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Do you often wonder how some quilters always have
perfectly, matching points? Ask them how often they use a seam ripper and
I think you’ll be surprised; a seam ripper may be their best friend.
Nobody likes to use one but you shouldn’t be afraid to use it when you
need it; everyone needs to “rip-it” from time to time.
OUR FRIEND, THE SEAM RIPPER
Basically, a seam ripper is used to remove unwanted stitches. The fine tip
of a seam ripper allows you to pick out single threads, decreasing the
likelihood of cutting the fabric that the stitches are attached too.
Keep your seam ripper clean and use it only for sewing tasks to keep it
sharp. Keep it covered when you are not using it to prevent injuries
and damage. Most seam rippers are inexpensive and should be replaced
when they become dull.
Dritz Seam Ripper shown here.
DOZENS OF DESIGNS AND BRANDS
Students at my workshops sometimes need to take out a
seam and I often volunteer to do that for them while they continue
sewing. As a result I’ve used many different brands of seam rippers—some
large, some small, others folding, retractable, or made with “surgical”
steel. One even had a built-in flashlight to ease the “picking out” of
stitches. Bernina (the sewing machine folks) even makes a pricy Swiss
Army knife-like tool for sewers that includes, among other things, a seam
ripper.
A GENTLE "RIPPING" TECHNIQUE
I've always thought the seam ripper should be
renamed; you should not be “ripping” seams apart but gently snipping threads to separate seams.
 As
with other quilting techniques, you need to find a method that “works for
you.” I’ll share my technique for using a seam ripper and perhaps it will
work for you, too. It’s very simple and minimizes the possibilities of
cutting or stretching fabric.
To begin, do not separate the seam, but
hold the seam with both layers of fabric together. On one side of the
seam, slip the seam ripper blade under every 3rd or 4th
stitch along the length of the seam and cut those threads.
The seam
will separate quickly and easily by gently pulling the fabrics apart; there’s no worry
of cutting the fabric or distorting the fabrics by stretching.
 Once
the seam is open, you should clean up all of the little bits of threads
that remain (there will be one long, loose thread on the back of the seam). I’ve come to prefer longer-handle seam rippers as
opposed to the tiny ones because I like the feel of the larger ones in my
hand, using the handle in my palm for stability when snipping threads.
My absolute favorite is the
Clover Seam Ripper shown here;
it has a very
slender, sharp blade for slipping under the threads and, for me, the
handle sits comfortably in my hand. You may prefer a different or
smaller tool, but you can still use this technique the same way.
RIPPING HORROR STORIES
Through the years I’ve observed many ripping
techniques. Here are a few that I don't think I'll try and don't
recommend you do either:
- Spreading the seam apart and using a
rotary cutter
to snip the stitches―is probably the most
dangerous use of a rotary cutter.
- Trying to rip
tiny stitches; stitches so tiny that you cannot maneuver a
seam ripper under them to cut the threads. When directions
say to set you machine at 15 stitches per inch (as when making strip sets that will be cut
apart later), this does not mean 30 stitches per inch (there is a reason
for those numbers).
- Opening the seam by using the seam ripper to cut a
few stitches and then pulling the seam apart to break the next few
stitches―will absolutely stretch the fabric
and distort it beyond repair.
 OTHER
USES
►Use a seam
ripper to cut through the lint and hairs that get trapped around your
vacuum’s rotating brush. It's a quick fix for the sucked-up stuff
that can stop a vacuum in its tracks.
►You can use a
seam ripper as a stylus to hold two pieces of fabric together as you guide
them through your machine. It keeps fingers safely away from the
needle. Especially handy when piecing curves.
A FEW OTHER DESIGNS AVAILABLE
Prices range from about $2
(Collins Mini) to $26 (Sterling) and up (Bernina)
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