I have loved scissors my whole life. One of my earliest memories in watching my Momma sew was standing next to her machine and holding her scissors until she needed them. They were “special” scissors and I clearly remember it being an honor to hold them in my tiny little hands!
My love of scissors has continued throughout my life and I’ve owned so many different brands, quality, and type of scissors. So I know what I love when I feel it in my hands! And I absolutely love my Clover scissors. Every single one of the seven pair of scissors are my favorite! SEVEN pair you say? Well, lets break them down so you can determine if you also need them all!
We’ll start with the Patchwork Scissors that come in four different sizes. These scissors have finely serrated blades that make them amazing for cutting fabric. The serrated blades keep the fabric from slipping and they also cut easily through multiple layers.
I love the 9.5 inch large pair for cutting out a sewing pattern. They cut a very nice clean edge that means being able to sew a clean edge. Something that drives me crazy when I’m sewing is lining up jagged fabric edges. You won’t have any of that with these scissors. They also cut smoothly through multiple layers as seen in the picture above. The 7 inch size also works to cut out smaller pattern pieces and gives you the same perfect cut. Both of these scissors feel good on the fingers. (And a side note on the Clover Wonder Pins you see in the picture above… they work amazing to pin a pattern piece to your fabric!)
I decided that the 5.5 inch size might me my favorite scissors to have when I am doing improv and quilt as you go piecing. This form of sewing consists of using fabric scraps of different sizes and shapes and most often requires little bits of trimming to get the scraps how I want them. Because the little scissors have the same serrated edge as the larger ones, the fabric never slips. The added bonus is that these scissors are small and I actually keep them right on my sewing machine table where they are right at my fingertips.
The tiny 4.5 inch patchwork scissors are amazing! They come with a little leather sleeve to protect the ultra sharp end and I keep a pair of these in my hand sewing kit. These are a must have for appliqué, English paper piecing, embroidery, and any other hand sewing projects. Even though these scissors are tiny, you can still cut through multiple layers of fabric. I love these so much that I have gifted a pair to several of my sewist friends and my mom and sister. They are little miracle scissors and I can’t live without mine.
Now we’ll talk about the Clover Bordeaux Scissors. I might be saving the best for last! Seriously, how can it get better right? The Bordeaux Scissors are small and they feel so strong and durable. The blades are stainless steel, very sharp and perform like magic. Each of the three pair of scissors come with a leather sleeve to protect the sharp points. I would like to mention here that all three of these scissors will work for both left and right handed sewists.
I love the feel of the large 7 3/4 inch scissor in my hand. They are so powerful that you can precisely cut through many heavy layers of fabric and batting with absolute ease. I did a little experimenting with several layers of denim with quilt batting in between and these scissors didn’t even hesitate to cut cleanly through all layers. The handle of these scissors is easy to grip and is very comfortable.
I teach a sewing class to children ages 9 – 14 and I always tell them that quality scissors will be one of the most important things they will need to have. This 6 3/4 inch scissor is the exact scissor that I encourage each of their parents to buy for them. It is very versatile, high quality and sharp… and the perfect size for all hands! There is nothing more frustrating for a child learning to cut fabric and their scissors just don’t perform for their little hands. The leather sheath for protection is an added bonus.
The smallest size of Bordeaux Scissors are positively amazing for cutting thread, clipping curves, trimming seam allowances, etc… My grand-daughter Jillian loves to hang these on her sewing machine so that she never has to hunt for them to cut her threads as she’s sewing! These little scissors are top quality and I also keep these in my hand sewing kit. A side note here is that I have taken these scissors in my carry on airplane bag numerous times and it is never an issue to get through security. That’s a big deal to me because… well, hand sewing on the plane is a must right?
All three sizes of the Bordeaux Scissors are my grand-daughter, Rosetta’s favorite. She is left handed and she gets very frustrated with “left handed” scissors… rarely can you find a smaller size that is comfortable and for a little left handed child learning to use scissors, it has been very hard for her. But these are incredible and she always tells me that they feel like they were made just for her!
Does a person have to have all seven pair of these scissors? I’ll admit that you certainly do not need to have them all. Even though I seem to consistently use every pair, I do have my favorites. They are the ones pictured above: Bordeaux Ultimate Scissors 170 and 200 and the Mini and Large Patchwork Scissors. As far as I am concerned, they are the scissors I never want to live without and the ones I always recommend the most!
I love the darling Scissor Keeper pattern by Lisa Cox at A Spoonful of Sugar blog. And I couldn’t help but make a Scissor Keeper for every pair of my amazing Clover Scissors! You can find the (VERY EASY) pattern on Lisa’s Etsy shop here.
Scissors are an expensive investment but also a very, very necessary one. I have learned that when teaching people to sew, quality scissors eliminates an amazing amount of frustration. These scissors will last many, many years and are worth every penny. I hope this scissor review has been helpful to you in determining the exact pair of scissors to buy.
~ Dori ~
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