6 Cutting Tools You Need to Sew

Cutting your fabric is one of the first steps when sewing, and it is an essential step that can make or break your project. Here is your Girlfriend's Guide to 6 tools you need to cut your fabric efficiently and effectively. 

1. Fabric Shears
   These are designed specifically for cutting fabric as they generally have blades that are 7" or greater and have a large, comfortable handle, making it easy to cut your fabric. Be sure to keep these very sharp to avoid fabric fraying. See our favorite fabric shears here. 
   
   
2. All-Purpose Scissors for Patterns
   Your fabric shears should be used exclusively for fabric to maintain sharpness and quality, so it is essential to have a separate pair of scissors for cutting your patterns.
   
   
3. Embroidery Scissors
   These scissors are very small with thin blades, designed to snip stray threads close to the fabric without damaging the project. See our favorite embroidery scissors here. 
   
   
4. Rotary Cutter
   These are efficient in cutting fabric quickly with accurate straight or curved lines. Rotary cutters are primarily used to cut straight edges and work very well as long as the blade is sharp. Be sure to have a cutting mat if using a rotary cutter to protect the surface you are making cuts on as well as a quilting ruler to make straight and accurate cuts. See our favorite rotary cutter here. 
   
   
5. Pinking Shears
   These shears have a zig-zag edge to stop the edges of fabric from fraying and are useful in trimming curved seams. Be sure to get a higher quality pair, as a cheaper pair often won't cut and blur the edges of the fabric well. See our favorite pinking shears here. 
   
   
6. Seam Ripper
   Also known as an "unpicker", this tool has a long pointed end used to undo stitches that need to be redone or were done by mistake. See our favorite seam ripper here. 

For more tools you need for sewing, read here.