Cutting Tools - Scissors and Shears

You'll need cutting tools to make your patterns and your fit samples - but remember, your paper scissors and fabric shears are NOT the same thing!!

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Paper scissors are used to cut your paper pattern, not your fabric. Please do NOT use your good fabric scissors to cut patterns!! You WILL ruin them.

A simple, inexpensive pair of scissors are fine – you don’t need anything fancy here. A 6” - 8" blade will cut most pieces. 

It’s also handy to have a short, 2” blade also for cutting smaller pieces or tight curves.

I always buy these at a discount store or Amazon.  You can often find them for less than $5 - which is very good, because they tend to get dull and need to be replaced often.

A good pair of fabric scissors or shears are necessary to cut your muslin and your fashion fabric when you make your garment. 

Assuming you already sew, you probably have a pair of shears at your disposal.  If not, I highly recommend Gingher shears. 

Fiskars are a good, lower-cost alternative, too, but they don’t sharpen as well and aren’t a good long-term investment like the Ginghers are. In this case, I’d buy the best you can afford.


sketch of sewing scissors

A rotary cutter is another option for cutting your fabric, although I personally much prefer a good pair of fabric scissors or shears. 

The rotary cutter, however, is great for cutting bias strips for bias binding or taping a neckline or armhole. 


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