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Scissors are one of those things that you absolutely need when sewing. And not just any pair of scissors. Actually you will find as you continue your sewing journey, that your collection of shears will grow. Different tasks require different scissors. Note that several of the below types of scissors have Left Handed versions so if you are left handed you will have a pair that works best for you. If you are just getting started or have been sewing for a while you might find my top picks helpful.
Gingher Scissors-I love my Gingher Scissors. I really love them, and most people who sew, know about them. They have been around for ages, and are a superior product. You can even send them back to the company in North Carolina for a 15.00 fee and they will sharpen, repair (within reason) or adjust them for you.
2. Pinking Shears-You are going to need a pair of Pinking Shears. These come in handy for trimming out curved seam allowances, ribbons and other fabrics that you do not want to fray. It also adds a nice decorative touch to items where the seams are going to show on the outside.
My favorite pair are from Fiskars
3. Razor Edge Scissors-I also love these funky looking scissors that always elicit comments from people who come to my studio. They always ask about the weird silhouette of these shears, but they work like a charm when cutting out on my studio table.
4. Sewing Snips-Lots of sewists enjoy having snips in their studio. I often lose mine or they go dull long before I am ready for them to. So it is not unusual for me to use full size scissors to snip threads while sewing at the machine, but it is always nice to have a pair of snips for those quick thread snipping jobs and a lot easier to hold. I like Fiskars brand for their dependability and affordability.
I also recently found a pair of Squeeze curve snips and they are so helpful, I cannot even believe it. Not only do I use them for clipping threads but I also use them to cut small curved pieces of felted wool for my wool felt applique projects. It is much easier to manipulate these small clippers instead of a bulky pair of scissors.
5. Featherweight Scissors-These next pair are not essential but I had a pair just like these for many years. So many years in fact that I actually wore off the points on one of them. Really! I need to get another pair because I finally had to throw the others away. These are lighter than your typical Ginghers but still sharp and wonderful. They make cutting fabric easy.
6. Embroidery Scissors-I have several pairs of embroidery scissors which is good because they are small and I used to misplace them until I started keeping them in a little pouch. I use these for cross stitch, embroidery, and other hand stitching projects. So if you do any of these types of projects, a small pair of scissors are going to be helpful to you. These are simple and do the trick but you can get a prettier pair if that tickles your fancy. There are lots of different designs.
7. Paper Scissors-Once you have your fabric scissors, make sure you do not use them for paper, cardboard, plastic, wood, or anything else that is not fabric. This will dull them way before they need to be dull. Just buy some paper scissors for cutting paper templates, PDF patterns, etc. I recommend a multi pack so you can put one in the kitchen, one in the office and one in your sewing area. That way the kids and husband can always find a pair of craft scissors and will be less likely to come and find your fabric scissors.