Guarding your sewing scissors
 

As sewists, we all know the consequences of letting someone use our sewing scissors. They usually come back dull or notched and useless for fabric.
I saw a picture the other day and had a "duh" moment. It showed a pair of scissors with a padlock through the handles. It was meant to be a funny joke, but I think I've just found the solution for my scissors!!

Good idea. Rule #1 never touch my sewing scissors. This means NEVER.

That's a good one . Another is make the offending party buy you new very expensive scissors. They will leave them alone ether way or use both methods.

Funny thing is my 18 yr old now wants good sewing scissors...and she was the worst for using mine for everything but fabric..Bet she is protective of hers!!

I solved the don't use my best sewing scissors problem. I bought the same scissors I like to use in my sewing room for household use. No one looks for my good scissors as all the scissors are good. No one likes to use scissors that won't cut worth a darn. I bought four pair of Gingher dressmaker shears scissors years ago and they are still sharp and in use at our house.

When I got my good Ginghers, I showed to my husband and said, "MINE! NO TOUCHY!!" Then he told me a terrible story about him and his brother using his mom's good sewing scissors as a "ninja throwing star" when they were kids and breaking the tips off. I gave him such a hard time about it (in a kidding sort of way) that he got a guilt trip and bought his mom some shiny new scissors. It's been about 30 years, but I thought it was funny (and so did she).

that's the trick. Put scissors everywhere so they don't go looking for yours.

When my kids were small (until they were 18 or so!) I left my good scissors in a cash lockbox! I kept the key on my keychain. Worked quite well!

Pam

It can be hard to protect them...agree that keeping lots of other pairs available for other jobs helps a lot to protect your good ones.

here's the picture:

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There are scissors of every type in this house. Hubby knows which ones he's allowed to use and which ones were the expensive ones he's not to use. I keep all the ones he's allowed to use in a tin where he can find them.

after many rants ----'who used my sewing scissors'--- where are my scissors' my son bought me a great pair for xmas one year and then policed the family for me --it does help to have many pairs salted all around the house

Just don't forget where you put the key!

No-one uses mine. We have loads of cheap scissors. My good sewing scissors were a Mothers Day gift from DH before I was a mother, so they are about 25 years old and still as good as new. The girls grew up fearing them because I told them they would die if they touched them. Poor mites!

Many years ago my husband used my ginghers...to cut CARPET...they never worked the same after that...he felt terrible when I told him how much the scissors cost and he did buy me a new pair...which I kept hidden in my sewing room...and bought several pairs of cheaper scissors that were ok to use.

Love the picture of keeping scissors LOCKED....wish I had thought of that!

My "good" scissors are usually the ones my kids grab first. I have 3 categories of scissors. Dull, a little sharp, and "good" scissors. They know to ask before they cut anything, but it took me many years to train them. I think the problem is a universal problem.
Sue

Scissors are inexpensive compared to what they cost years ago so replacing a pair isn't a budget breaker. Gingher 8"dressmaker shears are $19.48 at Amazon. Free second day shipping if you are a Prime member. The heavy Ginghers are perfect for household use.

well, i'd give her my old pair and buy a new pair for myself :)

We need a "like" button!

Growing up, my grandparents had 16 Hummels, 2 for each grandchild, on display at kid level. We learned, just by being told, that you look but don't touch the Hummels. (I think we're all scared to death of breaking one of our Hummels even now!) That's how I taught my son, and, now, his twins, not to touch my sewing scissors. The Ginghers are kept in their sheaths, so are easily identified and I put a keychain thru the handle of a pair without a sheath. (Of course, when my son and grandkids were little, the scissors, seam ripper, rotary cutter, etc. were kept out of reach.) The twins are now 12 and they still come to me and ask, "Grandma, are these your sewing scissors?"

HAHAHAA Gotta love it. I'm lucky! My DH had a sewing mother so he knows not to even look at my expensive sewing ones. I also have a bunch around that I sharpen now and again just in case.

At my house it's location, location, location. My sewing scissors are in my quilting room or on a shelf by the longarm. All other scissors are in the desk or a kitchen drawer, or sometimes just lying around. DH probably can't tell one pair from another, but he knows by location which ones he can use. And if scissors are so dull or bent that they're no longer worth using, they go to the trash.

I buy those cheap orange or blue handled ones for garage or shop use. I did give my husband my old Fisker dressmaker shears when I bought a new pair.

In my sewing room I have those white with a red strip Singer scissors for everything but fabric use.
All my sewing shears are silver Wiss or Fiskers.

I take some yarn and braid a small piece on my sewing scissors. My husband then knows those are only for fabric and not to touch them. I got the idea from my grandma who did it to her scissors. If I don't have yarn when I buy new scissors, I tie a piece of ribbon on them.

Rocks, metal, chunks of wood, etc will ruin scissors. paper will not ruin them, but can leave a residue which can cause them to be dull. If you periodically clean the blades to remove the residue all will be well. Paper is a fiber and of course fabric is too.

A.c.moore sells a red padlock for scissors

My scissors have words written in a black permanent marker. FABRIC, KITCHEN, PAPER. My grown children, grandchildren and "love of my life" all know to look before use.

Great idea!

My children do no have thumbs -- so using my scissors is not an issue. I dated a guy once who picked up my scissors to cut something that did not even slightly resemble fabric. As I said, I dated him once.

One of the ladies in my guild laughs about using the mini padlocks that come with suitcases to lock hers up when she leaves - with the key on a chain. Sounds like good advice.

I never had any trouble with DH or the kids using my scissors. I homeschooled, and the kids each had their own scissors. (They're all grown & gone now.) Hubby uses the ones I keep in my computer desk.

LOL .. I have to laugh as I had in the past so thought of all the ideas here !LOL I ended up buying a very nice set of Gingher scissors and putting them up. I bought quite a few of the orange handled scissors and put them in places where everyone had a pair or two. Including in the kitchen as it never fails: they are needed for a project.
When we moved into this house- I was unpacking and found the scissors-pristine and still in their original box at the bottom of my sewing box, I hardly ever went into the bottom part of it; just the top area. I never knew where these went and Oh boy needless to say the DD's still razz me about being forgetful at a young age.! LOL

I bought a Fiskars sharpener and plenty of cheap colored handled scissors. So if the scissors are red, green, blue, pink, orange - go ahead and use them. Here's the sharpener. If they have black, grey or plain handles, leave them ALONE! My sewing scissors are mostly the squeeze type. I have long skinny fingers and traditional scissors are very uncomfortable since the holes are too big.

Hahaha...I have scissors in the kitchen, and on the tool shelf...what's in the sewing room are off limits...

I never had that problem because I used to put my scissors away in the box when I finished with them and then put the box away in a drawer. Of course, like others said, I have reasonably good scissors in every room in the house so there is no need to look for my good scissors.

I guess I have a thing for all sharp objects - lol - I have a box about 6"x15"x8"deep for my good scissors & it is so full I couldn't get another pair in it. I also have a couple of flannel knife rolls for my good knives, & another box almost as big as the scissor box for the multiple rotary cutters. Everyone knows that they do not touch anything in the boxes without permission. My DD uses the knives, but she knows to immediately wash, dry & return to the roll. When my kids were little I told them that anything in the cabinets near my sewing machine was off limits, since they were my tools. My DSIL used my DDs good scissors "once" to cut heavy cardboard - was he ever in trouble & had to replace them. I think the secret to "no touch" is for everyone to learn to respect the property of others. My DH & I were married almost 40 years & in that whole time he never opened my purse & I never opened his wallet. It was one of the hardest things I had to do when he passed was to go into his wallet, & I put it off for more than 2 years.

hugs
Shirley in Indiana

My kids and husband all knew to leave my sewing shears along. Same respect - I didn't use husbands tools either. When my son was in middle school he took homemaking and for his sewing class he needs the list of must haves. Told him to go get what he needed and then I would check it all out. Well he did. Including my Ghinger shears. That was changed to the Fiskars. At least he knew the 'good" ones. But my kids just always knew that Moms sewing was Moms sewing and leave it alone. I also kept the scissors in the sewing cabinet drawer out of direct sight. I also bought a bunch of very elcheapo screwdrivers, hammer, pliers for me in the house. And you know - they always stayed in the house because they were not good enough for my husband to work with. I respected my husbands tools because he worked with them and he respected my sewing things.

OH my, I hid my scissors too. In plain sight but in a different area of the room. They are actually hanging on the same pegboard as the everyday scissors just across the room. No one ever sees them LOL.

I frequently give scissors as gifts. They don't have to be $40 shears for people who will use them for cutting window screening, but they can be adequate to those tasks and not cost a fortune. My DH is very good about not using my sewing scissors, but then I have 'general use' scissors available in just about every room in the house. For those with kids, use the padlock!!

Man that is harsh.....LOL