Craft Focus - Feb/Mar (Issue 65)

CUTTING EDGE Fiskars’ iconic orange scissors turned 50 last year, which makes them an essential purchase for any crafter. The classic design was the world’s first with plastic handles, and each pair is comfortable, lightweight and accurate to use. “We have sold over a billion in the past 50 years, which means there are billions of stories to be told about how people have used them,” says Sarah Large, UK marketing manager. “These stories have made our scissors more than just a handy tool to have in the home, they are also a little piece of a person’s creative history.” Fiskars, fiskars.co.uk SHINE A LIGHT Produced by The Daylight Company, this powerful slimline LED table lamp can be used to illuminate precision work of any kind. It has a long arm and provides a wide, even light coverage, which is ideal for large work surfaces. Its daylight bulb reduces eye strain and glare so it’s great for true colour matching too. “I have been using the Daylight Company’s lamps for a couple of years now and I can’t believe the difference in my working environment,” says Angela Wolf, a fashion and pattern designer who uses the lamp regularly. “The bright, even light on the slimline allows me to match colours and see stitches on dark fabrics. It eases my eyes, and when it comes to hand beading, the magnifier is also useful.” The product retails at £129.99 with magnifier supplied separately. The Daylight Company, daylightcompany.co.uk HEAVY DUTY Tandy Leather’s range of scissors and shears can be used to cut a range of materials in different thicknesses, from the softest of fabrics to the heaviest of leathers. The leather scissors cost £5.08, with pro super shears and sure-grip shears priced at £41.25 and £44.93 respectively. Tandy Leather, tandyleather.com 118 craft focus essential kit