Help Me Choose Fabric-Cutting Shears
My youngest daughter has suddenly shown both talent for, and an interest in, sewing. Her first school lessons have already begun, and at home she is always sewing something. The problem is that we do not have good scissors: the old ones are difficult to use and could put her off. I only have my grandmother's pair, which must be about 50 years old 😄.
They still cut well, but they are clearly not suitable for a child's hand. They are very heavy and too large for her.
I also found this pair of Chinese-made scissors, but their tips do not cut well.
For now, my daughter is practicing by altering and painting her own T-shirts, so I would appreciate advice on which fabric-cutting shears to buy and where to order them online. Because fabric-cutting shears are sharp, an adult should supervise their use and choose a size and handle that the child can control comfortably.
I am also a fan of versatile tailor's shears. I still unpick seams the old-fashioned way with an ordinary blade, although special scissors are probably more convenient. Those of you who use them, are they worth buying?
As for choosing scissors, I would look at quality rather than price or appearance. One commenter above favored forged shears; in my view, they are worth considering, although construction alone does not determine quality or price.
At the time of the original discussion, these were the brands I had noted after reading many online reviews:
For a more affordable option at that time, I had also noted Gamma, a brand sold in the Russian market.
If you want a good starter tool kit, I would suggest two kinds of scissors: tailor's shears (it is best to handle and try them in person) and small scissors for trimming threads. It does not matter whether they are stork scissors or spring-loaded snips. Or perhaps, like me, you will find a blade convenient for unpicking seams.
If you want to broaden your collection a little, buy good scissors for cutting paper and another pair of tailor's shears in a different size. If you sew bedding, for example, a larger pair than a size 10 may make the work go faster. Conversely, if you enjoy appliqué, you will need small scissors with sharp points, and so on.