk:
Essential for marking - even something as simple as the wrong side
of a fabric when this is not obvious. It's available in different
colors, in pencils or blocks. The blocks should be kept sharpened
to a fine edge. 
Ironing Board:
A very large ironing board is a boon for pressing pleats and hems,
and a metallic heat-reflecting cover is ideal.
Measurement Gauge:
There are several types of inexpensive gauges on the market. They
are indispensable for using to measure the 1.5 cm (5/8 in) seam
allowance as you tack.
Skirt-Hem Marker:
There are two types:
1. The most accurate is a wooden ruler on a stand - which needs a
second pair of hands.
2. A skirt marker with a bulb, which puffs powdered chalk at the hemline,
means you can measure a hemline single-handed.
Quick Unpick:
Not essential. It is useful for cutting buttonholes, but use with
caution as a seam ripper. 
The Sewing Machine:
A good sewing machine is a joy to use and will turn you into an enthusiastic
home sewer. It is a mistake to think that you will make do with your
neighbor's hand machine until you see if you get keen on dressmaking.
Dressmaker's Dummy:
Not essential except for when adding a lining to a jacket.
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