Wise up Wednesdays- Scissors

Today’s tips come about scissors. I’m sure all of you have a whole range of different cutting tools. These are the ones that I use.

Paper scissors: Even before I get to my fabric, I use these paper scissors to prepare PDF patterns and cut them to the right size. I’m sure you all know to keep you fabric scissors for fabric only, so it is essential to have some paper scissors conveniently located so that you aren’t tempted!

Thread snips: I keep these nearby when sewing to tidy up loose ends and threads.

Small scissors: of the tools here, I think these are used the most. They are so versatile. They can be used to tidy up threads, trim down seams and generally just trim or notch anything that needs it.

Fabric Shears: I think every dressmaker deserve a decent pair of fabric shears. They need to cut smoothly through several layers of fabric and have a long enough blade to make long clean cuts. Comfortable handles are also useful if you are doing a lot of cutting, or cutting anything particularly heavy. Make sure everyone in your house knows that using them for paper is banned!

Pinking shears: I love these to quickly trim back seams, particularly on curves seams where you will need to clip curves. On a shallow curve, pinking the seam might be enough without having to clip in close to your stitching. They can also be a speedy seam finish because the cutting on the bias helps discourage fraying.