Pinking Shears for Fabric: Do You Need These Zigzag Scissors?
Pinking shears for fabric are a type of serrated scissor which are used to trim seam allowances down and prevent the raw edge of fabric from fraying. They come in different sizes but the most common size for cutting fabric are those with 8 inches / 20cm long blades. They are often called ‘zig zag scissors’.
I personally think you should have them in your basic sewing kit so today I’m going to explain all you need to know about these special sewing scissors!
How Pinking Shears Work
These specialized scissors use a pinking blade to cut a zigzag pattern in fabric. The blades on these scissors are serrated with deep ‘V’ shapes along both blades, and when the blades cross the woven cloth ends up with a zigzag pattern along the cloth edges.
If you don’t have pinking shears, there are other ways of finishing seams including:
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Why Use Pinking Shears
While they will never beat the straight edge achieved with other fabric cutting tools used in sewing like regular scissors or a standard rotary cutter, pinking shears have earned a place in any sewing toolkit.
Here are four things they can help you with:
- Creating a simple and neat seam finish when using open / plain seams in your sewing projects
- Tidying up a raw edge on non-fray fabrics with a decorative edge on hems and facings
- Reduce fabric fraying on suitable woven fabrics
- Grading the fabric edge on woven fabric with pinked seams to trim down any bulk
6 Best Pinking Shears Brands
So now you’re aware that you need a pair, what are the best pinking shears for fabric?
You can pick up pinking shears very easily in haberdashery shops and online, but as I’ve had my fair share that struggled to cut through fabric, I’ve listed some of what I consider to be the best pinking shears below that I have either owned or tried, which will handle cutting fabric with no issues!
I have to say, my favourite pair of pinking shears are these ones from Kai. They’re not cheap – but in my experience, cheaper ones tend to blunt faster and damage my fabric too! – so costs saved from ruined fabric more than offsets the increase in cost.
My second choice for pinking shears are the Fiskars easy action pinking shears. These are a little more budget friendly than the Kai’s but work really well too.
As well as pinking sewing scissors, you can also get a 45mm rotary cutter and use a specially created serrated circle blade for pinking! Lots of people find this an easier way to cut long lengths of fabric with a pinked edge!
Common Hiccups With Pinking Shears
Okay, now that you know why you should have a pair and how to cut fabric with these fabric shears, let’s cover some common questions!
Your Pinking Shears Don’t Cut Near The Blade Tip
If you’re only getting a neat zig zag finish at the handle end of your shears, either your fabric is too thick / not suitable or the blades are blunt.
Try to cut through a thinner / more suitable fabric and if the same thing happens, it’s time to sharpen your pinkers or buy a new pair!
How To Sharpen Pinking Shears
It is very tricky to sharpen pinking shears because of the zigzag finish on the blades – most people will simply buy a new pair!
That said, you can try cutting through steel wool, tin foil / aluminum or a finely grained sandpaper with your shears a couple of times to try and sharpen them up a little.
I would only try any of the above if my shears were completely dulled and I had no way of getting them professionally sharpened!
The Blades Are Stiff
If the blades are ‘stiff’ when opening and closing your pinking shears, then try rubbing lightly along the blades (tricky I know) with a little sewing machine oil. You can use a cloth or something smaller like a cotton bud/Q-tip.
Make sure to wipe away any excess oil so that it doesn’t damage or ‘bleed’ into the main fabric from the seam allowance!
You can also add a small drop of oil to the screw that the blades pivot from, which can help loosen things up a little too!
Pinking The Raw Edges Of knit Fabrics
As discussed in this guide to knitted fabric types, knit fabrics are created differently to woven fabrics and so are not prone to fraying. This means that you won’t need to pink the raw edge of knitted fabrics.
In fact many knit fabrics can be left with a raw edge though it is good practice to serge or zigzag stitch them to stop them ravelling up!
Should You Add Pinking Shears to Your Sewing Kit?
While not everyone loves them, this type of dressmaking shears do have their place in a sewing kit. Not only will they help you by minimising the amount of fabric that can fray on raw edges, but if you don’t have a serger / overlocker, or find your sewing machine isn’t stitching a decent zigzag stitch, then having the option to pink your fabric edges is a no-brainer.
While they’re not the first fabric cutting tool I pull out, they definitely have a place in my sewing kit for all the reasons listed above!
Will you be getting yourself a pair of pinking shears? And if not, why not? Let me know in the comments below!
