Choose the Right Sewing Scissors

My husband's a woodworker. And I can't tell you how many different saws he has, and how many different hammers. And then there's the screwdrivers. Well, when I would ask him why do you need so many different tools? He would tell me because each one does a specific job and you need the right tool for the right job.

We sewers are no different. We need the right tools for the job. And one of the biggest areas that people overlook is having the right pair of scissors for the job. These are some of my favorites that I find I use constantly, almost on a daily basis. And I'd like to share them with you.

Probably the most important thing to have in your arsenal, or your toolbox, is a wonderful pair of dressmaker shears. There is nothing like a good pair of shears that cuts evenly, crisply, cleanly. And you want one that has a good length to it, so that you can cut all the way down. A good pair of scissors will cut from the base all the way to the tip in one stroke. So those are some things to look for.

These are actually a pair of Ginghers that I've had for years, and I absolutely treasure them. Although there are many, many other brands on the market that are absolutely wonderful. The next pair is just kind of a little pair of all purpose scissors. As you can see, I've got the fob on it so that I can either attach it to myself, or a lot of times I will attach it to the cord to my sewing machine so that I don't lose my scissors. These are wonderful.

They've got a very, very sharp edge inside. And also at the tip, you can see how pointed these tips are. These are wonderful for cutting out little appliques, and for getting into tight places. They're also wonderful for when you're clipping around an arm hole, or on a collar, anywhere that's rounded that you just wanna take a little teeny teeny nip and not cut through the seam. So those are another pair that I really like.

One of my very, very favorites are these snips. These happen to be by Havels, and they just simply snip. They are not for cutting fabric. They are for ripping. Anytime you have to take out a seam or take out stitching, these are probably the most wonderful tool you can find.

And they are my go-to tool, instead of a seam ripper. I find they work much better. They have a very, very sharp point at the end that will help you lift up and then snip. And if you are pulling back the fabric to clip down the seam, it gets in there nice and neat. And it won't cut the fabric, because it is so tight.

All you're gonna be cutting are your threads. If you like to do applique, I highly recommend a pair of these duckbill scissors. As you can tell, one side has the shape of a duck bill, or maybe it's more like a pelican, but anyway, it is a large surface so that you can actually lift up the fabric and it holds the fabric underneath, so that you can clip along and get a very close cut next to your applique. The final two pairs are both for embroidery and as you can see, they have a large scoop to them. And that's so you can, if this was your frame, you can get over the frame and down flat against your embroidery hoop to clip the threads.

And that's particularly important if you're having to clip threads in between changing the thread colors. So that you don't have to take the hoop off of the machine or inadvertently unhoop your fabric. These are also another one, they aren't quite as long or as steep, but they're also a very nice little pair to have. I also like these when I'm doing any kind of handwork, cross stitch, whatever, it's a nice pair for just clipping your threads very closely. So don't let your husband be the only one with a lot of tools in his toolbox.

Make sure you get out and get the tools that you need, because they will help you do the job better, faster, quicker, and most importantly, more professionally.