Starter Kit

Being a low man on the totem pole at my job, I didn't have a particularly large budget to work with, so I started with the basics, and continue to work my way up.

Bare Minimum

Q	Item	Cost (Approximate)and  Where (suggestion)	Why
1	ü  Pair Fiskers or Westcott titanium scissors	About 16 dollars Walmart/Joann	Sharpness and durability. Upgrade to Fiskers if you aren’t on a budget, but these work well.
1	ü Box of bridal pins	2-3 dollars Walmart/Joann	I like these better than the ones with the heads because they don’t distort fabric as bad, and its easier to sew over. Don’t get caught in/on the machine as much.
1	ü Measuring Tape	3-5 dollars Joann	Pretty obvious. Many uses for this tool. I also suggest a ruler as well.
1	ü Iron	Free if you own one already, or about 5-10 dollars for a cheap one. Walmart	Good tool for ironing fabrics before cutting, during the project and after its finished. I suggest a nonstick type of metal.
1	ü Ironing Board	7-19 dollars Local store/Walmart	This depends on your preference and how much room you have. A stand up standard sized ironing board is useful for bigger projects and you can let items hang. I prefer a smaller desk top one for use on my work table, and lack of space.
1	ü Black	1.29-4 dollars Walmart/Joann	Can never have enough black thread!
1	ü White	1.29-4 dollars Walmart/Joann	Or white thread!
1	ü Typical Notebook	About 89 cents Anywhere	Perfect for notes, and making your own patterns. Loose paper is harder to keep organized.
1	ü Sewing machine	70-400 dollars Walmart/online/joann	This is the most expensive, and the most important of all tools. Really can’t do anything without one but maybe a slipstitch. You can get a cheap one, but I suggest around 200 is better. More stitching options (wider project ability), and better quality stitches.
1	ü Chalk or fabric marker	1-2 dollars Walmart/Joann	For how cheap it is, it is worth every penny. Perfect for marking pattern symbols on the fabric.
3	ü Different sized needles.	2-5 dollars Walmart/Joann	For hand stitching and basting.
1	ü Tackle Box	About 10 dollars Walmart	Way better, way organized than a sewing box for all the little notions you collect. I got a 3 shelf  one, and I’m already out growing it.

I'd also add a few things like a trash can, a folding table, or large work table, good pencil, sticky notes, some plastic drawers for fabric and such. 

If you have it in your budget, these are also very useful, but not as crucial as a beginner. Otherwise, collect them over time or as you see fit.

1	ü Self healing cutting mat	30-130 dollars Walmart/Joann	Best place to get these is Joann Fabrics. They sometimes have deals and have many options.
1	ü Fiskers Rotery Cutter	15 dollars Joann	Best invention EVER! Makes cutting fabric a dream. At least straight line, no very good on curves. Also extremely sharp, be careful
1	ü Pin Cushion	1-3 dollars Walmart/Joann	Helps keep your needles in check
-	ü Veriety of thread colors	1-4 dollars/ea. Walmart/Joann	I suggest at least getting the main colors. Red, green, blue, purple.
1	ü Mannequin	Free-400+ dollars Home/Joann	There truly are no cheap ones. They literally start at hundreds of dollars. But there is a tutorial on how to make a duct tape one, and its actually fairly useful!

Obviously, these are only a few of the options out there. I am still adding to my collection of stuff. Let me know if I missed anything!