Pinking shears are used for cutting woven cloth. Cloth edges that are unfinished will easily fray, the weave becoming undone and threads pulling out easily. The sawtooth pattern does not prevent the fraying but limits the length of the frayed thread and thus minimizes damage.

Are pinking shears necessary?

Okay, so pinking shears aren't an absolutely necessary tool when sewing, but they can certainly make life easier. For those of you unfamiliar with this tool, pinking shears have serrated edges and they leave your trimmed fabric with a decorative edge. This edge is more than just a nice looking touch.

Can I use pinking shears instead of hemming?

When you don't want to hem or bind a seam allowance, but you are worried about fraying, pinking shears come to the rescue. ... If you are cutting a lot of pieces for a project that are going to be handled a lot before sewing (think charm packs), you can also use your pinking blade or shears.