Hey everyone. Today you're going to learn a simple safety routine for your fabric shears, so every cutting session starts calm and ends with all ten fingers happy.
Here's the problem, y'all. Shears get set down open. They get buried under fabric. They get carried across the room, points up. That is how edges get nicked, projects get snagged, and hands get hurt. The cut itself is rarely the risky part. It is the moments between cuts.
I've done it myself. I set a pair down open on fabric, then reached right across those blades for a ruler. Oh my goodness. I got lucky that day. So here's what I use, and the routine I keep around it. These are the Famoré 739 Pro Cut shears, 9 inches long, with a micro serrated edge and a comfort handle. I reach for this bad boy because that serrated edge helps grip fabric instead of pushing it, and the soft handle stays comfortable through a long session. The tool is solid, folks. The routine keeps it safe.
What You Need
- 739 - Pro Cut Micro Serrated , Fabric Shear Comfort Handle (9in.)
- A clear, flat cutting table
- One home spot for your shears — a tray, a mat corner, or a magnetic strip
- A small lidded container for worn or damaged sharps
- Good light over your cutting area
- Your fabric, pattern, and ruler laid out before you pick up the shears
The Steps
- Clear the table first. Before the shears come out, move the coffee cup, the phone, and the scrap pile. You want one clean surface. Nothing should hide a blade, and nothing should force you to reach across one.
- Give your shears one home. Pick one spot, every single time. Mine is the top right corner of my mat, blades closed, points away from me. If the shears are not in my hand, they are in that spot. No exceptions. That habit alone prevents most studio accidents.
- Close them the second you finish a cut. Cut, close, set down. Say it in your head until it is automatic. An open pair of shears on fabric is a snag waiting to happen, and an open pair sliding off a table is worse. Closed is the resting state, always.
- Carry them closed, points down. If you must walk with them, close the blades, grip the closed blades gently in your fist, points down at your side. Never carry them open. Never carry them tucked under fabric. And never hand them to someone blades-first — offer the handle, every time.
- Cut only what they are made for. These are fabric shears. Fabric and batting — yes. Cardboard, wire, and plastic packaging are a hard no. Wrong materials nick an edge, and a damaged edge makes you push harder, and pushing harder is how cuts go sideways.
- Keep hands out of the blade path. Your guiding hand stays flat, fingers curled back, behind the cutting line. Slow down at curves. If you cannot see your fingers and the blade together, stop and reset. Take your time. It is not a race.
- Park damaged sharps right away. A bent tip, a chipped edge, a loose pivot — that tool leaves rotation today. Drop worn blades into your lidded sharps container, closed and labeled. Never toss loose sharps in a trash bin someone else reaches into.
- End the session with a reset. Last cut done? Close the shears. Wipe the blades. Return them to their home spot. Two minutes, tops. Tomorrow-you will thank today-you. Just like that.
Tips From My Table
- Teach the routine to anyone who sews in your space. One shared habit beats ten warning signs.
- If the phone rings mid-cut, close the shears first, then answer. The call can wait three seconds.
- It does not have to be perfect. You will forget sometimes. I still do. Just reset the habit the next cut, no quilt police here. You're your own worst critic — be kind and keep practicing.
- Prefer a tray, a mat corner, or a wall strip for your home spot? Completely up to you. The spot matters less than using the same one every time.
A Quick Care Note
Wipe the blades with a soft, dry cloth after each session. Lint builds up faster than you think. Keep the pivot clean, store the shears closed in a dry place, and never leave them buried in a project bin. Treat that micro serrated edge gently — no prying, no twisting in a cut.
Alrighty, folks. Clear table, one home spot, closed between cuts. If I can do this, y'all can do it. Thanks for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 739 - Pro Cut Micro Serrated , Fabric Shear Comfort Handle (9in.) at Linda's Electric Quilters.
