From: rloiseau@aol.com (RLoiseau) Subject: Applique Shears? Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 16:37:03 -1000 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Message-ID: <4khr8f$9fo@newsbf02.news.aol.com> I have recently decided that my small applique scissors are not small enough to get the precision I want. What I am curently using are small craft scissors with a 2" blade. They are about 1/16" thick. My friend Randy is using surgical scissors that have handles that angle away from the blades, so that while the blades are resting on the table the handle, as well as your hands, are off the table. I would like to get these, but they have to be ordered from a hospital supply. as with everything in health care, they are extremly expensive ($65)!!! I have a pair that are the same size, but they are a $5 pair, and the metal is cheap and soft--I cant get or keep them sharp!! What are people in cyberspace (and off line) using for applique shears? If I don't find anything else, I will cough up the money for the $65 dollar pair, But I hope I can find a better alternative. Thanks much!!!! Robin Levick RLoiseau@aol.com(the bird) Transcendent kites Robin Levick = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: dbarnes@whidbey.net (dick barnes) Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 18:24:03 -1000 Organization: Whidbey Internet Services Message-ID: <4ki1h3$fkg@whidbey.whidbey.com> In article <4khr8f$9fo@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, rloiseau@aol.com says... >What are people in cyberspace (and off line) using for applique shears? Well, a good stitch ripper works real slick when it's sharp. I've found the more you pay for one the longer they stay sharp; and these babies are fast..... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Stephen VanHerpen Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 13:17:17 -1000 Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Message-ID: <316D92FD.4DD0@azedlink1.ade.state.az.us> > > What are people in cyberspace (and off line) using for applique shears? > > If I don't find anything else, I will cough up the money for the $65 > dollar pair, But I hope I can find a better alternative. > Robin, I use a pair of applique scissors that I found in a regular fabric store. They have an odd sort of "bill" on one side, and a regular pointed tip on the other. Not cheap - but very handy, and I can easily get right up to the stiches with it. -- Stephen & Terri VanHerpen -------------------------------------------------- We Believe in Marriage! WorldWide Marriage Encounter svanher@azedlink1.ade.state.az.us -------------------------------------------------- = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Steve Bateman Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 10:22:04 -1000 Organization: San Diego State University Message-ID: <316D69EC.5145@mail.sdsu.edu> RLoiseau wrote: > > I have recently decided that my small applique scissors are not small > enough to get the precision I want. What I am curently using are small > craft scissors with a 2" blade. They are about 1/16" thick. My friend > Randy is using surgical scissors that have handles that angle away from > the blades, so that while the blades are resting on the table the handle, > as well as your hands, are off the table. I would like to get these, but > they have to be ordered from a hospital supply. as with everything in > health care, they are extremly expensive ($65)!!! I have a pair that are > the same size, but they are a $5 pair, and the metal is cheap and soft--I > cant get or keep them sharp!! > > What are people in cyberspace (and off line) using for applique shears? > > If I don't find anything else, I will cough up the money for the $65 > dollar pair, But I hope I can find a better alternative.Though I don't applique very often, I have used applique sissors >From a quilting shop. They cut flat againest the table and have a duck bill looking under blade. I think the brand is Ginnger (sp), so they will stay sharp. They were mentioned in an old issue of Kitelines a couple of years ago, in the tips section. STeve Bateman bateman@mail.sdsu.edu Flying along. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: mark@murder.compulink.co.uk (Mark de Roussier) Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 10:43:58 -1000 Organization: damage Message-ID: <4kjroq$22v@zinc.compulink.co.uk> dbarnes@whidbey.net (dick barnes) wrote: >In article <4khr8f$9fo@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, rloiseau@aol.com says... > >>What are people in cyberspace (and off line) using for applique shears? > >Well, a good stitch ripper works real slick when it's sharp. I've found >the more you pay for one the longer they stay sharp; and these babies are >fast..... Yup, stitch rippers it is. I don't know where to get an 'expensive' one though - I usually buy a few cheap ones, then I can misplace a few without serious consequences :). Oh, tip for stitch ripper beginners - make the initial incision with the pointy bit, but then invert it and run the *ball* along the seam itself. Well, it wasn't obvious to me.... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Final thoughts, as breath is taken, Fall to rhythm, and the Edge of pure obsession, Resting in the wind blown cradle, Nothing moves, the world is still... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: kichiwa@eskimo.com (Mike Eason) Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Message-ID: Organization: Not Much! Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 20:05:21 -1000 In article <4khr8f$9fo@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, rloiseau@aol.com says... > >I have recently decided that my small applique scissors are not small >enough to get the precision I want. What I am curently using are small >craft scissors with a 2" blade. They are about 1/16" thick. My friend >Randy is using surgical scissors that have handles that angle away from >the blades, so that while the blades are resting on the table the handle, >as well as your hands, are off the table. I would like to get these, but >they have to be ordered from a hospital supply. as with everything in >health care, they are extremly expensive ($65)!!! I have a pair that are >the same size, but they are a $5 pair, and the metal is cheap and soft--I >cant get or keep them sharp!! > >What are people in cyberspace (and off line) using for applique shears? > >If I don't find anything else, I will cough up the money for the $65 >dollar pair, But I hope I can find a better alternative. > >Thanks much!!!! > >Robin Levick > >RLoiseau@aol.com(the bird) >Transcendent kites Robin Levick I have a pair of expensive applique scissors too but rarely use them. I much prefer a pair of some kind of sewing scissor similar to what you describe. Mine are about 4 1/2 inches long with about 1 inch blades that angle up about 30 degrees. Sorry I don't know what their proper name is. I have ground off (rounded at about a 1/16" radius) the original tips of the blades, which were originally quite sharply pointed. I also reground the edges of the blades to a much shallower, 15 degree angle. These are two things that I learned from Randy Tom whe he taught at Ft. Worden about three years ago. But, by far, my favorite applique scissors are a pair of curved, nail trimming shears, similarly modified, that I found at a local Pharmacy store. With the small bent shears I usually control the offset of the cut from the seam line by how far open the blades are held. With the nail shears, both the blade opening and the angle of "glide" of the scissors along the seam control the cut. Hey, might be wierd. But it's cheap and works best for me. I've never been too successful with those applique shears; I think, mostly, because they're way too big for most kite applique. Maybe I just don't know how to use them properly. Anyway, the small modified shears work great! -- Mike Eason or Media Specialist: Everett Community College, Everett, WA voice H:206-334-0362 W:206-388-9117 fax:206-388-9144 Newsletter Editor and Past President, Snohomish County Incredible Flying Individuals, SCI-FI Event Organizer/Committee Chair, Washington State Sport Kite Championships, 9/28-29/96 Whidbey Island Kite Festival, 9/28-29/96 - Casey Conf. Center, Coupeville, Whidbey Is. WA, USA = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: cvdunton@visi.net (Charlie Dunton) Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 14:38:12 -1000 Organization: Visionary Systems InterNetNews site Message-ID: <316d9e6d.83451679@news.visi.net> dbarnes@whidbey.net (dick barnes) wrote: >In article <4khr8f$9fo@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, rloiseau@aol.com says... > >>What are people in cyberspace (and off line) using for applique shears? > >Well, a good stitch ripper works real slick when it's sharp. I've found >the more you pay for one the longer they stay sharp; and these babies are >fast..... > I use a stitch ripper for picking up the layers and making a starting hole, but for cutting, I use Ginger applique shears. These are Very expensive (most Gingers are). As I recall, they were $50 about 10 years ago. No idea what they go for today, but $75 wouldn't supprise me. Now, my wife says I use them backwards. They have 2" blades, one is thin with a very sharp point, the other is rounded like a pelican's beak. I think that's what they even call that type of blade. My wife says (she's almost always right but that doesn't mean I listen), that the pelican blade is supposed to go under the fabric so you won't poke a hole in it, but I put the pointed blade underneath. There are many places in my applique that the larger pelican blade wouldn't even fit. But what makes these shears wonderful is their *bent handles*. This lets me hold the blades parallel to the table without getting my fingers in the way. And being parallel to the table keeps me from poking a hole and cutting the final layer (almost always). The real disadvantage to a stitch ripper is the lack of an upper blade to stabilize the fabric at the point of cut for a smooth, clean, edge. This is essential in my applique because I almost never cut only one layer at a time. I cut all layers at once from a given side. Not only does this speed up the cutting (I usually have 3-5 layers per side to remove), it also keeps tiny slivers of color from showing along the cut where you weren't able to follow the first cut exactly. Keep in mind, when I say cutting, I really mean pushing through the fabric. A couple of years ago, at the MKS kite retreat, Jon Burkhardt taught a class on Randy Tom's applique technique. I passed these shears around to others in the class, and everyone that tried them, loved them. --- May you never stand in the shadow of your kite cvdunton@visi.net = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Bob Neitzke Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Message-ID: <316E80BB.71DA@elk.miles.com> Organization: Diagnostics QA/RA Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 06:11:39 -1000 Mike Eason wrote: > But, by far, my favorite applique scissors are a pair of curved, nail > trimming shears, similarly modified, that I found at a local Pharmacy > store. > > With the small bent shears I usually control the offset of the cut from > the seam line by how far open the blades are held. > Hey, might be wierd. But it's cheap and works best for me. YUP, I use them also. ---> "What he said" !!! Cheap to replace, easy to find sources small enough to take with you. Ya don't need all the "Home Improvment" tools to make kites. KISS "keep it simple stupid" -- Bob Neitzke birdofplay@aol.com http://members.aol.com/birdofplay Stay outa da treez = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: mark@murder.compulink.co.uk (Mark de Roussier) Subject: Re: Applique Shears? Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 10:37:31 -1000 Organization: damage Message-ID: <4kucta$btn@zinc.compulink.co.uk> cvdunton@visi.net (Charlie Dunton) wrote: > >The real disadvantage to a stitch ripper is the lack of an upper blade to >stabilize the fabric at the point of cut for a smooth, clean, edge. >This is essential in my applique because I almost never cut only one >layer at a time. I cut all layers at once from a given side. Not only >does this speed up the cutting (I usually have 3-5 layers per side >to remove), it also keeps tiny slivers of color from showing along >the cut where you weren't able to follow the first cut exactly. Keep >in mind, when I say cutting, I really mean pushing through the fabric. > Now this is interesting. I was going to follow up my previous post with a note to the effect that stitch rippers were only really good for the situation in which you were removing a layer or layers which had been stitched into place. i.e. you can't apply them as easily to panels having a 'free' edge. Thus it would depend on the technique you were using as to whether they would work for you. I can see how scissors would handle starting a cut at a free edge better than a seam ripper, but this isn't what you seem ( yuk !! ) to be saying ? I've never had a problem getting a smooth clean edge with a ripper, provided that (1) I'm running the little ball along the seam and not trying to hold it further from the seam (2) I'm moving the ripper fast enough and not stopping and starting too much - timidity doesn't pay (3) I'm not leaning over the table with one toe on the ground striving to get that last cm ! I can see that (2) might cause problems if there was alot of very fine detail - ATM my designs tend towards the bold rather than the twiddly (:). When I'm more confident about doing loads of seriously curvy stitching, perhaps I'll cut over to scissors... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Final thoughts, as breath is taken, Fall to rhythm, and the Edge of pure obsession, Resting in the wind blown cradle, Nothing moves, the world is still... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =