I have a nice pair of Wiss shears I've had for over forty years. Unfortunately they got dull from those years of polyesters and poly blends. No one seems to be able to sharpen them. Sad.:(

I have my moms that I bought her when I was in high school. I won't tell you how long ago that was , but, my grandson starts H.S. next year. LOL

Our Joann's has a guy come in every 2 months or so that sharpens all kinds ofscissors and knives. Maybe you could do a search and find a local person that does knife/scissor sharpening.

I use the pinking shears all the time for keeping my material from raveling. My grandmother taught me this. I sew regurlar items of clothing for grandkids. I also darn my husbands socks with the egg. Hard to find darning cotton.

I had a pair of Wiss pinking shears but they were so heavy that they didn't get used much so I bought a cheapy lightweight pair about 20 years ago and still use them. I find that they help grade seams.

Ditto. BTW - ref the rotary pinkers - I was told by one of the pros that they will damage the self healing mats, and if we were going to use them (fancy cut rotarys) for fusible appliqué, etc, get a dedicated mat.

I always wished I had a darning egg. I could never find one, it really is hard to "darn" with anything else.

Any one know why they are called "pinking shears"? Just wondering.
Robin in TX

Yes! Mine must also be at least 45 yrs. old and still like new. I still use them for trimming fabric before washing. Difficult to find someone experienced with sharpening them however. I can imagine it must be a tedious job. Mine are Wiss brand. Stamped "Wiss 007 U.S.A." I like that. :thumbup:

I use my rotary cutter pinking blade to trim my edges before washing my fabric.:) I also do other types of sewing so I do use my regular pinking shears sometimes.

I've had mine for 20+ years and still use them. I make jams and chutneys and a circle of fabric cut with pinking shears and placed round the top just finishes off the jars prettily.

I use them when I make felt Christmas decorations. They make nice edges!

I also have a few pairs of pinking shears and a darning egg. My Dad made the darning egg many many years ago.
Don't use it much any more, I think it's the new age of "get a new one" along with waiting till I get the time to do the darning - after quilting of course.

I have two pairs - my mother's old pair that I use for paper craft and a new pair that I bought 3 years ago.

I use them all the time for different things when making bags & etc.

Yes you can still buy them. However I replaced mine with a rotary cutter with a pinking blade. Love it!!

Have old pr from GMA's sewing stuff and the rotary blades. Never used the tho.

But have you noticed that most precuts are pinked??

I have both the pinking sheers and the darning egg although mine is not as pretty as the person that showed their's on the first page. I use my pinking sheers all the time when I put fusible interfacing on an applique design and then don't have to clip the edges just use the sheers, saves lots of time. I have a pair that I use for papercrafting since they don't do well with fabric anymore, as well as the pinking blade I like it more for paper don't want any accidents with my fabric.

We did not have a darning egg, when I was growing up. We used an old light bulb. Recycling before it was the in thing. Dianec

Use mine when I make christmas stockings to trim around the curves. Easier than cutting little snips in fabric.

Hey I have the wood egg darning thing to and moms pinkings shears!
Wonder how many young ones would even know what a wood egg darning thing is.

I have a pair also from my mom, they are craftsmen. still work use them when making kidsclothes

Wow! Is that ever neat! My mom taught me to darn socks, but we used a lightbulb!

I use mine...mainly decoratively. I make little doilies to dress up my canning jars. I also use a rotary pinking blade on the raw edges of fabric before washing it.

Yes, they sell them. I just bought a pair made by Fiskars

Carmen

Oh! Thanks for the idea to 'pink' the corners of new fabric before washing. I'm left handed and about four years ago I asked my daughter for left handed pinking shears for Christmas (she asks and I comply) She said she shopped and shopped and finally went on line to find them. At the time I was making costumes out of less expensive fabrics for high school aged grandaughter. Pinking the seams of satin was essential lest I strangle in a cobweb of threads.

I confess to that. I have my Mom's pinking shears and her wooden darning for socks. If she was here she would be 111 yrs old. So my darner and pinking shears are very old.

I use pinking shears to trim a curve. It's easier than clipping.

I use them when I am appliquing and garment
sewing. They are very useful and needed for these
applications.

I use a pinking blade in my rotary cutter to do the same thing. Never owned a pair of the scissor type.

they work well to 'clip' the curve when turning a curved seam.... instead of clipping to the seam, pink the edge--allows the turned fabric to 'spread' out to lay flat.

can do the same with the rotary trimmer--but i feel more 'in control' with the shears.

I do use my pinking shears for cutting out circles and applique pieces that are curved. To me, it makes the seam lay flatter. I also use them to cut the edge of fabric when I wash it but I don't think anything ever keeps fabric from unraveling during the wash.

I use my pinking shears when working with circles. They allow the fabric to spread without clipping the seam allowances as we were taught to do, especially on applique or cathedral windows or orange peels that are sewn to a backing or muslin and then turned right-side-to.

One theory is that it's because the cut edge resembles the edges of pinks, the flower (dianthus).

Um, you darn socks?? :lol: I use my Sunday socks (the holy ones) for washing windows and cleaning. I have a mismatched pair that I wear frequently. One is green and the other is red. Green is for "Port" and worn on the left foot, and the red is for "Starboard" and worn on the right...........Just in case I ever get to go boating again. 8-)

It depends on the fabric for me. If I know it is going to ravel, I will pink the edges

Yes, I remember and YES they still sell them. I have my Gingher pair. And, when I remember to use them they are great. I bought mine about 2 years ago. :-D

I have a pair. I use them to make fabric wreaths at least that's what I call them. I pink the edges of 5 inch squares. I place a screw driver in the middle of the square and then punch the fabric into a straw wreath. Helps use up scraps of fabrics.

I use my pinking shears in quilting by trimming curves and then you don't have to clip the seam. Also cut my fabric edges before putting the fabric into the washing machine, a lot less strings that way.
Brenda