Felt Cutting Made Easy: The Best Scissors to Cut Felt
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Any regular type of scissors can cut through various materials, but with felt fabric, it's different. Felt is a non-woven fabric made of pressing fibers with a usual width of at least 0.5 inches (1mm). Therefore don't expect good results with regular craft scissors. A good pair of scissors is essential for felt cutting to achieve clean and precise cuts and reduce the stress on your hand. In this article, you will find the best scissors to cut felt and other tools for cutting felt fabric that will help you in your next felt project. The best scissors selection includes scissors I have at home and felt scissors recommended by felt crafters in crafting forums.
The best scissors to cut felt are sharp scissors designed to cut fabric. I recommend getting one pair of detail, small scissors with pointy ends as KAI 5 1/2 inch Embroidery Scissors, Fiskars Stitcher Scissors (No. 5) or EK Cutter Bee Precision Scissors. For a second pair of felt cutting scissors, get large scissors 8 inch shears. With these, you cut larger felt pieces. Here go for Gingher 8-inch Dressmaker’s Shears or Fiskars Original 8" Scissors. If you are looking to reduce hand stress, buy scissors with spring action. Here the best are Fiskars Premier Easy Action Titanium Scissors or Fiskars Razor Edge Easy Action Scissors. Continue reading to learn more.
Having the right tools for felt will help you to enjoy the felt crafting hobby even more. You might be interested in reading the following sewing tips and tricks posts as well:
Table of Content
1. Can Regular Household Scissors Be Used to Cut Felt?
While regular household scissors or paper scissors can be used to cut felt, they may not provide the cleanest and most precise cuts. Have you tried it? Frustrating, isn’t it? After cutting several felt projects with regular scissors, you might feel the stress on your hand and potential pain. Cutting intricate felt pieces might be a challenge, depending on what scissors you use. Therefore, it's wise to consider specifically designed scissors for fabric or felt cutting. Moreover, you should experience that cutting felt with good quality felt scissors is faster. Read further to find the best scissors to cut felt.
2. What are the Best Scissors for Cutting Felt?
When it comes to cutting felt, it is crucial to use scissors specifically designed for cutting fabric, such as fabric scissors, tailor shears, or dressmaker shears. Ordinary scissors may struggle to cut through the thickness and texture of felt, resulting in frayed edges and uneven cuts.
Sewing scissors or fabric scissors are an excellent choice for cutting felt due to their sharp blades and comfortable grip. These sharp scissors are specifically designed for cutting fabric and can effortlessly cut through multiple layers of felt.
Tailor shears or dressmaker shears are another type of scissors that are well-suited for cutting felt. These scissors are larger and have longer blades, enabling you to cut larger felt shapes easily.
The Difference between Scissors and Shears
Scissors - blade up to 6 inches and identical handles.
Shears - longer blades and different handles, the smaller handle for the thumb and the larger handle for the fingers.
What Are Some Important Features to Look for in Felt Cutting Scissors?
When choosing scissors to cut felt, it's important to look for sharp blades, pointy ends, comfortable handles or grips, and sturdy, high-quality materials construction. Additionally, scissors with a spring action mechanism can help reduce hand strain during prolonged use.
3. What Are Some Recommended Brands of Scissors for Cutting Felt?
When it comes to choosing the best scissors to cut felt, there are several reputable brands. Some popular scissors brands include Fiskars, Gingher, and KAI. These brands are known for producing high-quality cutting tools that are perfect for working with fabrics like felt.
Fiskars is a well-known brand that is known for producing high-quality scissors. Fiskars was founded in 1649 in Finland in a village called Fiskars. They specialize in scissors and shears across different categories. Their crafting and sewing scissors are designed to provide precise and clean cuts, making them popular among crafters. They are made from carbon stainless steel and some include titanium coatings. Also, Fiskars offers a lifetime warranty in the USA or a 25-year warranty in the EU.
Gingher tailor scissors are trusted by professionals in the fashion and sewing industry. These all-metal scissors are made in Italy from high-quality materials and have sharp blades, allowing for effortless and accurate cutting. Gingher was acquired by Fiskars Group in 2005.
KAI makes various sewing scissors models and you should be able to find one that fits your hand well, without any trouble. The Kai scissors are produced in Japan and Vietnam. The KAI N5000 Series scissors and shears are made for professional use and feature hardened stainless steel. The smooth, sharp blades give these KAI scissors an amazing smoothness in cut and feel.
Popular scissors brands - Fiskars and KAI
4. The Best Scissors to Cut Felt
Find the best scissors to cut felt in this selection, from smaller scissors to larger scissors (I shall say shears). I use full sized sewing shears for cutting larger pieces of felt or straight lines. The second pair of my scissors are small embroidery scissors that I use for small details. There are also scissors with spring action. These are designed to open automatically, which reduces hand stress and allows for smoother and quicker cutting. Ultimately, the best scissors to cut felt are those that ensure easy and smooth cutting, making your DIY felt projects a success.
KAI 5 1/2 inch Embroidery Scissors (135mm)
These KAI 5.5 inch embroidery scissors are my favorite scissors for felt, especially for intricate felt shapes. These are the best for cutting small shapes.
Hardened stainless steel blades
Tension adjustable screw
Smooth, detailed cutting action on all fabrics
Ergonomic handles made of soft plastic
View also Kai V5135
Gingher 5-inch Knife Edge Sewing Scissors
These Gingher 5-inch scissors are great for the ones who prefer all-steel scissors — versatile scissors that are excellent for quilting, sewing, and embroidery.
Made of double-plated chrome
Precision-ground blades
Nickel blade finish
Small handles
Leather cover
Fiskars Stitcher Scissors (No. 5)
Fiskars 5-inch stitcher scissors are very sharp with the fine point, allowing them to cut very small details.
Small scissors 5 inch
Ideal for cutting intricate details
Ultra-precise blades called Micro-Tip Blades for intricate felt shapes
Stainless-steel blades offer a lasting sharp edge that cuts all the way to the tip
Ambidextrous double-loop handle - right-handed as well as left-handed scissors
EK Success Cutter Bee Precision Scissors
This Cutter Bee high-precision crafting scissors from EK Success are popular for DIY craft projects. This small pair of scissors is very precise.
Non-stick blades with sharp edges
Stainless steel material
High-precision scrapbooking scissors
Comfort grip handles
Ambidextrous, work for right or left-handed
Includes blade cover
Fiskars Razor Edge Micro-Tip Easy Action Scissors 5-inch
This Fiskars Razor Edge Micro-Tip Easy Action model is great for fabric. These scissors are excellent for reducing strain on your hand as they include an easy action spring, which opens the blades after each cut. They are especially valued by anybody with arthritis and other diseases that impact the strength of the hands.
Stainless steel blades
Easy Action spring to reduce strain on your hand
Precise Micro-Tip blades
Soft Grip handles for a comfortable hold
Easy open thumb lock for comfortable and safe storage
Ideal for fabric
Fiskars Premier Easy Action Micro-Tip Titanium Scissors
These titanium Fiskars Premier Easy Action scissors are all-purpose micro-tip scissors that can cut details out of many materials, including denim, silk, and multiple layers of fabric. They are especially valued by people with arthritis or limited hand strength. A spring is included, opening the blades after each cut to reduce hand strain.
Stainless steel blades with Micro-Tip
Titanium blade coating resists corrosion and scratches
Length 6 in
Easy Action spring-action design to help reduce hand fatigue
Soft-grip handle for comfort and control
KAI 6 1/2 inch Scissors (165 mm)
I also own these KAI 6.5-inch scissors, which are a bit larger than the 5.5-inch model above. They have a lovely size, between 5 inches and 8 inches.
Comfortable handles
Hardened stainless steel
Tension adjustable screw
Sharp points
View also Kai N5165
Gingher 8-Inch Knife Edge Dressmaker’s Shears
You just can't beat a good pair of dressmaking shears with a long blade for cutting larger pieces of woven fabrics or felt. These Gingher 8-inch fabric scissors are razor sharp and perfect for all kinds of fabric.
Ultra sharp blades
Durable, double-plated finish
The bent handle helps to hold felt flat when cutting
Cuts through more layers of fabric
Fiskars Original 8" Stainless Steel Shears
These Fiskars 8-inch stainless steel scissors are excellent fabric scissors for straight cuts. I have a similar Fiskars 8-inch model to these with gray handles. I love them to cut basic shapes for felt banners or to prepare felt pieces for my Cricut Maker.
Stainless steel
Large scissors
Bent handle to keep the material flat
Ergonomic handle
Lifetime guarantee
My felt cutting scissors - Fiskars shears, KAI 6.5 inch scissors and KAI 5.5 inch embroidery scissors
5. Tips for Cutting Felt with Scissors
Use long, smooth movements
Move the felt when cutting, not the scissors
Keep scissors clean and sharp
Use scissors with a pointy tip for intricate cuts
Use these scissors only on felt - always use separate scissors for cutting felt from the ones you use for paper crafts or general crafting. These will prolong the life of your felt scissors
Hide your felt scissors away from kids and their paper projects :)
Don't try to sharpen your scissors at home unless you have branded tools (I've ruined my KAI scissors using ordinary scissors sharpener ;(
Avoid cutting through pins (if you use them) and other objects
Felt scissors features - Sharp blades, pointy tips and good quality materials
6. What Are the Other Cutting Tools for Felt?
In addition to a good pair of scissors, a few other tools can make cutting felt easier and more efficient. These include rotary cutters, pinking and scallop shears for decorative edges and a fabric cutter or craft knife for more advanced cutting techniques.
Rotary Cutters to Cut Felt
You can use rotary cutters to cut felt. They are especially useful when cutting straight lines, providing clean and precise cuts. However, it's important to use a cutting mat underneath the felt to protect your work surface and ensure smooth cutting. You'll also need a ruler when cutting straight shapes. The rotary cutters might be especially handy when cutting larger pieces of felt for your die cut machine. I would recommend Fiskars Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter and Olfa Rotary Cutter as good rotary cutters.
Pinking and Scallop Shears
If you want to add decorative edges to your felt projects, pinking and scallop shears are an excellent choice. These scissors have a zigzag blade or scallop blade that creates a decorative edge when cutting fabric. They can add an extra touch of style to your felt projects. Fiskars 8" Softgrip Pinking Shears are great for felt crafts. These pinking shears cut a zigzag pattern along a fabric edge. You can use them to cut edges of felt banners and felt memory games. Benzie Design offers scalloped fabric shears with 3mm, 5mm, and 10mm scallops.
Note that felt dulls your scissors faster than other material and pinking and scallop shears are expensive to sharpen. Therefore rotary pinking blades might also be an interesting alternative as they can be easily replaced with a new blade. You can check Olfa Rotary Blade Refill 45mm Pinking PIB45-1 (2-Pack).
Cutting felt with scalloped shears
OLFA rotary cutter and KAI embroidery scissors
7. Can Die Cutting Machines Be Used to Cut Felt?
Die cutting machines are commonly used for cutting various types of materials, including paper, cardstock, and fabric. When it comes to cutting felt, both manual die cut machines and digital die cut machines can be used successfully.
Manual die cut machines, such as the Sizzix Big Shot, require the use of steel-rule dies called BIGZ for cutting several layers of felt. These dies are made of metal and have sharp edges that easily cut through the fabric. You can also use Thinlits and Framelits but sometimes the cut is imperfect.
Digital die cut machines, like the Silhouette CAMEO, can also be used to cut felt. These machines use a blade that is controlled by a computerized software, allowing for precise and intricate cuts. Additionally, some digital die cut machines, like the Cricut Maker with the Rotary Blade, have specialized tools that are specifically designed for cutting fabrics like felt.
Interested in knowing how to use die cut machines to cut felt? Read the secrets and tips in How to cut felt using Sizzix and The ultimate guide to cutting felt with the Cricut machine.
8. My Free Felt Patterns
You can try your new scissors on my free patterns for felt:
9. The Best Scissors to Cut Felt Conclusions
In conclusion, having the right pair of scissors is essential for achieving clean and precise cuts when it comes to cutting felt. I hope you found your favorite scissors to cut felt in this selection. If you haven't, please let me know and I check your felt scissors suggestion out. Detail scissors are perfect for intricate and delicate felt projects, while dressmaker's scissors are designed for cutting through multiple layers of fabric and in longer straight cuts. Investing in sharp fabric scissors specifically for cutting felt is a good idea, as using traditional scissors may result in jagged edges or difficulties in cutting through the material. Pinking and scalloped scissors are also a great option for cutting felt, as they create decorative edges that add a unique touch to your fabric crafts. Professional high quality scissors from reputable brands such as Fiskars, Kai, and Gingher are widely recommended, as they are specially designed for fabric cutting and provide optimum performance. Whether you need to cut large pieces of felt for a sewing project or want to cut patterns for a felt craft, having the right pair of scissors will make the job easier and ensure that your cuts are clean and precise.
Happy felt crafting!
Be sure to visit more on this website for free embroidery and sewing tips & tricks to help you out as you stitch my patterns. For free felt patterns, visit my Freebies page.
Let's craft together!
XO, Anna
