The Best Fabric Scissors for Every Craft: A Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Pair

One of the biggest misconceptions about fabric scissors is that there's one perfect pair for every maker. The reality is that different crafts ask your scissors to do completely different jobs.

The pair that excels at cutting garment patterns may feel oversized for embroidery. Likewise, the tiny scissors you love for thread trimming won't be much help when cutting several yards of canvas. Choosing scissors based on your craft helps you work more comfortably, more accurately, and with less fatigue. Here's how to decide!

Garment Sewing

Garment makers tend to cut larger pieces of fabric and long pattern lines. Because of this, longer blades can make a noticeable difference. Popular choices include:

• Midnight Edition Fabric Shears
• Midnight Edition Lightweight Scalloped Pinking Shears
• Midnight Edition Ergonomic Scissors
• Midnight Edition Thread Snip

Longer scissors reduce the number of cuts needed, helping produce cleaner edges across large pattern pieces.

Photo @sewspicious

Quilting

Quilters often use several scissors throughout a project. Most commonly:

• Midnight Edition Fabric Shears
• Midnight Edition Rotary Cutter
• Fine Tip Embroidery Scissors
• Midnight Edition Thread Snip

Fabric shears handle cutting yardage and blocks, while smaller scissors stay close to the sewing machine for trimming threads and making precise cuts.

Many quilters find that a versatile 9-inch pair of fabric scissors becomes the workhorse of their toolkit, while a rotary cutter offers ease for longer, straight pattern pieces or bias binding.

Photo @roseryapparel

Bag Making & Leather

Bag making introduces thicker materials like canvas, cork, interfacing, and denim. Because of these thicker materials, makers often prefer:

• Midnight Edition Ergonomic Scissors
• Midnight Edition Fabric Shears
• Fine Tip Embroidery Scissors
• Midnight Edition Thread Snip

Leather often requires stronger scissors and more cutting power. Longer blades paired with larger handles help create smooth cuts while providing additional leverage through thicker materials. We will always recommend our Midnight Edition Ergonomic Scissors when someone tells us they use leather!

Photo @sparrowhandmade.ca

Embroidery

Embroidery demands precision, so rather than long blades, embroiderers benefit from:

• Fine Tip Embroidery Scissors
• Bloom Series Lightweight Fabric Scissors
• Imperial Scissors
• Midnight Edition Curved Blade Scissors

Fine Tip Embroidery Scissors and Curved Blade Scissors are ideal because they allow you to trim threads cleanly without disturbing surrounding stitches.

Photo @itsallinthestitch

Knitting & Crochet

Most knitters and crocheters aren't cutting fabric often. Instead, they're trimming yarn. Small embroidery scissors are usually the perfect companion because they're lightweight, portable, and easy to keep in a project bag. We recommend:

• One-Piece Thread Snip
• Fine Tip Embroidery Scissors
• Midnight Edition Soft-handled Craft Scissors
• Imperial Scissors

Photo @thehappyhomecollective

Paper Crafts

Although many crafters work with paper, we recommend keeping separate scissors dedicated to paper projects. Paper often contains mineral-based coatings that gradually wear down the finely honed edge of fabric scissors. Using dedicated paper scissors helps preserve your fabric shears for the projects they were designed to tackle. Cutting paper is more stable with a serrated blade, so we recommend:

• Bloom Series Fabric Scissors
• Midnight Edition Soft-handled Craft Scissors
• Fine Tip Embroidery Scissors
• Imperial Scissors

One Pair or Multiple?

Many makers begin with one excellent pair of fabric shears. As their skills grow, so does their toolkit. A common progression looks something like this:

• Large fabric shears for cutting yardage
• Small embroidery scissors for precision work
• Thread snips beside the sewing machine

Each tool solves a different problem, making the entire creative process smoother. Different crafts naturally lend themselves to different blade lengths and styles, but even within the same craft, personal preference still wins. The best scissors are the ones that fit comfortably in your hand and suit the way you work!

Your scissors should support the way you create.

Whether you're quilting, embroidering, sewing garments, knitting, or making bags, choosing the right pair can make every project feel easier and more enjoyable. The goal isn't to own every pair of scissors, it’s to own the right ones for the work you love most.