A tiny update, and a question for the sewing people I know

[cupcake_goth]

Tiny Update: This weekend involved one of my rare introvert/antisocial moods, where I just could not face the idea of being around large social groups. Which means I not only missed out on going dancing, but I also missed out on other fun social things. This makes me a bit sad, but I know I would not have been good company AT ALL. (Or I would have faked it really well, and then been even crankier later in the coming week.) So post-Thanksgiving was spent staying home and sewing, while stroppy_baggage and flyingtapes played Little Big Planet. I, erm, am almost done sewing the third knee-length and flouncy skirt of the weekend.

Speaking of sewing, hey, fellow sewing-types! If I were to ask Sandy Claws for a pair of good fabric shears for Christmas, what brand should I ask for? Keep in mind that I am not a pro, and that I don't need the absolute top-of-the-line, goodness-gracious-expensive sort of shears, just ones that will cut through fabric easily and smoothly.

Comments

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

You want Gingher shears. Keep them for fabric only!

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

this is my suggestion as well.

Fiskars are decent, but Gingher's are heaven.

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

I don't own Ginghers, but I hope to someday. You're not the only ones I've heard recommending them.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

*Cries*

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

I didn't start sewing until recently, but I grew up knowing that to touch my mother's shears was to die a terrible death.

And yes, all hail America's Finest City. =) I'm in San Carlos, how about you?

[brumbjorn.livejournal.com]

I third? Fourth? the Ginghers.

These are the scissors that hubby knows I will stab him with if I EVER catch him cutting with them. Seriously ;)

Worth every penny -- still sharp after 10 years, but then again, I probably do not use them as much as you would.

[brumbjorn.livejournal.com]

one more suggestion!

Ever try a rotary cutter and mat? I can lend you mine to try.

[dporowski.livejournal.com]

Gingher. And never cut anything else with them.

[reddheart.livejournal.com]

Everyone said what I'd say. Plus, a good sharpener can't hurt either :)

[faeawynn2.livejournal.com]

Might I suggest a even more in depth suggestion for ginghers. Thf
8" featherweight fressmaker's shears, these are a nylon handle and have bent blades. If you are looking to do cutting of fabric you want the bent kind, trust me. That will give you a straight cut without having to pick up the blade much. So you can leave your fabric more or less flat on your cutting surface. The nylon makes the shears nice and light so that you don't have a 5 lb shear in your hand and you wont get a worn out hand. At the sewing factory I work at we have the nylon and the all metal kind and I can tell you I always reach for the nylon ones. Also if you are doing more long cuts before to get an 8" inch or longer shear, smoother cuts and less hand stress.

Link right from gingher......
http://www.gingher.com/product/8-featherweight-dressmaker-s-shears-molded-handles-stainless-blades/36/

[orthoepy.livejournal.com]

I agree, I have four or five pairs of scissors and I reach for the nylon-handled ones all the time. Especially if you are prone to any kind of hand ouchiness or RSI, you want lightweight scissors ...

[sophiabrooks.livejournal.com]

I use the nylon ones at the costume shop, too.

[nil8r.livejournal.com]

"Me too" on the Gingher dressmaker shear recommendations. Mine are similar to these: http://gingher.com/product/8-cheetah-knife-edge-dressmaker-s-shears/160/ (except in blue floral pattern)

I don't sew often, so I'm not bothered by the heaviness. If I was a medium-to-heavy sewer, then I'd definetely look into the nylon-handled ones.

To keep them sharp, don't use them for non-fabric cutting, especially not pattern paper.

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

I missed you at Neighbors. See you on the 13th, I hope.

[domestinatrix.livejournal.com]

You've had an awful lot going on, and it's important to stay in when it's Staying In Time.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I waffled and waffled about going to your fancy do, because I dearly love your social events. But I realized I would not have been good company AT ALL. So yes, Staying In Time. I hope the evening was wonderful!

[domestinatrix.livejournal.com]

It was lovely, and i now have the power of egg nog. I would of course have been happy as always to have seen you, but totally understand needing some quiet time and am glad that you're taking care of yourself.

[oldhalloween.livejournal.com]

I'm a Gingher girl I have pinking sheers from the 1950s that still work like a dream. My scissors are from the 1980s and I have them professionally sharpened for about $8.

[lisatheriveter.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Where do you get them sharpened? I'm looking for a place in Seattle to do that.

[oldhalloween.livejournal.com]

Through a local sewing machine store or a fabric store is how I used to have them done. Now I seek out local knife shops with an old guy! Supporting a little mom and pop place is good for the economy. :0 ) Hairdressers usually know the best place in town for scissor sharpening.

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

While yeah, Gingers are something like the gold-standard, really, the key is to get the best you can afford & NEVER use it for anything other than fabric.

What's important for me, since when I cut, it's usually large amounts, is the feel of the handle more than anything. I found a Fiskars shears with a spring in the handle & soft ergonomic grips. The combo means it's easy & pain-free for me to cut long swaths of bias strips or whatevs. The handles are plastic so they're lighter too, which also helps with ergo considerations (a lot of the Gingers are heavy solid metal).

[robespierrette.livejournal.com]

I have abused my Ginghers, and you know, they still work great! They make that wonderful sound when I cut with them. :)

So, absolutely, get those. They only *seem* expensive, but they rarely need sharpening (mine haven't yet, and I've been using them a lot, for years), and they won't loosen up or get wonky the way Fiskars do.

Plus, they have such a wonderful weight in your hand. I feel so much more confident cutting things out with them! :)

[alexiarnps.livejournal.com]

Ginghers. 8" dress-makers sheers. Not straight, not tailor. 7" is too small for what you would use it for and the 9-12" versions are mostly for upholstery and drapery.

You need to be careful and get them from a knife shop, not from a chain store. Like Henkels and Wustoff knives, there are now different grades. Ginghers can be made in Solingen, Germany or China. Knife shops are more likely to demand the German-made versions from distributors. Chain stores are less likely to care, since they put them on sale so frequently.

There is a very nice knife shop in that little downtown area of Kirkland where I also have mine sharpened.

[mineke.livejournal.com]

I bought Kai scissors a couple years ago at the sewing expo and have never looked back. None of them have dulled at this point, and I use them relentlessly. They're super lightweight too, which is big for me (I have weak wrists from too much cutting/sewing/computing)

http://www.kaiscissors.com/

They cut through both my fancy lightweight fabrics and my toughest canvas with the same ease.

[mineke.livejournal.com]

P.S. The 3 piece gift set is a pretty good deal...

[corwynofamber.livejournal.com]

people on the BRCG list recomend Gingher's.