Cutting Tools, Cutting Technique and Fabric Handling
What the exam tests
Correct tool for each job, safe cutting technique, and handling fabric so cut pieces stay on grain and undistorted.
Tools
Dressmaker's shears have angled handles so the blade stays flat on the table; use them only for fabric. Pinking shears give a zigzag edge to reduce fraying. A rotary cutter and mat suit slippery fabric and multiple layers but must be used with a ruler and a cut-resistant glove. Seam ripper, thread clippers, tailor's chalk, pins and pattern weights complete the kit.
Cutting rules
Cut on a flat, clear table. Keep the lower blade on the table and cut with long, smooth strokes, away from your body and fingers. Do not lift the fabric; lift only the shears. Cut exactly on the marked line. Cut notches outward. Pin inside the seam allowance, parallel to the edge, or use weights. Cut pile fabrics such as corduroy and velvet in one direction with the nap.
Handling tricky fabric
For satin, chiffon and knits, place tissue paper under the fabric, hold with weights rather than pins, and avoid stretching. Roll leftovers rather than folding creases into them.
Worked example
Satin slides and the cut edge waves. Reasoning: pins stretch the bias and the fabric has no grip. Fix: lay tissue paper beneath, hold with pattern weights, cut with a rotary cutter against a ruler, and move the whole sandwich, not the top layer.
Traps
Using fabric shears on paper; cutting with the blade lifted; pinning across the cutting line; pulling the fabric forward as you cut; using pinking shears for the main seam; leaving the rotary cutter open.