Quilting is a hobby that involves a great deal of fabric cutting.
For that reason, you’ll want to have the best fabric scissors in your tool kit.
When shopping for quilting scissors, hand comfort and blade sharpness are of the utmost importance.
Keep in mind that stainless steel blades offer good rust resistance, but they will not keep a sharp edge for as long as high-carbon steel blades.
High-carbon steel, however, will be at risk of rusting.
Why You Need Professional Fabric Scissors As a Quilter
Before you can get to the fun part of sewing together a design, you need to cut many pieces of fabric.
If you don’t have the best scissors for cutting fabric, then you’ll soon be struggling to make clean cuts.
Multiple layers of fabric could hinder you when you have only all-purpose scissors. Inappropriate scissors could leave you with a jagged cut or frayed edge. When you need to cut curves or work with fabric that frays easily, you’ll be glad to have the best pinking shears at hand.
Your hand will tire as well without good quilting scissors. Having a nice pair of scissors for small cuts and a high-quality pair of shears for the long cuts helps you attain better results for your project.
You’ll be able to enjoy every step of the creative process instead of being frustrated by inadequate scissors that aren’t up to the task.
Without proper scissors, you will be left massaging your hand before all of the pieces are cut.
What’s the Difference Between Sewing Scissors and Shears?
Length and handle style differentiate scissors from shears. Scissors are the shorter tool because they will be under 10 inches in total length.
They usually have symmetrical handles, with both loops being the same size. Small sewing scissors, for example, may only be about 4 to 5 inches. Their short blades are meant for snipping threads instead of cutting fabric. When you need fabric cutting scissors, choose a longer size, and look for padded grips.
Shears, on the other hand, are a minimum of 10 inches. Longer styles of 12 inches are favored by some quilters when they need to cut long lengths of material. Good shears will make it much easier to make long, straight cuts.
Shears also have bent handles that shift the hand slightly up from the blades. The thumb loop will be smaller than the loop where the fingers enter. This design allows the fabric to stay flat while you work the blades.
Despite these technical definitions, you’ll frequently see the terms scissors and shears used interchangeably within many product descriptions at retailers.
- Why You Need Professional Fabric Scissors As a Quilter
- What’s the Difference Between Sewing Scissors and Shears?
- 15 of the Best Sewing Scissors
- 1. Gingher 8-Inch Knife Edge Dressmaker’s Shears
- 2. LIVINGO Premium Tailor Scissors
- 3. Fabric Tailor Shears Professional 12″ Heavy Duty Sewing Scissors
- 4. Mr. Pen Scissors, Sewing Scissors, 9.5 inch Premium Tailor Scissors
- 5. Fiskars No.8 Premier Easy Action Bent Scissors
- 6. BIHRTC Professional Dressmaking Scissors + Embroidery Scissors
- 7. SINGER Professional Series Bent Scissors, 9 1/2″, TEAL
- 8. Fabric Scissors Professional 10 inch Heavy Duty Scissors
- 9. WISS 10″ Bent Handle Industrial Shears
- 10. Fiskars Amplify RazorEdge Fabric Shears (6 Inch)
- 11. JISTL Green Pinking Shears
- 12. Scalloped Pinking Shears
- 13. Fiskars 8.5 Inch Softouch Spring Action Rag Quilter Snip
- 14. AQUEENLY Embroidery Scissors
- 15. Sewing Scissors 10 Inch Dressmaking Shears With Yarn Snippers
15 of the Best Sewing Scissors
This list contains some of the best inexpensive fabric scissors as well as professional-grade shears.
1. Gingher 8-Inch Knife Edge Dressmaker’s Shears
Gingher has built a strong reputation as a quality scissor brand since 1947. Premium steel forms the blades that are honed to an extra sharp edge capable of delivering precise cuts.
The off-center positioning of the handles is ideal for keeping the fabric flat. As an 8-inch scissor, it has shear-like capabilities for making long cuts. You could find this product useful when preparing long edging pieces for your quilt.
Pros
Con
2. LIVINGO Premium Tailor Scissors
A rainbow-like sheen of color arises from the titanium coating on the stainless steel blades. The coating enhances rust resistance. The forge press manufacturing method for the blades results in harder blades that cut smoothly. The blades are capable of cutting through 16 or more layers of fabric.
You’ll appreciate the soft-grip handle and its ergonomic design. These features limit strain on your hands during long cutting sessions.
Pros
Con
3. Fabric Tailor Shears Professional 12″ Heavy Duty Sewing Scissors
This pair of shears is a moderately priced choice for all-purpose cutting needs. The high-carbon steel blades keep a sharp edge longer than stainless steel alternatives. The ergonomic handle design prevents hand pain and keeps fabric flat while you cut. Blades can cut through all fabrics, including leather.
Pros
Con
4. Mr. Pen Scissors, Sewing Scissors, 9.5 inch Premium Tailor Scissors
The handle design of these scissors adapts to right or left-handed people. The soft grip on the handle also reduces strain on your hands during cutting and helps you maintain control of blades. The stainless steel blades resist rust. The long blades will speed up the process of cutting continuous lengths of fabric.
Pros
Con
5. Fiskars No.8 Premier Easy Action Bent Scissors
If arthritis has been making your quilting activities painful, then the spring-action feature on the blades could spare you from hand fatigue and pain. The spring mechanism opens the blades after each cut. The Arthritis Foundation even recommended this product for people who had lost hand strength or struggled with arthritis pain.
Pros
Con
6. BIHRTC Professional Dressmaking Scissors + Embroidery Scissors
This is a very useful kit because it contains dressmaking scissors and 3 small pairs of embroidery scissors. The dressmaking scissors have titanium-coated, high-carbon steel blades that will hold their edge over the long term.
A balanced and lightweight design ensures that the scissors feel comfortable in your hand while letting you maintain control. The extra embroidery scissors have stainless steel blades.
Pros
Con
7. SINGER Professional Series Bent Scissors, 9 1/2″, TEAL
Singer provides a lifetime guarantee on these heavy duty scissors. This pair has all of the features that a quilter needs. You get a bent handle that leaves fabric flat so that you can cut along pattern lines quickly. Both sides of the blades have been tempered and ground for long-lasting sharpness. The highly desired comfort grip is present as well.
Pros
Con
8. Fabric Scissors Professional 10 inch Heavy Duty Scissors
Product is specifically designed as fabric shears. High-carbon steel blades maintain a sharp edge for a longer period than stainless steel blades. Quilters will find that the shears will save them time when cutting large amounts of fabric. The ergonomic handles help you avoid any pressure or pinching while working the blades.
The bent handle prevents fabric from bunching, and the specially beveled blades limit the possibility of fabric fraying.
Pros
Con
9. WISS 10″ Bent Handle Industrial Shears
These shears may work well for quilters, but they are intended for heavy duty crafts. The nickel-plated, cutlery steel blades cut fabric, leather, fiberglass cloth, and upholstery. This product stands out with an adjustable pivot that could help you customize the scissors.
Pros
Con
10. Fiskars Amplify RazorEdge Fabric Shears (6 Inch)
Quilters working on intricate designs that require small pieces will enjoy a great level of control with these scissors. Ergonomic thumb and finger holes allow your hand to engage in natural motions. Premium stainless steel blades deliver precision cutting action.
The torsion bar within the blade joint keeps blades together in situations with thick fabric that might separate blades on other scissors.
Pros
Con
11. JISTL Green Pinking Shears
Pinking shears produce a zigzag cut that greatly reduces the chances of fabric edges fraying excessively. They are also necessary when working on curved edges that need to be snipped at intervals. This type of cut is the professional approach for tailors and quilters. The grade A steel blades are suitable for multiple purposes. You can cut delicate fabrics, thick fabrics, lace, paper, and cardboard. Blades result in 5mm wide points that are 2mm high.
Pro
Con
12. Scalloped Pinking Shears
The scalloped style of pinking shears remedies the problem of fraying edges before you begin sewing. Crafters also enjoy the scalloped look of the edges on paper pieces for scrapbooks and cards or when working with felt. This product has a ball bearing joint that improves the smoothness of the cutting operation.
Pros
Con
13. Fiskars 8.5 Inch Softouch Spring Action Rag Quilter Snip
Rag quilters will speed up their work with these scissors designed specifically for making many small cuts. Blades are sharp enough to handle multiple heavy fabrics, including denim. A serrated edge gives you an extra advantage against tough fabrics. This product is an excellent choice if you have arthritis and worry that you won’t be able to keep quilting.
Pros
Con
14. AQUEENLY Embroidery Scissors
The charming vintage appearance of these embroidery scissors will make you feel like an artist. Once you’ve completed a quilt, you can embroider on your signature or other decorative elements. Product is a set of 2 small clippers with sharp, stainless steel blades.
Pros
Con
15. Sewing Scissors 10 Inch Dressmaking Shears With Yarn Snippers
These shears have the blade length to manage long cuts when preparing quilt pieces. You can rely on the high-carbon steel blades to hold a sharp edge and cut through all types of fabric easily. A rubber-coated handed protects your hands from pressure and strain.
Pros
Con
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Review Of 6 Of The Best Juki Sewing Machines For Quilting
The Ultimate Guide To Machine Quilting For Beginners
Invest in Good Scissors
Good tools make it possible to achieve good results. Realistically, you should get at least two pairs of quilting scissors. Then, you’ll have small scissors for working on fine details and a sharp pair of shears for processing large amounts of fabric.
The combination of good cutting blades with a comfortable grip that prevents hand fatigue speeds up many aspects of the quilting process. The right scissors will help you sew more quilts in less time and take more pleasure in the preparation steps.
