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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
retired in August 2007. It is being provided by
“Sew What’s Up,”
which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: Melly
Date: 01-28-2005, 09:49 AM (1 of 18)
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* * Hello all :> ) I am a member of the Baby Boomers and when I was young my Mom insisted I learn to sew. It didn't take long to realize that this art saved me soooo many times I can't begin to count. I did quit serious sewing when I was about 24 as my life was too busy. I am now 52. I had a beautiful daughter late in life. She is now 13 years old and very interested in fashion. Well my brand new machine arrived yesterday. I am sure it is the perfect first machine . Both well made and just the right amount of simple for two creative wanna bees. So I am begging for help so I can help sewing into yet another generation. I am really going to need help with my rusty skills and some ideas for my newbie daughter as well. So I guess I will be a member here for some time. :> ) The first thing I need to know is: What kind of Scissors/Shears will we need? There are sooo many out there! I can't afford a Rolls Royce pair of Scissors/Shears but I would like a pair that is comfortable to use and durable (of course). I will be using them for for all types of fabrics at least during the begining phase of our sewing. What type of Scissors/Shears need to be sharpened when they get dull? I have a pair of Pinking Shears that have been hardly used but they are hard to open, close or cut any material with. Can they be sharpned when they are dull and how do I get the stiffness out of them? I am curious about the Electric Scissors/Shears. Are they good? If so what Company makes a dependable pair? Well this looks like a good start. Thank you for your valuable time, Melly <email address removed for privacy> |
User: Melly
Member since: 01-28-2005 Total posts: 1 |
From: MaryW
Date: 01-28-2005, 10:13 AM (2 of 18)
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Hi Melly and welcome to Sew Whats New. My all-time favorite scissors are my Fiskar Soft Touch. They are very reliable and go thru almost anything. I don't think they are expensive. Pinking shears are very expensive to get sharpened from what I have heard. I have never had to have mine done. I just don't use them enough. The electric scissors look interesting don't they. I don't own a pair myself. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: Melanie T
Date: 01-28-2005, 10:22 AM (3 of 18)
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I hope you enjoy your new art! Welcome back to sewing, and welcome to your daughter. I use several pairs of cutting utinsels. I have a good pair of gingher scissors that I used to use a lot , but now I mostly use the two pairs of cheap blue handled Dura-sharp scissors that I bought for my sewing students ($5-$8 depending where you buy them). I bought them for my students to use because I didn't want them to wreck my expensive scissors. Now I find that I am always using them. They are lighter, easier on my hands and I don't have to worry about cutting pattern tissue or papers in my sewing room, because I have a tiny orange Fiskers sharpner (around $3) to touch them up if they get dull. They do a great job and if you don't want something expensive to start with, they should serve you well if you keep them sharp. I have two pairs of Gingher, a pair of $50 Henkels (a German brand) and several other expensive scissors. Wouldn't you know which ones I reach for? One pair has too sharp of a tip for most applications, one pair hurts my hands and one pair is too heavy. I have never used the actual Fiskers scissors that the Durasharps are a knock off of, but they always use them at the fabric shops. They might be nice as well. Melanie
4 little sewing machine mechanics (6, 4, 2, Born June 14) Ontario Canada |
User: Melanie T
Member since: 09-21-2004 Total posts: 155 |
From: Catalina
Date: 01-28-2005, 10:25 AM (4 of 18)
| Hi! I have a pair of electric scissors and I never use them. I would get a cutting mat and rotary cutter instead. I also have pinking shears that I seldom use. I have a serger and I grade my seams instead of pinking them. If you have a Joannes use your 40% coupons to buy scissors and only use them for sewing. Get a few sew easy patterns and cheap material from Wallmart or sale stuff at Joannes. Start with easy projects and before long it'll all come back to you. Happy Sewing- Penny |
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 01-28-2005, 01:51 PM (5 of 18)
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I'm with Catalina -- cheap scissors and a cutting mat and a couple rotary cutters in different sizes. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 01-28-2005, 02:10 PM (6 of 18)
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I know that several of you use the rotary cutting mat and cutter for a lot of things. I do too but mostly for straight lines and then I use a ruler. I'm just not skilled enough to control the rotary cutter well without putting it against something. I really like Ginger scissors. Yes, over time they do dull but I've never had them dull to the point that I couldn't cut with them and I don't often have them sharpened. I've also used Mundal. They are also good but I think that they are close in price to the Gingers and I prefer them. If I were going to go very cheap I would go to one of the other brands that were mentioned like Fiskers. They don't stay sharp as long but if they wear out, you can always demote them to paper or other utility services without feeling like you were wasting money. I don't have any Fiskers that I have used very long but I have some Gingers that are 15 years old and are as good as when I bought them...been sharpened once and never needed to be tightened. Pinking shears were not made to cut out patterns. They are used to finish the edges of fabric after it has been cut. I don't know what to do about the stiffness. I have two pair; both are hard to use and they are two different brands..one of them is Ginger.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: MaryW
Date: 01-28-2005, 02:21 PM (7 of 18)
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Maybe a drop or two of sewing machine oil on the screw would help the pinking shears loosen up.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: Magot
Date: 01-28-2005, 02:27 PM (8 of 18)
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I was going to suggest WD40 - it is a freeing oil and very light, but then so is sewing machine oil. Make sure you clean the blades with a rag several times before you then use them (chop into the rag)
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: plrlegal
Date: 01-28-2005, 02:50 PM (9 of 18)
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Ladies I'm going to suggest for beginners to use scissors at first and then maybe graduate to the rotary cutters and mats at a later date. I have a pair of the soft touch Fiskars and they've only been sharpened once and I use them for all types of fabrics. Of course, I haven't cut paper or anything with them either. For one thing, the soft touch Fiskars are easy to control on curves and you can cut long lengths with them so you don't give your fabric edges a choppy look. If you're not pretty adept at controlling a rotary cutter you can ruin a lot of fabric and patterns. I think scissors are the best bet for beginner and renewing sewists. JMHO, however. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: auzzi
Date: 01-29-2005, 02:05 AM (10 of 18)
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Learn to use scissors first before rotary or electric cutters - develops gross and fine motor skills. Daughters like to have their own scissors also. Personal choice is how they feel in your/her hands. What you need: 1. thread snips [2] 2. office/general purpose - to cut paper/patterns etc [2, 3, 4? long/short cheap is okay] 3. double sharp point 3inch [1] 4. one sharp/one blunt point for small fabric piece cutting [1] 5. dressmakers shears - bent with one flat side to slide as cutting [1] Choice - ????? I have my mother's and mother-in-law's scissors, and both grand-mothers - but I have three daughters also. If they are good they are worth taking care of - they are blunt when they don't feel/cut right. One word of advice. Leave scissors where the family can "find" them, hide scissors where your husband can "find" them, then hide your sewing scissors and no-one will think that you have anymore "good cutting scissors" . |
User: auzzi
Member since: 10-28-2003 Total posts: 56 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 01-29-2005, 09:43 AM (11 of 18)
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My problem with scissors was that when I lifted the fabric -- even just that half inch for the scissors to fit -- it would shift a bit and I would get an uneven cut. With the rotary cutter the fabric doesn't move until it is all cut out and I pick up the piece I cut. Using the rotary cutter was one of those moments in sewing where I just felt I'd moved up a step in quality. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 01-29-2005, 10:39 AM (12 of 18)
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AUZZI! I didn't know you knew my family. I can hide anything and my husband can find and move it whether he wants it or not. If I put it in plain sight my son finds it! My daughters always know where the logical place for something to be stored would be...I don't stand a chance.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 01-29-2005, 12:16 PM (13 of 18)
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There is a difference between Cheap and Inexpensive.. For me, Fiskars are inexpensive, Not Cheap.. They are the greatest thing since sliced bread to me.. Using scissors to cut out fabric always made my hands sore for a couple of days.. I bought a pair of the Fiskars Soft Touch when I first saw them and they are still working great.. I take care of them.. They have never touched paper except pattern paper once in a while.. Greatest investment I ever made.. I have several regular pairs of Fiskars also. ( 1 at each machine) and 1 on cutting table.. Mine are lefties , of course, So I cannot sharpen them with the Fiskars sharpener, but it works on the Soft Touch of course.. They make a Soft Touch now for general purposes.. They are Purple handled instead of the gray..I have a pair of those for craft work.. (paper, etc...)
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: Magot
Date: 01-29-2005, 01:17 PM (14 of 18)
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Pam, wasn't it some years ago that someone suggested painting the handles of your scissors pink to keep the men folk off? My lovely hubby bought me a couple of pairs of solingen scissors, dressmaking shears and embroidery scissors for Christmas about 5 years ago - they are still doing really well and cut beautifully. I can't handle cutting out with a rotary cutter untill I tried just recently - I never had a mat big enough to not have to keep moving everything which seemed to defeat the object. I would still use scissors for preference though - I am just not accurate enough with the ritary cutter and the blades don't stay as sharp as I'd like. love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: DorothyL
Date: 01-30-2005, 09:16 AM (15 of 18)
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Two things I learned in family life -- You can hide things from a man in a package feminine hygiene products come in. You can't hide anything from daughters. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: mommydionne
Date: 01-30-2005, 10:27 AM (16 of 18)
I have a pair of the fiskers soft touch, an old orange handled fiskers, a pair of pelican billed scissors and various pairs of thread snips, I use the orange fiskers sharpener with the ceramic bar, it works well, I have two rotary cutters too, a small one for tight corners and a larger fiskers cutter for straight a ways. I prefer scissors most of the time, and have threatened all of my family with death if they touch my fabric scissors. Has worked ok so far  I love the soft touch and I think they were $20 or $30, not too bad for price. Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: mamadus
Date: 02-01-2005, 03:26 PM (17 of 18)
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Dorothy.. love the idea of hidiing things in a feminine hygiene package!! what an awesome idea!! I'll definitely have to try that one!! MO 
life is too short, not to explore
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User: mamadus
Member since: 12-31-2004 Total posts: 492 
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From: paroper
Date: 02-01-2005, 03:57 PM (18 of 18)
Problem is that when menopause sets in I'd never remember where to find them! 
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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