Question

______ is used to finish the raw edges of fabric.

• A. Pinking shears
• B. Scissors
• C. Notcher
• D. Cutter

Hint:

Pinking shears provide a fast, mechanical seam finish that is best suited for firmly woven, stable fabrics, and inside fully lined garments where seam edges are not exposed to heavy abrasion.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Identifying the Challenge of Raw Edges:
Woven fabrics consist of intersecting warp and weft yarns. When these fabrics are cut with straight shears, the loose threads along the raw edges tend to slip, unravel, and fray over time.

Step 2: Analyzing the Mechanics of Pinking Shears:
Pinking shears have saw-toothed or zig-zag blades instead of straight ones. Cutting a fabric edge with pinking shears produces a saw-toothed (zigzag) pattern. This diagonal cut crosses the warp and weft threads at an angle (on the bias), which reduces their tendency to slip and fray.

Step 3: Comparing Alternative Tools:

• Scissors: Standard shears cut straight lines, which leave the raw edges highly vulnerable to fraying.
• Notcher: A physical punch-tool used to cut small $1/16'' \times 1/4''$ slits in paper patterns to mark alignment points.
• Cutter: Standard rotary or straight-knife cutters are used to cut out main fabric pieces, but they do not finish raw edges.