Scissors

If you are new to the craft of rugmaking, an investment in a good pair of scissors will save you a lot of time and frustration.

Try to use your fabric scissors for cutting fabric only. Tape, glue and other adhesive materials can leave a film on the blades and using your scissors to cut paper, cardboard, wire and other craft projects will dull and possibly damage the blades.

Scissors are available in a variety of options.
Left or right-handed.
If possible, try out the scissors before purchasing to make sure they are comfortable. Some have soft cushioned grips.
Look for scissors made specifically for cutting fabrics. Some have razor sharp edges and will cut through multiple layers of heavy weight fabrics, such as denim.
Offset handle scissors work better than straight handles if your fabric is laid out on a table or cutting mat.
A good pair will last you a long time if you will be able to sharpen them.

If you need help finding scissors, the next time you are at the Fabric store, explain the type of fabrics you are cutting and ask what they would recommend or check out a website like Amazon.com and read the reviews written by customers that have purchased them.


Scissors Sharpeners

I have a Fiskars Scissors Sharpener that I like to use when my scissors start getting dull. It only takes a minute to use. Holding your scissors over a garbage can, place the scissors into the sharpener and make about four cutting strokes. Carefully wipe the blades with a cloth to remove any dust caused by the sharpener. Repeat as needed.

The sharpener I use works well for scissors that have a 30 degree cutting edge angle. If you have scissors with different angles, specialty edges or left handed scissors, look for sharpeners made specifically for those scissors as this sharpener could damage the blades.