Since my world is going “pink” I happened to wonder why my pinking shears are thus named? I know such-named scissors will scallop the edge of fabric, but why “pinking.” So I made a detour down the rabbit hole.
Carnations, aka Dianthus, have similar edges to what a pair of pinking shears produces. Since one of these flowers is pink in color, the creation of the implement was called a pinking shears, and the verb “pink” came into the lexicon. (Brief summary) Prior to this sewing item a mallet and punch would create holes or decorative hems. I like to think that Eliza P. Welch and Louise Austin were both women who patented designs for the pinking iron and shears, but I don’t want to assume. My guess is they were both seamstresses though and saw the need for something to “cut down” the time it took to keep edges from fraying.
And so I continue to sew my projects and pink my world for sheer delight. And write bad puns.