Pinking Shears FAQ

Although pinking shears can be used for many crafts, they are mainly used for cutting fabric. Pinking shears look like a normal pair of scissors but have an unusual zigzag blade and will cut a saw tooth pattern. They are usually heavier than normal scissors as the blade is always quite thick.

Pinking shears scissors are used to in dress making, quilting and other fabric crafts. It will be used to cut woven fabric. Woven fabric when cut with normal scissors will usually fray. The sawtooth pinking shear blade will cut a zigzag pattern in the fabric. The pattern cut by the pinking shear will prevent the woven fabric from fraying. Please note, the zigzag edge will reduce or limit the amount of fraying as opposed to completely stopping it.

Pinking shears are often used in gift wrapping DIY projects and many paper crafts. Many designs and patterns can be created using the zigzag pattern cut created from pinking shears. Florists will often use pinking shear scissors to cut woven ribbons to prevent them from fraying. Limiting fabric ribbons from fraying is especially important for wedding ribbons. As a general rule, scissor blades will blunt when cutting paper. This also applies when using dressmaking pinking shears for paper crafts. It is best to use pinking shears that are designed for paper crafts.

Avoid using pinking shears with wet fabrics or around water to prevent any potential rusting. Avoid cutting paper unless the shears are designed to do so. To continue having the best possible cut when using pinking shears to cut fabric, you should ask a professional to re-sharpen the blade.