Have you shopped for scissors lately? If you have, you know the selections are endless. It seems like more and more specialty scissors hit the market every year. You'll find all sorts of handy little tools to help you with quilting tasks, but nearly everyone starts with some basics. You probably don't need all of these scissors -- at least not all at the same time -- but they do represent a well-rounded collection.
© KaiKai's stainless scissors are a favorite tool of Sue F., a member of our quilting community, who says:
"My Kai scissors are absolutely fantastic. I have used them for 6 months straight and they are as sharp as the day I opened the box. They cut heavy denim, canvas and lawn with equal ease. The blades are not too long and they are not heavy. The thumb hole is big enough for even my arthritic joint. Yes, I use rotary cutters, but having those new Kais have made sewing fun again. I even tried having my granddaughter hold the scissors open while I pulled cloth against the blade. That works too. Just a great tool."
Look for the A-8 high carbon scissors in the Kai line -- they're the hardest and most durable.
© Heritage CutleryYou can make perpendicular clips into the seams of a rag quilt without special scissors, but once you've used these special snips you'll never go back to regular shears. I have a couple of brands of rag quilt scissors, but the Heritage snips are my favorites.
Fingers rest above the handles instead of being slipped into handle-holes that can cause blisters after tons of cuts (you'll make snips every 1/4" along every seam). The spring action of the handles means they'll pop right back into place for the next cut, with no effort from you. I also like the rounded tips because they have a bit of buffer at their ends, just enough to help keep me from cutting too deeply into a seam allowance.
© GingherThese chrome over nickel scissors are super handy for appliqué. The paddle-like blade (sometimes called a
duckbill) keeps one edge of the fabric away from the blade while pushing the edge you want to cut up to the sharp blade. The handles are offset to provide you with a good view of the fabric you're cutting.
© GingherThis little 3-1/2" pair of Gingher scissors work perfectly for embroidery and other types of needlework. They have slim blades and needle-sharp points -- take care you don't puncture fabric if you use them for thread snips. They come with a sheath to protect the tips and anything the tips might come in contact with during storage.
GingherBlunt tipped scissors are great to have around for little clipping tasks. You don't have to worry about puncturing fabric (or skin) if they slip just a bit, and you can safely toss them into your purse or tote.
