Cutting Tools for Clothing Construction

CUTTING TOOLS

Cutting tools are used for cutting paper pattern, fabric and thread. The most com-mon cutting tools include scissors, shears, pinking shears, embroidery scissors, elec-tric scissors, seam rippers and thread clip-per (Figure 6.4).

Scissors

Scissors have round shaped handle with two sharp blades. The length of blades varies from 10 to 15 cm. The handles are made of plastics or metals. It is used for cutting threads, separating the stitches and other cutting in proper way during stitching.

Shears

Shears is bigger and heavier scissors with a small ring as handle for thumb and a larger ring for the other four fingers. The length of these blades ranges from 20 to 30 cm. It is made up of metal. It is also called as Tailor’s shears.

The weight and the size of the shears must depend upon the work and the fabric weight. While cutting the fab-ric, the handle of the shears should touch the table and the sharpened edge must be slightly higher than the table level. A fab-ric cutting shears should only be used for cutting the fabrics.

Pinking Shears

Pinking shears are shears with sharp toothed zig zag edges. They are lighter in weight when compared to shears. It is used for decorative purpose. It also prevents the raveling of yarns from the fabric edges.

Electric Scissors

Electric scissors are scissors which are operated by power. They are similar to scissors. Electric scissors are used for cut-ting light and heavy weight fabrics more easily and quickly.