Whatever kind of embroidery scissors you decide to invest in, the number one rule is that above all else they must be SHARP! The most commonly used embroidery scissors are straight tip scissors. These scissors are small, thin, and fine-pointed to allow a degree of precision for close trimming of threads. They should be treated with care and using them only for cutting threads will ensure they have a long useful life.
Curved tip scissors are best when used for extremely fine precision work like getting under stitches or removing pesky underlay stitches that have popped out. These scissors should also only be used for thread trimming to keep their points aligned.
Applique scissors are designed to push down on one layer of fabric while cutting an upper layer. The blunt “duckbill” blade separates any fabric that you don’t want to accidentally cut with the sharp upper blade. While many embroiderers will use these scissors for applique, the duckbill design is great for any machine embroiderers who want to cut away stabilizer backing while reducing the risk of cutting the embroidered fabric.
Thread snips aren’t exactly scissors, but they are important for embroidery so I’ve included them here. Thread snips do exactly what you think they’d do: they are hand tools designed to cut away thread on front or back of embroidery to clean up your design. They’re great if you struggle to insert your fingers through the often small handles of traditional embroidery scissors.
Unlike regular curved scissors, double curved scissors are designed ease of trimming while your work is still in the hoop. Both the handle and the tip of these scissors are curved. This design provides better visibility for you while you’re trimming a hard-to-reach place within the embroidery hoop.
We hope you’ve found our little guide to embroidery scissors helpful – you can find more of our ‘Very Little Guides’ here.
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Hi,I must say this has proved very useful thank you,love that lil scissor holder.By the way,saw a gorgeous Newfie on the news tonight but didnt know they came in a chocolate colour thought only black,silly me.xx
Hi Lee, thanks for that – yes Newfies come in black, brown and black-and-white too, known as Landseers. Daisy’s mum was a Landseer which is why she has a little white dot on her chest! xx