How Many Scissors Are Required for Dressmaking?

 

What's the distinction between scissors and shears? A good question, because fabric cutting scissors are frequently referred to as dressmaking, fabric, or tailor's shears or scissors. Scissor blades that are longer than 15cm (6 inches) are said to be shears.

Scissors are one of the most important sewing and handicraft instruments. However, not all scissors are created equal. Using the improper scissors for tailoring can make the job more difficult and perhaps damage the scissors, leaving your work looking less than ideal.

Set the handles at an angle to ensure that the cloth is lifted as little as possible from the cutting surface. The lower handle is larger to accommodate your fingers, and handles are frequently contoured for a better fit. They are available in several sizes, which refer to the length of the blades. I prefer to use 10" shears, but 8" shears are as good and perhaps easier for beginning dressmakers.

Make sure you have a good pair of scissors for cutting out paper patterns. I prefer scissors with angled handles and long blades to those I use for textiles. Cheap, low-quality fabric shears make excellent paper scissors!

These precisely formed thread snips fit onto just your second or third finger and sit within your hand to provide you better control while snipping thread ends while working on your machine. They can take some getting used to if you've never used them before, but many sewers adore them and refuse to use anything else.

A good alternative to snips, which I prefer. Choose a pair with large bows (handles) for comfort, and make sure the points are razor sharp. Keep them for snipping threads, unpicking, and removing tacking while working on your machine. Dressmaker's shears have a large blade and a convenient point for clipping and notching curves. These blades have a knife-like edge that can cut fabric at acute angles.

Unusual-looking scissors with short blades and an adjustable screw between the handles. The screw has been tightened so that the scissors can only cut the length of your buttonhole! Much more accurate and neater than using a seam ripper to cut buttonholes.

Another oddly shaped pair of scissors; I honestly don't know what I did before I received my pair because they are so useful. Also known as duck-billed scissors or napping scissors. In dressmaking, I mostly utilise them for layering seams. Because of the large blade on the bottom and the slanted up handles, you may overlay seams without worrying about accidently cutting through the fabric underneath. They can also be used to cut reverse appliqué.

Aim to have a pair of each of the following in your sewing tool kit as a bare minimum. Spend your money wisely and you will only need to buy them once.

• Fabric shears (minimum 8 inch/20cm)

• snips OR little scissors

• Paper scissors (preferably a cheap pair of fabric shears, not a 50p pair of small craft scissors!)

As you begin to sew more, you will find these useful, so invest in them as you can (or put them on your Christmas list! ), but quality only, and they will last you a lifetime of sewing.....

• scissors for appliqué

• Buttonhole snips

Tailor's scissors are often shorter in length. They are an excellent choice for sewing and crafting since they can easily cut through heavy materials such as leather or many layers of fabric. Tailor's scissors with thicker blades have edges that may cut all the way to the tip. These scissors are also smaller and may easily fit in a bag.

Small embroidery scissors are ideal for needlework in garment construction. When hand stitching a fabric, they can be used for thread clipping. They are smaller, which makes them easier to transport on the go.