- Sewing shears are essential instruments for cutting smoothly, efficiently, and precisely through fabric and notions (items used in sewing).
- They are never to be used as regular household scissors.
- Heavy-duty Gingher 8-inch Knife Edge Dressmaker's Shears slice through fabric smoothly and precisely with sharp steel blades.
As anyone who sews will tell you, tools for cutting are invaluable. You need the best ones to ensure precision cutting and shaping of fabric pieces. Excellent cutting utensils get me through the preparations, to the stage I enjoy the most: assembling pieces to construct the final product. I've made clothes, costumes, appliance covers, signs, and even my wedding dress, and I couldn't have done it without high-quality cutting implements.
But before you grab your regular scissors (the ones lying around the house to cut paper, string, tape, etc.), stop! If you plan to sew (or already sew but could upgrade your toolkit), make your life a lot easier and invest in shears designed for cutting fabric.
Although similar, scissors and shears are not the same. Scissors have blades up to 6 inches in length and two symmetrical holes for the thumb and a finger. Shears wield blades that are often longer than 6 (often 7) inches and honed to a "knife edge" to slice through layers of fabric. Shears' handles are asymmetrical, with a small round opening for the thumb and a larger oblong opening for a few fingers. Often angled or bent, the handles are designed for operating the blades comfortably, so that there's enough leverage to slice through layers of fabric while on a flat surface - all with accuracy and without cramping or fatigue. Believe me, when you spend hours cutting fabric, you and your hands will appreciate high-quality shears designed for sewing.
When building your sewing toolbox, consider obtaining some or all the following shear types:
- Straight: Have straight blades for cutting out pieces of fabric according to patterns and slicing through notions (e.g., trim, ribbon, bias tape, binding).
- Pinking: Have saw-toothed, serrated blades for cutting fabric and creating a zigzag edge to help prevent or at least minimize fraying (e.g., on seam allowance edges).
- Serrated: Have blades with very fine teeth that won't damage, but grip and hold slippery and delicate fabric for accurate, even cuts. If you plan to avoid high-end delicate fabrics (like I have), perhaps you can skip this type.
- Left-handed: If you are a lefty, seek out sewing shears that are designed for left-handed users - with reversed blades (i.e., the top blade is on the left) so you don't feel like you are pushing them apart as you try to cut. The reversed blade orientation is essential for slicing through (not just folding) material effectively and being able to see where you are cutting, while you are cutting. Also, the handles are shaped to fit left hands comfortably.
When examining any type of shear, look for quality construction, with features like:
- Steel blades: Most are made of rust-resistant, durable stainless steel. Blades of high-carbon steel are harder, stronger, sharper, and better at retaining a sharp edge. The downside is that uncoated high-carbon steel isn't rust resistant.
- Screw assembly: The blades should be connected by a screw that enables the blades to be adjusted and separated completely for cleaning.
- Handle design: Ergonomic handles molded for comfort and grip are important; some models (plastic or rubber) are softer than others (metal).
- Weight: Some people (e.g., with arthritis) like lightweight shears for control and ease while others prefer medium- or heavy-weight shears for greater stability and leverage.
After you purchase new shears, heed this one last piece of advice: Do not use on non-fabric items. You'll make them dull very quickly. Mark them as sewing shears only (tie a ribbon around the handles) or even hide them so no one mistakenly uses them to cut paper, hair, and other household items.
Here are the best sewing shears you can buy in 2019:
Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.
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