Tag Archives: pinking shears

Sewing Glossary–P is for pattern (part I)

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Notice the safety pins holding the layers together, as this quilt is being quilted.
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Pattern: The design on a fabric or the paper templates (cutting guides) used to cut out the fabric so that it can be made into a finished product.

Pattern weights: Special, small weights used to hold the pattern onto the fabric. Used instead of straight pins. Some people prefer using pattern weights rather than pinning, because the weights take less time to position and remove.

Pile: Some fabrics such as corduroy and velvet have pile—a noticeable texture which adds to the attractiveness of the fabric. Pile fabrics should be cut according to the with the nap lay out given in sewing patterns.

Pinking shears: Pinking shears have a serrated edge which makes v-shaped notches along the cut edge of the fabric. Pinking seam allowances prevents them from raveling. Pinking the seam allowance of a collar or other curved garment part is a neat substitution for notching the fabric, because it allows the fabric to spread out and curve smoothly, in the same way notches do.

Pins: Straight pins are an essential sewing notion. They are used to pin the pattern to the fabric and to pin baste. Straight pins come in several lengths. Straight pins are sometimes difficult to see in a heavily piled fabric; straight pins with colorful ball heads are easier to see than regular pins. Safety pins may also be helpful, especially when basting quilt layers.

Pin tucking: Rows of narrow vertical folds of fabric sewn in place. Pin tucking is used on blouses and little girls’ dresses for a decorative touch.

Piping: Piping is a cord encased in bias tape; it is used as a decorative edge for pillows, cushions, and other items.

Basic Sewing Supplies–Pinking Shears

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Traditional pink shears and pinked fabric

Traditional pink shears and pinked fabric

Okay, so pinking shears aren’t an absolutely necessary tool when sewing, but they can certainly make life easier. For those of you unfamiliar with this tool, pinking shears have serrated edges and they leave your trimmed fabric with a decorative edge. This edge is more than just a nice looking touch. Pinking the edge of fabric prevents the fabric from raveling; pinking is a classic edge finish and many long-time sewers prefer it to any other finishing technique. Linens, cottons, and many other traditional fabrics can be neatly finished with pinking.

Pinking shears range in length from 7” to 10 ½”. In recent years, scalloping the edge of paper with special scissors has become popular; don’t confuse these decorative scissors with pinking shears designed to cut fabric. The decorative edge craft scissors are designed to cut paper, cardboard, and thin craft foam; they won’t work well with fabric. Choose dressmaker’s pinking shears if you are going to cut fabric with them. A sturdy pair of pinking shears may seem rather expensive, but they are a good investment. Pinking shears come in the traditional heavy weight models and in lighter weight models. If possible try out pinking shear models in the store before buying one; they should cut a nice, obviously pinked, even edge without chewing the fabric.

Learning to Sew–Timesaving Sewing with Pinking Shears

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Besides finishing fabric neatly, pinking shears can save time and extra sewing steps. Here are some tips on using pinking shears effectively:

• Both edges of a seam can be finished in one step with pinking shears. Sew your seam and then pink the edge before you press the seam open.

• The seam allowances of curved edges need to be clipped in order to stay flat when pressed. Ordinarily, inward curves are clipped with a series of straight short cuts which stop shy of the seam line; outward curves are clipped with wedge shaped notches. Notching and clipping take time.

Instead of taking the time to clip and trim curved edges, use pinking shears to trim the curved seam allowances. The pinking takes the place of clips and notches because it spreads to release the seam allowances. Plus if you are using fabric that easily ravels, pinking will help prevent any fraying.

• Enclosed seams, such as collars and facings can sometimes be bulky, because the interfacing creates one or two extra layers. The standard way to take care of this problem is to grade the seam allowance (that is trim each side seam allowance more than the preceding one). This is time consuming because you are generally cutting two fabric layers and two interfacing layers; it is also difficult to do neatly.

Instead of these steps, grade and trim seam allowances in one step by holding your shears or scissors blade at an angle towards the fabric while trimming. This method works great with either standard shears or pinking shears. Just make sure you don’t trim too close to the stitch line.