Cutting with Scissors

Strange topic for a beautiful spring afternoon but oddly one I have been thinking about a lot today because of my current work in progress. You might guess from the picture that this involved some cutting with very small scissors. When I was doing this the first thing that came to mind was great respect and admiration for the scissor cutting skills of mister rob ryan and my wonderful friend elsita mora. I really don't know how they do it? The second thing that came to mind was my unique method of cutting that I have used since early childhood. I did a quick google search to see if there were any other cutting freaks out there but couldn't come up with anything. The closest I came to is that I may have a form of scissor dyslexia. You see I can cut the "normal way" when I really have to but it takes a great deal of concentration and it is far less accurate. My natural way to cut is like this.

Now I know I would normally at least be holding the paper with my left hand but that hand was holding the camera but I am sure you can get the idea of my backward method. The ability to cut with scissors is a very important fine motor developmental milestone that occurs usually between the ages of 4 and 5 for most children. I don't remember ever being "taught" how to use scissors but ever since I can remember I was told by other children, siblings and adults that I cut weird. I never really paid attention to it because it got the job done until when I was in grade 7 home economics class and we were making aprons or something like that and the teacher wanted to fail me because I wouldn't cut the fabric in the correct manner. It didn't matter that I was already making my own clothing and dolls at home . My mother got very upset and gathered up some of the items I had sewn from home and hauled them off to school to show Mrs ? just what I could do and how could she possibly fail me in sewing just because I held the scissors differently than the other students. Well after that episode I forced myself to cut in the "normal" way when teachers were watching and when they weren't I would use my method. The only other time in my life that it became a big issue was during my surgical rotations. I had to be very very careful not to cut in my way because they would have failed me for sure. Surgeons are very big on tradition and protocol with their techniques . I have some interesting stories about this but I will save those for a future post. When google searching I found some interesting information about teaching children how to use scissors. If you are a parent with young children you might find this interesting .

Download sats-scissors.pdf In case you were wondering all my children use scissors in the "normal" way and in fact I have never met any one who cuts like me. Now you know something unique about me. I would love it if you would share something unique about yourself in the comments below and if you are also a strange cutting person I would love to hear about that. I finish this post with another view of the project I am working with. It involves botany, microscopy, chemistry, drawing, pasting and of course cutting. If I get it finished later today I will post a picture of the end result. Have a great remainder of your sunday.

I have a picture of the finished product but the light wasn't very good since the sun had already set. I may try to get a better picture in the morning if I have time.

Comments

[sosser]

i love any project that involves cutting paper with scissors. it has a meditative effect on me and i swear my breathing and heart rate slow way down. i have never seen anyone cut the way you do, but with such beautiful results, why cut any other way? can't wait to see the finished project!

[Shannah]

Your paper cuts are amazing!
What a silly home ec teacher you had... I promise to never be one of those teachers.

[Elsita]

Margie, your cutting technique is so original (and with all my respects it really made me smile :) I can share something weird with you about myself and that's the way I type. I use only two fingers (one from each hand) and those fingers are the ones that you use when you want to make an offensive gesture...got it? You know, the middle fingers :o
To me this is the most natural thing in the whole world but when someone sees me in action they start laughing!! it looks weird to people but thank to that technique I can write you this comment right now!! I just cannot do it differently!
I am now part of the club!

Elsita :)

[Marissa]

Oh my God. Someone cuts like me!!! Someone cuts like me!!! I am so happy. I 100% know where you are coming from. In first grade I was forced to go to therapy, because they believed it was an early sign of me trying to rebel against authority. DO you have any other random quirks?

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