What is the purpose of pinking shears?

[paisley]

This question has been plaguing my overcrowded brain for weeks now! Do they help prevent the edges of the fabric from unravelling? Or do they just make cut edges look spiffy? What's the story behind the name 'pinking'?

[merpk]

Well, can tell you they don't prevent edges from unraveling. Have only been doing this sewing thing for two months now, but the very first pair of pants I hemmed, it was a rush job, too, and I used pinking shears thinking it would make it less messy ... and I was wrong. Two months later the edges where I cut are totally frayed.



So what are they for, anyway? Inquiring minds want to know ...

[paisley]

Bummer about your pants Amy! I'm glad you let me know because I really thought that's what they were for.

Hmmm, I suppose I could just Google it, but where's the fun in that? Plus I love feeling knowledgeable and answering questions like this, so I wouldn't want to deprive another Mama of that sense of gratification!

[KariM]

The purpose of pinking shears *is* to prevent unraveling - but I'm not sure why that doesn't always work.

I deal in vintage clothing and even the commercially constructed dresses from the 1950's and 1960's had pinked seams as a finish. Now those dresses have held up for half a century in some cases without unraveling.

I, on the other hand, have finished seams with my pinking shears (vintage, btw) and had the seams unravel after the first washing.

I wonder if the difference is the fabrics??

--Kari

[OTMomma]

I'm pretty sure when the pinking shears don't work, it is because of the type of fabric. Some fabrics just want to unravel more than others. Cotton fabrics with a tight weave, only need a little help like pinking shears give to keep from unraveling. Some fabrics like polyester fleece don't ravel at all, so using pinking shears on those is purely decorative. Some fabrics, like the satin I've been sewing lately is prone to unraveleing so you really have to turn under all the ends and use a small needle when sewing them.

Sorry, but I don't know the history or the invention of them.

[rubelin]

Basically, pinking shears are designed to cut the straight edges of fabric to make points that are on the bias, making them less prone to unraveling. The types of fabric does matter, as does WHERE you are cutting. If you're cutting across a straight hem, it will work better than if you are cutting a diagonal part (cause then the points will be back on the straight). Also, my experince has shown that modern fabrics tend to be woven looser than vintage ones, so that might be one reason that they unravel more easily.

[fek&fuzz]

I also use them for edges on fleece things I make, so you don't have to sew a hem, and to edge felt also.
I made some little felt stockings for the tree and just pinked the edges. The pattern is on www.marthastewart.com.

[paisley]

Originally Posted by rubelin

Basically, pinking shears are designed to cut the straight edges of fabric to make points that are on the bias, making them less prone to unraveling. The types of fabric does matter, as does WHERE you are cutting. If you're cutting across a straight hem, it will work better than if you are cutting a diagonal part (cause then the points will be back on the straight). Also, my experince has shown that modern fabrics tend to be woven looser than vintage ones, so that might be one reason that they unravel more easily.

This makes sense. Thanks! So if the weave of my fabric was going like this: #, in which direction would I want to start cutting with my pinking shears? Bottom left corner to top right corner?

[SleeplessMommy]

My Mom had a great use for them... give to me and my sister to play with when she needed to get sewing done!

[rubelin]

I don't think it matters what direction you start in, it matters what direction the weave of the fabric is. Pinking works best when it's perpendicular to the grain, as opposed to diagonal to it. So pinking down the side seam of a straight skirt works better than pinking down the side seam of a bias skirt, make sense??