Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

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Sejjie70
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Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Sejjie70 »

In the past few months have re-started making rag rugs - used to help both my Gran & Mum make them when I was a child & have made a few myself over the years. When Gran passed away I kind of inherited her rag rug bag which was crammed full of fabric all cut & ready to use. Am now finally running low on fabric to use so have started cutting up more. Only problem is my bog-standard household scissors aren't brilliant (despite constant sharpening) & the so called dressmaking shears hubby bought me aren't v robust & are worse to use than my others. Can anyone recommend a good make? Am left-handed when it comes to scissors (& oddly for most art/craft type stuff) if that makes any difference...
Sarah.
Mum to 1 hubby, 4 children, 3 Springer Spaniels (Max, Millie & Buttons), 2 cats (Sox & Frankie), 2 rabbits (Crunchie & Munchie), 12 chickens (Target, Speckle, Barbara, Margot, EggieII, Gomez, Sparkle, Glitter, Wednesday & Isabel), 3 geese (Lister, Smeg & Camille) & 4 ducks (Soup, Anya, Marble & Vindaloo).
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sazchops
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by sazchops »

Hi, Cant offer much help really, I bought my scissors from the local haberdashery years ago. They have orange handles. )t'
Please can you tell what method you use for making rag rugs, I have just googled it as I am looking for a project, there seam to be a few ways.
Thanks Sarah.
Sarah - slave to Cats Anthony, Elsa and Pippa, Chickens, Heidi, Fleur, Gabby and Marmite, R.I.P Cadbury
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Maggie1 »

Sejjie70 wrote:In the past few months have re-started making rag rugs - used to help both my Gran & Mum make them when I was a child & have made a few myself over the years. When Gran passed away I kind of inherited her rag rug bag which was crammed full of fabric all cut & ready to use. Am now finally running low on fabric to use so have started cutting up more. Only problem is my bog-standard household scissors aren't brilliant (despite constant sharpening) & the so called dressmaking shears hubby bought me aren't v robust & are worse to use than my others. Can anyone recommend a good make? Am left-handed when it comes to scissors (& oddly for most art/craft type stuff) if that makes any difference...


Hope this might be of help

http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/
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Stef
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Stef »

They just have to be Fiskars, the best ever scissors, ever, ever. Just don't cut anything other than fabric with them or they will become just another pair of OK scissors.

Amzing has left handed ones for about £12, the general purpose ones will be fine.

OR you could get a rotary cutter! Olfa's are more expensive than some but are great to use. I have one and they are great for cutting strips - I have made a lot of bias binding with mine.

Same place has a range of them.

Good luck.
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Totally Scrambled »

Fiskers are good but Gingher are better, both do left handed versions.
Ginghers are so sharp that if you drop them from waist height they will go straight through a leather boot, sock and half way through your foot before stopping )t'
Just don't ask me how I know :oops:
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Sejjie70
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Sejjie70 »

Thanks for all the replies )t'

Mum has a pair of Fiskars that she's had for yonks. Was going to get myself a pair but wasn't sure if the quality was as good as it was years ago - good to know they're still excellent..

Never heard of Gingher so will have a nosey on-line...

Sazchops - the method I use makes shaggy rugs. Just threading a short piece of fabric through the hessian so it makes a little tuft. I have a Brown's bodger that used to belong to my Gran that I use to pull the fabric through or alternatively you can use a proddy (love the names of the tools LOL!) - you just part the weave slightly with the proddy then use it to push 1 end of the fabric through then do just the same with the other end a thread or few along. Using a proddy is easy - my youngest (just turned 6) made his teacher a small rag rug pic of the sun for her end of year gift - he did find it a bit fiddly til he got the hang of it & it took a while especially when it was more than half done because it was a bit bulky for his small hands to be able to hold & do at the same time.
Sarah.
Mum to 1 hubby, 4 children, 3 Springer Spaniels (Max, Millie & Buttons), 2 cats (Sox & Frankie), 2 rabbits (Crunchie & Munchie), 12 chickens (Target, Speckle, Barbara, Margot, EggieII, Gomez, Sparkle, Glitter, Wednesday & Isabel), 3 geese (Lister, Smeg & Camille) & 4 ducks (Soup, Anya, Marble & Vindaloo).
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by bluebell »

I'm doing a small rug at the moment and I use a rotary cutter to cut the fabric. My hands ache after a while using scissors because I have osteo arthritis and I don't seem to get as much tension in my hands with a cutter than I do scissors.
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Stef »

I've not heard of Gingher either... I may do some exploring.

Maybe in a suit of armour???


*doesn't want to know what happened to Dom - no, not even a little bit*
1 dumbo rat still without a name; 2 top eared rats Octavia and Ursula
1 Rhode Rock, 1 Sussex Star, 1 Blue Ranger - The New Monochrome Set

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sazchops
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by sazchops »

Thanks Sarah, that sounds great, am looking for a project I can get my teeth into!

Stef wrote:

*doesn't want to know what happened to Dom - no, not even a little bit*


I do! I do!

I'm weird like that >dowhat<
Sarah - slave to Cats Anthony, Elsa and Pippa, Chickens, Heidi, Fleur, Gabby and Marmite, R.I.P Cadbury
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Totally Scrambled »

bluebell wrote: I use a rotary cutter to cut the fabric.

For cutting lots of fabric a rotary cutter is far better than scissors and a self healing cutting mat makes the job a lot easier too. Gingher also do rotary cutters, they are a bit more expensive than most other makes but they keep their edge a lot longer too and rarely need resharpening.
I have picked up many tips from my years as a Quilting Widower and Ali has found the tools that do the job as she cuts dozens of yard of fabric into varying shapes and sizes for each quilt she makes.
sazchops wrote:Thanks Sarah, that sounds great, am looking for a project I can get my teeth into!

Stef wrote:

*doesn't want to know what happened to Dom - no, not even a little bit*


I do! I do!

I'm weird like that >dowhat<

I was passing Ali her Gingher scissors when I dropped them. Straight though my shoe, sock and about half an inch into my foot. Then was standing on one foot angling it to try to keep the blood on top and not all over the beige shag pile carpet until Ali got something to staunch it. It didn't hurt though as I cleverly caught the scissors with the foot with nerve damage that I can't feel anyway )t'
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sazchops
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by sazchops »

Totally Scrambled wrote:<

I was passing Ali her Gingher scissors when I dropped them. Straight though my shoe, sock and about half an inch into my foot. Then was standing on one foot angling it to try to keep the blood on top and not all over the beige shag pile carpet until Ali got something to staunch it. It didn't hurt though as I cleverly caught the scissors with the foot with nerve damage that I can't feel anyway )t'
Dom[/quote]

It appears a lot of brownie points were earned there Dom,
You were passing Ali the scissors )t'
You prevented damage to the scissors and the floor.
You managed to prevent staining to the carpet.
You cleverly avoided pain to yourself therefore Ali doesn't have to listen to you moan!

Skilled Dom! Kudos.
Sarah - slave to Cats Anthony, Elsa and Pippa, Chickens, Heidi, Fleur, Gabby and Marmite, R.I.P Cadbury
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Stef »

Total kudos! What a selfless man you are, Dom!
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by mrs boodles »

Sorry this is )ot: a bit but concerns scissors. I have my mums pinking shears and they are pretty blunt, had a look at new ones an thought yike* so does anyone know how I can get them sharpened up.
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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by Stef »

http://www.prosharp.co.uk/services.asp?c=c2
Send them here for £6.00

I knew I knew a good place for sharpening, it juts took me a while to find it!

Apparently they have been hijacked (see the sharpener alert). I have used them before and they are really good, polite, cheap and quick.
1 dumbo rat still without a name; 2 top eared rats Octavia and Ursula
1 Rhode Rock, 1 Sussex Star, 1 Blue Ranger - The New Monochrome Set

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Re: Dressmaking shears/scissors or similar

Post by mrs boodles »

Thanks Stef, have looked at website and it says something about shears being worn, and aam wondering if mums are cos she used to make most of her own clothes so know they got a lot of use.
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