May I talk about scissors?
Good scissors are IMPORTANT. Crappy scissors cause injuries and induce RAGE. I’ve owned these three pairs for over twenty years now and the only rage I’ve suffered has been when someone used my FABRIC scissors to cut paper. And plastic. Let’s not go there.
I complained to my young fashion designer friend Luca about it, and he sent me this in return…
When I found out that my adorable, craft-loving daughter-in-law didn’t have decent scissors, I immediately ordered her two pairs of Mundials – an 8” fabric pair and a pair of barbers scissors (like the ones on the left above) which I use for fine paper cutting.
The pointy ones arrived without a guard, so I whipped one up from a scrap of leather for her. Then I made guards for my three pairs as well.
The Chinese have a cute superstition – if you give someone something sharp like scissors or knives, the recipient has to give you a coin in return. If they don’t, it’s believed that your relationship could be “cut”. I extracted two gold coins from Monkey Girl just to be safe – I don’t believe the superstition, but it’s hardly worth taking the risk with a new daughter-in-law!
Do you have good scissors? I love my scissors. I even like saying “scissors”. Hmm. I’ll stop now. ♥
I have the same red ones as you, left handed version, 2nd pair as I think I may have already told you about the time Big Man used my dress making scissors to cut electric cable 😠
And lived!?! I assume it was unplugged (I know you love him too much to inflict harm 😂)
When I die and people clean this place out they are going to say……WHY did she need so many scissors?? because I keep ‘losing’ them :)
In our house… hair scissors, for hair, just hair.
Dull scissors are so annoying and sometimes dangerous, your scissor guards are and excellent solution! A lovely gift and a lovely exchange, a coin for scissors to prevent a severed friendship,, lovely.
I’m right with you Celia and I have been known to use ‘good’ scissors for paper,card or plastic so now I have labelled my paper/card/plastic scissors so I am not tempted to use my ‘good’ scissors….well that’s the theory anyway 🙂
Anyone who cuts adhesive tape with good scissors…prepare to meet thy doom
We have a superstition that you are not supposed to gift anything that cuts as a bridal gift- and that bride shouldn’t cut anything-At my niece’s shower she couldn’t untie a knot in the ribbon on a gift -her friend went to hand her a scissor and every Auntie and Grannie ( I include myself ) yelled out in unison NOOO!!– Thus averting. disaster – the belief being that you are cutting the bond between the Bride and groom to-be…its very bad luck–of course non of the young people had heard of this but they graciously refrained from cutting anything — lol
I love my scissors, and hide the Kai’s (still in their packaging) away at the back of my sewing drawer, but have at least 4 good pairs hidden in my sewing cabinet and one pair of nasty sacrificial ones front and centre for the boys if they dare.
After a knick mysteriously appeared in my Fiskars springloaded, soft handled pair, I chucked the biggest tanty, all three men in my life now know NEVER touch Mum’s scissors. I made him indoors buy me a new pair, hence the Kai’s.
When we cleaned out hubby’s parents home, I found several nice pairs his Mum had including a pair of Stefan hairdressing scissors she must have bought off the salon. And the biggest pair of shears I have ever seen, about 14″ in the old measure, so heavy, Sheffield Steel. More for the collection, I love them all.
Not just a Chinese superstition! I remember an older woman from my church being horrified that we’d received a set of knives as a wedding gift. She was certain we should pay something for them, even just a small coin. I ignored her and don’t think I’ve had excessive bad luck. Mind you, I have lost touch with that particular friend so there is that!
Will you do a post on good knives, too or is there one in the archives? I should do a search. I love your scissors meme, too – I’ve seen many in my various online sewing groups but not that one! I think I will have to find a pair of barbers scissors, they look very handy! My family has respected the sanctity of my good sewing scissors or at least they haven’t been found out. I might have to whip up some guards for my set! I do love my pinking shears, too. Have you got a pair?
I don’t have a post on knives but we’ve had the same set forever. And I don’t have good pinking shears, but I don’t pink as I have an overlocker! :)
That is such an interesting Chinese superstition, I hadn’t heard that one. I will be very careful now before gifting scissors or knives:) I love your idea of making the scissor guards, you are very handy. My hubby is very good at sharpening scissors which needs to be done sometimes, and I was cutting out some fabric yesterday for a project and noticed that my fabric scissors weren’t doing a great job. They certainly need looking after. And I must get some hair cutting scissors. Always used to have a pair on hand.Do you know the best place to buy them? Enjoyed your post Celia, thankyou. Cheers, Pauline
In my family tradition, gifts of scissors have to be accompanied by a coin to stop you cutting yourself!
Yes Celia, absolutely. My family have been threatened with death when they either use my ‘good’ scissors for cutting unsuitable materials or use them and then not return them to their usual place. Not unreasonable surely? My grandmother has Scottish ancestry but she also firmly believes in the giving of coins with sharp things. I also follow this superstition, why take the chance? x
Definitely not just Asian. Here in Alberta, Canada same goes. We always wrapped gifts with “sharp” things with coin taped to the outside. The person unwrapping the gift would remove that coin first and give it to the giver. Thus “buying” the gift and forewarned to use extra care in unwrapping!
I hadn’t heard the superstition with a coin for scissors but my mum never have anyone the gift of a purse without a coin in it. Or let a new baby escape without being given a silver coin (Even if she didn’t know the parents. She just loved babies).
Good scissors are so important I don’t really posses a good pair and I have to hunt round the house to find scissors often for craft stuff. My husband is always cutting out newspaper articals too. One of my chinese friends said if you give someone a cup you have to give it with both hands otherwise you could take the cup back with the other hand!
good scissors are just as important as good knives – I think a good knife is the best utensil you can have in a kitchen!!
I LOVE scissors as they are so useful! Perhaps my first job as a hairdresser is to blame. I have more than 8 pairs of hairdressing scissors in varied stages of usage and decline. If you open my kitchen drawer there is a stash of good and not so good blades in there, more than 10 (I’ve lost count) that assist with cutting sandwiches, pizza, sausages and soft veg’s like spinach etc. Then there is my dressmaking scissors and pinking shears hiding in my SAFE place. I could go on forever……
The Husband knows that he doesn’t get to play with any scissors in my sewing room. None. Ever.
I have sprung shears for large volume cutting, two pairs of dressmaking shears, one pair of paper scissors, one pair for odds and ends, a pair of thread snips by the sewing machine and three different pairs of embroidery scissors to go with each of my sewing boxes. Oh, and a tiny pair of airplane safe snips for my travel sewing kit.
The Husband gets to play with one pair of utility scissors and a pair of poultry shears. Seems fair to me….
Give me a knife or scissors, and I cross your palm with silver, so the bonds of friendship are not cut.
PS: I’m on first name terms with our local knife, scissor and clipper-blade sharpening man…
Thank you for the story Celia. My mom was a seamstress and taught use to respect and appreciate all the necessary tools of that trade. We have good scissors, seam rippers and multiple sewing machines to share with our daughter in laws. Enjoy the opportunities with your daughter in law, those are precious.
Absolutely with you. Touch my fabric scissors at your peril! Pretty sure you pinched the superstition from my Scots ancestors though – always give a coin back if someone gifts you knives or scissors (and I have confused a few younger relatives at Kitchen showers by demanding 5c for my gift!) and absolutely, a purse or handbag given must always have a coin for luck, an empty purse is bad luck.
Did you know scissors breed? I think it must be by seeds. The only explanation I can think of; I pack my carryon bag , carefully check for scissors (they are disposable at work and I have a bad habit of emptying my pockets into my pack.) I check twice. No scissors. At the airport, the security scan shows 3 pairs. Usually in some tiny pocket even I didn’t know about…..