My Fiskars Scissors Are Always Open to the Next Project

I can still vividly recall standing on my tip toes on the chilly hardwood floors of the old farmhouse I grew up in, reaching into a metal sewing box and fishing around for my favorite pair of scissors, some thread, and a few stray mismatched buttons. Once in my hand, I’d go upstairs and disappear into my room for hours. Growing up in a rural area, I was far removed from the colorful and mesmerizing aisles of large fabric stores. Instead, I had to rely on my own creativity to plan my earliest quilts. At 6 years old, I remember repurposing some old flannel bed sheets into my first simple patchwork quilt, not for a person, but for my favorite doll. I ran my hands along the soft and fuzzy pink fabric as I cut, loving the textures and softness of the art of sewing. At that age, I only had tiny scissors and a single needle to sew by hand. The little doll quilt took hours, but that did not matter. As the quilt grew, so did a passion that I would embrace for life.

By the time I was in my late teens, I had graduated from my needle and thread to a beautiful shiny sewing machine, and a specific pair of Fiskars scissors that I had discovered when I was finally old enough to drive into town and get lost among bolt after bolt of cotton in our fabric store. Some people find comfort on beaches, others relax at a mountain cabin. I find both my peace and passion in fabric stores. Aisles of seersucker gingham, bright and vibrant cotton prints, and of course, that old familiar pastel pink flannel, that I could now purchase brand new for my quilts. Although I always had to stock up on fabric, needles, and thread, I never had to replace my Fiskars scissors.

After getting married and sewing several quilts for my household, I had 2 daughters. Over the next decade, I sewed their pajamas, their dresses, their floppy eared bunny stuffed animals, and of course—their quilts. I broadened my skills and craft by going from simple patchwork to intricate patterns and designs, which increased my passion and joy for quilting. I made each one with the recipients’ specific interests in mind. There were quilts with favorite cartoon characters for my neighbors’ new babies, blankets with patterns of books or hearts for my daughters, and when a need in the community arose, I made designs with shapes and patterns that were universal, to be donated to keep strangers warm.

I always encouraged my own children’s’ creativity by teaching them how to sew simple projects. I saved tiny bits and scraps of fabric from my larger projects for them to use to make doll clothing, or beginner projects like pillowcases. Even though I openly shared my supplies, everyone knew that my orange handled scissors were “off limits!” There were several pairs of Fiskars for several different uses around the house. We had hair cutting scissors that I used specifically when I was a cosmetologist, kitchen scissors, crafting scissors. Scissors were everywhere, but I kept my favorite Fiskars in my own sewing box, because I loved the way they cut with such sharp precision, minimizing the fraying of my fabric.

Once my children were old enough, I took a part time job in my favorite fabric store. There, throughout the day, I used Fiskars to cut yard after yard of patterned fabrics for customers as I learned about their projects. I would see regulars come and go, cutting 3 yards for a new skirt and 4 yards for a Christmas quilt. The seasons changed, the faces changed, the scissors didn’t. Neither did my love for quilting.

Now, in my retirement years, my friends invite me on cruises or to beaches. I politely decline most of the time, as I’m still content, decades later, to sit among the soft stacks of fabric squares, clipping and cutting as I plan and design my newest projects. I’ve watched trends come and go. I’ve seen the velvet neutral tones and plaids of the 70s become the neon fluorescent colors of the 80’s. I’ve cut denim in the 90’s and in the last 20 years, I’ve worked with every texture from satin to fringe. My projects have gone from small to large to my most recent love of quilted seasonal ornaments, wall-hangings and welcome flags. The one thing that never changed were my scissors. My favorite ones I would quickly tuck away as soon as I was finished. They were always Fiskars. The orange handled ones.