Sewing Scissors on Plastic
 

I am aware that paper dulls scissors, but what about lightweight plastic? I heard one person tell me that cutting lightweight plastic, such as plastic grocery bags will not dull scissors. Is that true?

I think it will dull them. I have my good Gingher shears that I only cut fabric with. Natural fiber fabric. I have had them better than 25 years and have never had to sharpen them. Then I have another pair of scissors that I use for paper, cardboard plastic and whatever else I want to cut. Why take the chance of ruining good shears just to cut plastic?

I use my spring loaded Fiskars scissors on paper, thin plastic templates, etc., have done it for over 10 years and they've been sharpened once during that time, and even then, it wasn't that they were dull but there was a small area, maybe an inch, where they wouldn't cut as good as the rest of the scissor.

The reason that I am asking is because my church sewing group (Loose Threads of Hope) is making pocket tissue holders. At our next meeting we will be cutting a slit in the plastic wrapper of the tissues and inserting the package in the holders. I already have the ladies bringing sewing or clipping scissors for our projects, and I didn't want to have to ask for or provide other scissors for this session if it wouldn't be necessary. Just trying to keep it as simple as possible.

I had a small nick in my spring loaded fiskars. I was not going to spend money having them sharpened so I decided to try my diamond emery board to smooth out the nicks. Works like brand new now

I don't know about plastic but Carol Doak said that you will not dull the blades cutting paper. Since she is a paper piecing maven I'm assuming she knows what she's talking about. I don't use mine for anything other than fabric though :)

Are you talking about the packets of tissues that you carry in your purse? If so, every package I have seen has a perforated top. No scissors needed.

Yes, they do have a top opening, but the fabric pocket tissue holders that we are making have the opening going the long way. To make it work the best, we open the plastic packet as usual and then slit from top to bottom with a scissors.

I am careful with the serrated blades what I cut with them but the others are whatever I pick up first are the ones I use.

I have a sew day at a local church and we make these tissue holders for the church to have a basket full of the tissue holders available to all for funeral services.

What a wonderful idea! I enjoy making these, and your idea would be great for the more adult looking fabrics.

Last year my friend and I gave a program about Featherweight's at guild. We had 8 FW's available for people to try, because many had never used a FW before. For something for them to sew, we had the tissue holders made up to the point of the last 2 seams, and they were pinned. It was just enough sewing for them to have a taste of the FW, and in addition, they got to take home a momento. For those tissue holders I used the FW print available at April 1930's shop.