What are pinking shears used for?

Using Pinking Shears in Pad Sewing

If you’re sewing your own cloth pads, pinking shears are most useful right after stitching your layers together. With the turn and topstitch method, you place all the layers of the pad right sides together, sew around the shape, and leave a small hole to turn it right side out.

Before turning it, you trim the seam allowance. That’s where pinking shears come in. They remove excess fabric so the pad isn’t bulky once flipped and topstitched. Having an even, reduced seam allowance makes it easier to turn through the opening and stitch neatly around the edge.

Why Trim the Seam Allowance

Trimming the inside edge helps the pad turn more smoothly and sit flat when topstitched. It also prevents that stiff, lumpy feel that can happen when too much fabric builds up inside the seam.

You’ll also want to clip into inner corners to release tension so the fabric doesn’t pucker after turning. And if your pad shape includes sharp corners, clip those tips off so they form clean points when topstitched.

Which Pinking Shears Actually Work

I’ve tried a few pairs, and my favorites are a cheap set I bought on Amazon years ago for around $12. They cut cleanly through thicker fabrics.

The pinking shears I’ve bought locally, like from Hobby Lobby or Joann, didn’t handle multiple layers well. When sewing with cotton velour or bamboo velour layered with fleece or flannel, the Fiskars ones especially had trouble cutting through that thickness cleanly.

Things to Watch Out For

Don’t trim too close to the stitch line, you don’t want to weaken the seam. Pads go through a lot of washing, and if you cut too close, the stitches themselves can start to loosen.

If you don’t have pinking shears, you can just use regular fabric scissors to trim down the seam allowance evenly, then clip curves and corners to reduce bulk. The pinking shears just make the process quicker and keep the inner seam more uniform.