Inside Our Toolbox + Giveaway

I don’t have much of a trick but I find cutting on the kitchen counter to be a better height than the dining room table. Similarly, the ironing board works for small things.

I use pattern weights and trace my patterns and use my ginghers to cut wovens. For knits I use my pattern weights and a rotary cutter. I like the idea of a rotary cutter, but I don’t like my particular one.

Gingher’s also makes spring-loaded scissors, and I loooooove mine. Right now I’m a full-time mom to twin baby boys, but for the previous 8 years, I was a first-hand at a professional costume studio. Cutting was the main part of my job also, so I have close to a dozen pairs of scissors. Gingher’s spring-loaded pair is my work-horse, and worth the investment. One of my other favorites is a pair where one blade is micro-serrated, which is wonderful for cutting slinky fabrics that shift as you close the scissor blades. If only Gingher’s would make a spring-loaded pair of pinking shears! I have tried a couple different pairs of Fiskar’s version, but found that they don’t “spring” back open very easily, (negating the whole point of being spring-loaded!). Surprisingly, Ikea makes my favorite pair of pinking shears. They’re not spring-loaded, but at $5.99, it’s unbeatably cheap and they’ve held up for every task so far. I could talk scissors for a loooong time, but I’ll make myself stop there. Thanks for starting this topic!

Love my rotary and self-healing mat – they make cutting a breeze!

I also have a pair of these scissors and really love them but………… unfortunately they are going dull and not cutting as well as they used to do. I havent let anybody use them for anything else than cutting fabric can they be sharpened??

My favourite cutting trick/tool is actually a set of thread nippers around my neck on a ribbon, and a little garbage bin right next to my machine. I snip threads as I go, and all the threads go in the bin. Much neater all around!
I also use the snips to mark notches in patterns. Instead of cutting out a whole notch, I make a nip and use that to line up pieces – I find it much more accurate.

I am another in the duckbill applique scissors camp. Super useful in many ways.

Love my rotary cutter and self healing mat. Key is to keep a sharp blade and my fingers out of the way

Rather than cutting fabric pieces on the fold, I trace both sides of the pattern and cut it flat. I save fabric and get a more accurate cut. These scissors sound great. I can only cut in small blocks of time since my right arm gets to sore. If I don’t win them, I think they will be a good investment.

I have a pair of shears that I can adjust the tightness of the joint with a special key. It’s great when I’m cutting several layers or heavier fabrics to make it tighter, or looser for lighter fabrics.

I used to work at Walmart and cut fabric with these scissors! So I bought my own. I loved them and I cannot cut without them. My hand gets so tired if I try to use any other scissors. I also believe that the cutting is more accurate with these because when you pull on regular shears to open them, you pull your scissors off the cutting line more often. They are the best. I also like to cut on my dining room table and sometimes on the living room floor. A non-carpeted floor is best but right now I don’t have that. I would rather have all the fabric laying out as 1piece if I can find a spot big enough. Then I can re-arrange the pattern pieces if I need to and match the stripes, etc. Donna

I am in the market for a new set of shears, thanks so much for the hint. On my wish list now

I usually cut the pattern on an separate day from when I plan to sew. As a newbie I have learned to my peril that if I try and rush the cutting in a bid to start sewing I make silly mistakes . I use dressmaking scissor and tins from my cupboard as pattern weights!

I wish I had a good suggestion to offer! I loved reading through these comments since I learned I’ve been doing a lot of things wrong – or could at least be doing them much better. I use a rotary cutter right now, but find it tricky in tight spaces and inner corners. I love the spring action on those shears! I love this new feature idea – the longer I sew, the more I am learning how important having the right tools are – can’t wait to learn more tools I need!

I have cut out only a few patterns so far, and all ended up about an inch or two too small; I’m too much of a beginner to have any tips or tricks, but it’s been great reading everyone else’s!
So far, my #1 rule is to have cut-only days, since I found it always takes up *way* more time than I expect. My #2 rule is to cut during the cats’ naptime, right after they’ve been fed.

I always just pinn and cut :) nothing special

I need these! My hand always hurts after cutting and it sounds like these scissors would help!

I almost always use my Fiskars fabric scissors. I even like the feel of them, the heft.

I recently began using weights instead of pins. What a time saver! My counter height cutting table helps immensely, too.

My favorite sewing tool is the pressing ham, lovingly made and given to me by my grandmother. Every time I use it, it reminds me of the precious woman who taught me to love sewing as much as she did.

I have a pair of super-sharp Gingher shears (smallish ones – about 8″), gift of my father years ago, that I am so careful about ONLY using on fabric (not even pattern tissue) that they are still dangerously sharp! I love them. This shear has one advantage – the two-handed reversibleness would give it the ability to turn-and-cut-the-other-way when cutting fine detail in a cramped space (my sewing rooms have nearly always been “cramped spaces”).

Great shears! I love my gingher shears ( and Olfa rotary) but I still get tired– even with a great pair of shears. I bought inexpensive fabric scissors from Fiskars when I first got started and they dulled in no time at all. I was put off on the Fiskars brand bc of this, but your shears look fantastic and much better quality. I’ll keep them in mind!

For fussy pieces (especially lingerie) and anything where I’m worried about placement, I like to trace my pieces then cut with scissors rather than using my rotary cutter. More accurate that way, and it allows me to relocate pieces if needed to make everything fit.

I LOVE these shears. They were the first thing I bought when starting to sew about a year ago. I finally understood the joy of fabric only scissors!

I do way more sewing for the home than for wearing, so I need to cut a lot of straight lines. How I do it without needing to mark anything? I always cut on a tile or wood floor, and use the natural lines they create as guides. I end up with perfect straight edges for curtains, pillows, and wall art every time!

I have never used a rotary cutter, in fact I have only had Fiskar dress making shears. I am on to my second pair now. A tip to share, always cut out when you have the time and space to concentrate and know you won’t be disturbed. The second tip is hide your dress making scissors afterwards so they don’t get used for other house hold tasks like wall papering, carpet laying etc:-)
My favourite tool is my glass head pins, love them and am so happy they don’t melt when I iron over them

I had a pair years ago and they got misplaced when I moved. However, cutting can tend to be a chore, so I cut more than one project at a time and I do it to lively music.

my tip is simple, don’t cut when tired or not at ease with life in that moment or when rushed :)