Nip It!

Happy Friday Morning! Hope you are enjoying a hot cup of coffee.

This post is not about the movie or about the actor…It’s all about the scissors.

It truly is all about the scissors.

I pride myself on not taking mundane problems too seriously. Life is too short for that sort of thing. Right?

There is (at least) one exception to this. There is something–not a big thing if you are not a sew-er–that can turn me into a head-spinning, pea soup-spitting, screaming, out-of-control wife/mom. Truth is, I’m not exactly ashamed of it. In fact, I can’t believe more people don’t take this on as a cause:  Protect your sewing scissors!

Don’t allow anyone intent on cutting construction paper, hair, rubber tubing, or wire anywhere near your sewing scissors. It was just such a scenario as this that caused my initial transformation. Needless to say, my husband was shocked, and to this day, he keeps a wide berth from my sewing room. (Guess it worked!)

I have sewed home decor products my entire adult life as a hobby. For about four years, I sewed as a part-time profession. During that time I bought my first real sewing shears. They were a slick, beautiful, heavy-duty pair of Gingher Shears. Ah…The feel of them is indescribable. The beauty is almost too much to behold. Get ready…

World's Best Shears by Gingher (That is my name for them...I think Gingher refers to them as "9 Inch Knife-Edge Tailor's Shears." A wee bit on the under-stated side if you ask me.)

This was my first venture into truly good equipment. I think I paid close to $30 for these. (It doesn’t seem like much unless you have only purchased the pack of three for $12 from your local business store.) I later added the pinking shears. Equally beautiful. And I can honestly tell you that equipment can make a huge difference in the ease and precision of a sewing project. (I’m sure there are clinical studies to prove this, but I won’t cite them here.)

If you can purchase good shears, it is important to take care of them. Try these tips to keep your shears in good working order:

• Use sewing scissors only on fabric. Keep them hidden if you have to. (See above transformation story for details.)
• Do not allow children to use them–even on fabric. I have no doubt that they could sever a finger tip. We’re talkin’ sharp, folks, and efficient.
• Store them in a sheath, if possible, in a cool, dry area.
• Never drop them. This could cause the blades to become misaligned or even to chip.
• Take care to keep straight pins out of the way of the shears when cutting fabrics. Pins can cause nicks.
• Wipe the blades clean after use to prevent lint build-up.
• A drop of oil periodically placed at the fulcrum screw will keep them moving as swiftly as when they were new. (Edward Scissorhands will have nothing on you.)
• Have shears professionally sharpened at the first sign of dulling. Most sewing machine shops offer this service for a fee. Look for coupons!
• Keep a decoy pair of paper scissors in your junk drawer. Tell your spouse to take special care of these scissors. They are special. [wink] Tell him they are only for the manliest of men.

If you take care of your scissors, they will last a lifetime. (I’m at least 12 years into it, and so far, so good!)

Happy cutting!