Embroidery scissors that trim clean at the hoop, in stock in Tempe and shipped nationwide
Curved-tip snips, double-curve scissors, duckbill applique scissors, thread clips, dressmaker shears and Peggy's Stitch Eraser, chosen for machine embroidery shops and priced for daily use. Walk in at our Tempe, Arizona store or order online with fast U.S. shipping.
Embroidery Tools & Accessories
Scissors, snips, oilers, adhesives, and machine accessories — search any tool to find it fast.
Pick the scissor by the cut you make most
Every blade shape solves one specific problem at the machine. Choose the job on the left and we will show you the tool, why it works, and where to buy it.
Scissors, snips and thread clips
Every cutting tool from the picker above. Add to cart here or open the product page for the full description.
Every embroidery scissor we stock, and what it is for
All of these are in the Tempe store and ship from Arizona. Prices are current at time of writing; the product cards above show live pricing.
Curved-tip embroidery snips, 3.5 in
The curved tip rides over the fabric and lifts the thread into the blade, so you cut the tail, not the stitch underneath. Fine point version reaches between small letters. This is the pair that lives on the machine table.
Fine point 3.5 in $14.95 Standard 3.5 in $9.95Double-curve scissors, 3.5 in gold and 5 in chrome
Handles curve up and blades curve down, so your knuckles clear the hoop ring or cap frame while the tip stays flat on the fabric. The 5 in chrome pair suits multi-head operators; the 3.5 in gold pair is for fine work.
3.5 in gold plated $12.95 5 in chrome plated $19.95Duckbill applique scissors, 6 in
One blade carries a wide paddle that slides between the applique and the base garment. Trim right up to the tack-down stitch without nicking the shirt.
Chrome, black handle $14.95Squeeze snips and thread snips, 4.5 in
Spring-loaded, one-hand trimming for high-volume shops. Curved-point squeeze snips for the hoop; straight thread snips for tails at the bobbin case.
Curved squeeze snips $11.95 Thread snips $3.95Madeira and Gingher thread clips
Half-ounce clips with a safety cap and neck loop. Made to hang on the operator, not the table. Stainless blades welded into a glass-filled nylon frame. [4]
Gingher 4 in lightweight $28.95 Madeira single ring spring back $7.95Peggy's Stitch Eraser 9
A cordless or corded trimmer with stainless and ceramic blades engineered to get under dense machine embroidery and clip it, not a hair clipper. The #9 head is narrow for lettering, collars and cuffs. Replacement blades stocked. [1][2]
Stitch Eraser #9 $109.95 Replacement blade #9 $31.95Dressmaker shears, 7.5 in soft handle
Long straight blades for backing, topping, twill and yardage. Keep a pair for fabric only; stabilizer adhesive and paper dull fine embroidery blades fast.
Soft handle shears $19.95Seam ripper, tweezers, needle changer and Fray Check
A Seam Fix ripper for single stitches, 4.5 in and 6 in fine-point tweezers for pulling clipped thread and clearing the bobbin area, a needle changer for fast swaps between jobs, and Dritz Fray Check to seal cut edges on applique and patches.
Why embroidery scissors are shaped the way they are
Finger bows sized for control, not force
Small bows keep the pivot close to your fingertips. Embroidery cuts are a few threads thick; leverage matters less than placement.
Tight pivot, fine blades
A snug pivot lets the tips meet exactly. Loose scissors fold the thread instead of shearing it, which leaves a fuzzy tail that shows on the finished piece.
Curved or double-curved tip
The curve lifts the cutting point off the fabric so you can slide under a jump stitch with the blade nearly flat. Double-curve adds a bend at the handle to clear hoop rings and cap frames.
Plating and steel
Chrome and gold plating over carbon steel resist corrosion from adhesive sprays and skin oils. Stainless blades in thread clips are welded into the frame so they never loosen.
Stitch removal and cleanup tools
For taking a design out, pulling clipped thread and clearing the bobbin area.
Compare blade shapes at a glance
| Tool | Length | Jump stitches | Cap frame | Applique | Stitch removal | Backing and fabric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved embroidery snips | 3.5 in | Best | Workable | Small pieces | Slow | Avoid |
| Double-curve scissors | 3.5 in, 5 in | Best | Best | Workable | Slow | Avoid |
| Duckbill applique scissors | 6 in | Workable | Too long | Best | No | Light fabric |
| Squeeze snips, curved | 4.5 in | Fast | Workable | No | No | Avoid |
| Thread clips | 4 in | Fast | Workable | No | No | Avoid |
| Peggy's Stitch Eraser 9 | Handheld | No | Off the frame | No | Best | No |
| Dressmaker shears | 7.5 in | No | No | Pre-cutting | No | Best |
Where the scissors are: our shop in Tempe, Arizona
Photos from the store, not a stock library. Embroidery tools sit with the Madeira thread wall, E-Zee backings, needles and bobbins, so you can build the whole job in one stop.
Buckets of Ink
906 S Priest Dr #101, Tempe, AZ 85281
480-229-7806
bucketsofink@gmail.com
On Priest Drive between University Drive and Broadway Road, minutes from Arizona State University, Loop 202 and Sky Harbor Airport. Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Try the scissors in hand before you buy
- Same inventory online and in store
- Madeira thread, E-Zee backing, needles and bobbins under one roof
- Shop accounts for volume pricing
Keep embroidery scissors sharp for years
Thread only
Reserve embroidery snips for thread. Paper, stabilizer and adhesive-backed material roll the fine edge. Use the dressmaker shears for everything else.
Wipe off spray adhesive
Temporary spray and 3D foam leave residue that gums the pivot. Wipe blades with a drop of AlbaChem or Madeira white machine oil on a cloth at the end of the shift.
Cap the tips
A dropped pair of fine-point snips lands on the tip and bends it. Keep the cap on thread clips and hang snips on a lanyard rather than leaving them on the table.
Do not spread the blades
Cutting with the blades opened wide stresses the pivot. Take small cuts near the tip, where the curve does the work.
Sharpen professionally
Curved and double-curve blades need a scissor sharpener who works with embroidery tools. Home sharpeners flatten the curve. Most shops replace 3.5 in snips before that point.
Stitch Eraser care
Brush thread out of the head after each use, rinse removable blades, and oil lightly. Replace the blade when it starts tearing rather than clipping. [2]
Oil, lubricant, adhesive and machine accessories
What the care guide above refers to: oilers, thread lubricant, temporary spray, Fray Check, 3D puff and a precision screwdriver set for machine adjustments.
Embroidery scissors questions, answered
A 3.5 in curved-tip embroidery snip is the standard tool for trimming jump stitches on the hoop, and a double-curve scissor is the upgrade for caps and tight frames. Add duckbill applique scissors if you run applique, and Peggy's Stitch Eraser if you ever need to remove a design.
The curve raises the cutting tip off the fabric so the blade can slide under a thread tail while lying almost flat. Straight tips have to angle down into the garment, which is how holes and nicked stitches happen.
Curved scissors bend only at the blade tip. Double-curve scissors also bend at the handle, lifting your hand above the hoop ring or cap frame. Choose double-curve for cap work and multi-head machines; single-curve is fine for flat goods on a home or single-head machine.
Duckbill scissors have one flat paddle-shaped blade that holds the base fabric down while the sharp blade trims applique material right against the tack-down stitch. They are also used for grading seams and trimming close to a satin edge.
You can cut thread with anything sharp, but regular scissors are too long to reach a jump stitch inside a hoop and the straight tip will catch the fabric. A dedicated 3.5 in snip costs less than a ruined garment.
Turn the garment over and run a stitch eraser such as Peggy's Stitch Eraser 9 across the bobbin side to shave the bobbin thread, then pull the top thread away with tweezers. For a few stitches, a seam ripper under the bobbin thread works. Steam and a lint brush lift the needle holes afterward.
Thread clips are faster for straight tails because they are spring-loaded and one-handed. Curved scissors give more control inside a design. Most operators keep both: clips on a lanyard, snips on the machine.
Buckets of Ink stocks embroidery scissors, snips, thread clips and stitch erasers at 906 S Priest Dr #101 in Tempe, Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, serving Tempe, Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Scottsdale. Everything on this page also ships nationwide from bucketsofink.com.
When the tips no longer meet or thread folds instead of cutting. In a production shop running daily, fine-point snips typically last a year or more if they only touch thread and stay off the floor.
Yes. The replacement blade for the Stitch Eraser 9 is stocked in Tempe and online, along with the Stitch Eraser itself.
Sources and further reading
Manufacturer documentation behind the specifications and care guidance on this page.
- Madeira USA: Peggy's Stitch Eraser 9 (stainless and ceramic blades, corded and cordless operation, narrow head for lettering)
- Peggy's Stitch Eraser: Stitch Eraser 9 product page (removable rinseable blades, lithium battery, USB charging)
- Peggy's Stitch Eraser: how the blades differ from hair clippers
- Gingher 4 in featherweight thread clip specifications (half-ounce weight, stainless blades, safety cap with loop)
- Madeira USA: How to use the Peggy's Stitch Eraser 9 (PDF)
- Buckets of Ink: Madeira embroidery thread and E-Zee backings
- Buckets of Ink: Embroidery supplies, needles, bobbins and thread conversion chart
