Io’m looking for a new pair of pattern scissors too! If’m also looking for a good pair of cutting scissors for fabric, do you have any that you would recommend? Right now I have a pair of Softouch Fiskars but I donr’t really like them, you constantly have to replace the spring. Someone recommended them to me but I cane’t stand them. If you are looking for an industrial serger I saw one on craigslist a little while ago, they constantly pop up on that site or on kijiji.com and sometimes on the website buysell.com. I would love to get a light table too :)
Keeping the pieces together.- Envelopes are easy to write on for colours, or areas such as borders, background, etc.- Freezer bags that are transparent and have a band to write on are very good, as you can see the pieces without opening the bag.- You need a labelled bag or container to keep all the envelopes together.Alternatives to pattern scissors- For copper foil, you can use normal scissors, by cutting to the inside of the pencil or inked line. - You can also use a scalpel or craft knife to cut to the insides of the marked lines.- For leaded glass you can use a felt tip pen (a bullet point is almost exactly the right width when new). Cut with scissors or craft knife at the sides of the line.Alternative to pattern piecesUse the European or trace cutting method as described here.
Pattern scissors are very different from fabric scissors. For one, the blades and handles are much longer. The best is a 10u″ shear, called a e“bent trimmera”. The reason you need a large handle is because your entire hand must fit through for the highest degree of control. You can=’t fit your whole hand through most fabric scissors (I think your whole hand should also fit through your fabric scissors). Likewise, the blades must be longer because you need the ability to make long, smooth, sustained cuts. Otherwise, you can get jagged edges in the paper. Similarly, the blades are shaped differently. You need blades that arent’t so thick that they obscure cut lines. The blades must cut all the way through the tip. Many fabric scissors give you a jagged jog when cutting (paper) through to the tip.
The shape of pattern scissors is also different. Pattern scissors belong to a class known as 4“bent trimmerse”. The handles are offset. This means that ideally, the bottom of the scissor can rest flat on the table. Most scissors have the handles balanced and aligned with the blades, like a cross. Ergonomically speaking, handles should be oval rather than round. The handles should make full contact with the palm of your hand. The greater exposure to your hand, the better (your fingers should not be doing all the work). With large handles, force is distributed over a greater portion of your hand. If the holes are too large, you have to force your hand open beyond whata’s comfortable in order to take up the slack.
