Sep 23, 2010

HOW YA LIKE ME NOW?

Julia, Bianca, Emma, Freedom, Sarah, Roberta, Criss, Elena, Mia, Charlene, Alyssa, Sonya, Ella


Aunt Chrissy gave me my first pair of Gingher scissors sometime in the year 2006. I suppose that she felt I had progressed beyond the little kindergarten safety scissors that were in my stitchy bag for several months, so she went right out and bought me a lovely pair of Julias.

As anybody knows, I am not exactly what you'd call a "moderate" person, so within the space of about six minutes I decided that collecting these scissors was going to be my "thing" (and I think I told Aunt Chrissy that it was going to be HER thing too), and I set about trying to get a comprehensive list of every single one that has ever been released.

(What is it about me that does this? If something is part of a series or collection, I am compelled to start at the start and end at the end. I do this with books, TeeVee series, music...anything that has a "chapter" or "part" or "for the year" on it means that I will drive myself nuts trying to find the very first one, and then look for the second one, and then the third, etc. etc. etc.)

(Good thing I don't do this with automobiles, or I'd be out there trying to collect the very first Pontiac, followed by the very second Pontiac....)

(I wonder if it has to do with some strange propensity that I have for order? And, furthermore, I wonder if this propensity comes from my childhood when I played in the sandbox and tried to organize all of the sand according to the overall shape, size, texture, and color of each individual grain.)

(What can I say? I was a weird child who grew up to be an even weirder adult.)

But I regress...

It took me about three years of searching on the internets, but I think I've come up with a comprehensive list of all of the Gingher Designer Series Scissors. I don't have the EXACT dates of their releases, but I think I at least have the proper year.

Now you might wonder what prompted me to write this. Aunt Chrissy and I jetted over the JoAnn's last night to pick up our latest addition to our sets...a JoAnn's exclusive called Ella. We both walked into the store with the idea that we were going to pay full price for them, since neither of us could find a coupon for the place to save our lives. But when we got up to the check-out counter, the lovely Melanie told us that we were going to get them for 40% off and I think I startled the poor woman by jumping up and down, clapping my hands, and then bawling with joy.

Needless to say, it's going to be a while before I go back to JoAnn's.

Now for those of you who think this is a ridiculous way to spend my money, may I just point out that I found a pair of Audreys on the web AND THAT THEY WERE ALMOST FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS!

Nope, didn't even think about buying them, but I was totally gratified to see that a few of the scissors in my collection have already gone up into the two hundred dollar range. That means that if I paid about twenty bucks for them, they've given me about a gillionth percentage return on my investment.

(Aren't you glad I'm not your financial planner?)

So, I suppose what I'm trying to say is one very big fat THANK YOU to my perfect little sister for insisting that I run right out with her every single time these things are released to fork over my pennies for the latest design.

Now if I could only start and the start...

Here's the list that I came up with. If you are a Gingher collector, or if you happen to know someone who is and you see that my list is completely and totally wrong and out of date, would you be so kind as to let me know? I'm getting ready to laminate this sucker, and God knows the tizzy fit I'll go into if I find out that I missed anything.

1999: Audrey, Rosa
2000: Emilia, Rosemarie, Cheetah
2001: Gloriana
2002: Katelyn, Penelope
2003: Gabriella
2004: Lindsay, Olivia
2005: Amanda, Lanell, Cassandra, Sophia
2006: Julia, Alyssa(*), Jamie
2007: Ashley, Maria, Bianca, Glory
2008: Emma, Freedom, Sarah, Roberta
2009: Criss, Elena, Mia
2010: Charlene, Alyssa (*), Sonya, Ella

37 comments:

  1. Wow! I am in total awe of your collection. I especially love the last ones that came out, the zebra striped ones? Believe it or not, I don't own a single pair of Ginghers. But I was going to go to Joann's today anyway to look around, so I may just buy myself a pair if they have them.

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  2. Very cool! I am much like you in the collecting department...

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  3. I am cracking up! Nice to know I have company. I have all of them except Rosa, which I am still on the hunt for. AND I have stitched matching fobs for about 85% of them. I think I need professional help!

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  4. Thank you so much for sharing this list! I too have become a collector late in the game. I think my first pair was "Emma", then I had to get "Sarah" because that is my daughter's name...and then I was just off and running too! I think I have ten pair now...and this is the person who never thought I needed more than one pair of embroidery scissors. Foolish girl! I'm so glad someone else shares my addiction!

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  5. Lovely collection! I have the freedom and the fifth one from the left in your picture - don't remember the name of it tho...

    While all of the gingher scissors are wonderful, I find that I generally prefer smaller scissors so haven't collected any more... However, you've inspired me to create a scissor post at some point in the future. :-)

    How do you decide which ones to use?

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  6. Beautiful! I don't have any... and now I know what can go on my Xmas list.

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  7. Hi Coni -- I think your list is pretty close. Here's the list I've compiled - I did not have the ones from 1999 on mu list!

    Gingher 4" Designer Scissors

    2000 Emilia
    Cheetah
    Rosemarie

    2001 Gloriana

    2002 Penelope
    Abigail
    Katelynn

    2003 Gabriella
    Audrey
    Leah

    2004 Olivia
    Lindsay

    2005 Casandra
    Amanda
    Lanell
    Sophia

    2006 Jamie
    Glory
    Alyssa
    Julia

    2007 Maria
    Ashley
    Bianca

    2008 Emma
    Freedom
    Sarah
    Roberta

    2009 Criss
    Mia
    Elena

    2010 Charlene
    Sonia
    Ella

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  8. Love your collection! I have 4 of the designer Ginghers (I do not need more scissors...I do not need more scissors...I do not...oh, why not!) I think I see a trip to JoAnn's in my future :-)

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  9. Awesome! I am an order freak from way back, too. My only designer Ginghers are the Mia plaid pair. I heart them. I have to tell you, the title of this post of yours has been the only song playing on my personal soundtrack since early September. I've won a great victory and seriously have been singing that song (in my head) for almost a month! I thought you had heard it all the way in Indiana!

    Hugs!

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  10. In answer to your first question...
    WE LOVE YA!

    That collection of yours is way cool. I don't have any yet, but you are tempting me..."get behind me Satan!"

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  11. Oh this is too too funny Coni. I just ran to Joann's tonite to pick up my Ella scissors. I have 21 pairs of the collectible Ginghers - all in their original boxes except my first pair. I started collecting them in 2005 but only have been able to afford 2 issued prior to that because of the prices and of course those early ones rarely even come up for sale. I compiled my own list in Excel like you and I also have collected photos off of the internet of all of them. We are crazy! I will check my list against yours and send it to you if I can find your email address. I have the years a little differently on some of them from waht Cathy B posted - I don't know for sure who is corect LOL. I also noted where I could which ones were the Joann's exclusives versus the needlework shops. It's a sickness! My LNS is holding a pair of the Sonia ones for me as I speak............

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  12. What a great collection!!! I am also a bit of a collector, my scissors are all purple though ;-) And I have one shaped like a seahorse. That is my favorite one. Have a great stitching weekend!

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  13. Thank you so very much for posting about the new scissors at Joann's. I didn't even finish reading your blog before I was calling the two stores nearest to me. LOL One had them, the other said they'd not seen them yet.

    I got home from work and immediately left for Joann's. They had only 6 pairs left!!! I can spend 15 to 20 minutes deciding which is the pair I like best. I'm only a*** retentive about a few things and Gingher scissors and JABCo buttons are two of them.

    I put all six pairs in my cart and compared all the stripes and swirls (I love swirls) on each pair and finally picked two.

    I try to give a pair of designer Ginghers each year to my best friend at Christmas.

    I have an incomplete set, but am not trying to get the whole set. Most are in their original boxes all stacked one atop the other.

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  14. Hi Coni--

    Your need to have the whole set of something means you are a "completist." From Dictionary.com: Noun: An obsessive, typically indiscriminate, collector or fan of something.

    You are not the only one...I'm like this with alot of things, it's really common among book, music and movie collectors as well.

    As for the scissors you're missing, might I recommended SewBiz Fabrics (sewbizfabrics.com)? I just bought a pair of the Ashley scissors there, for a pretty reasonable price considering they were first available in 2007.

    How do you display them? I have mine just tossed in a drawer because I can't figure out a good way to show them off.

    Carol S.

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  15. Lovely collection of the Gingher collectibles Coni! I started to collect them - I think I have around 6 pairs all in their original packaging but being in the UK they are not so easy to get so I stopped. However I like the Sonja ones so I may get searching on my forthcoming trip to the US! I am going to the aiguille-en-fete in Paris in February 2011 and I know that Monsieur Roulot of Nogent will be there with his very expensive scissors so I should be saving for those!

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  16. It looks like you and I started collecting around the same time. I have all of the same ones you have, except I don't think I have a Julia. I do have an Ashley and a Cheetah and, I think, a swirly pink one (Maria?) or maybe I just coveted it. I'm at work and most of them are at home, so I can't check right now. I, too, am obsessed but the prices/bids on the older ones are prohibitive on my meager paycheck.

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  17. Your email isn't in your profile Coni so I am pasting my list here in case it helps you.

    Jeanne
    ------------
    Emilia - 2000 (Set only with shears)
    Cheetah -2000
    Gloriana -2001
    Abigail - 2002 (Set only with shears)
    Katelynn – 2002
    Penelope – 2002
    Leah – 2003 (JoAnns)
    Audrey - 2003 (Set only with shears)
    Gabriella – 2003
    Cassandra – 2004
    Lindsay – 2004
    Olivia – 2004 (specialty shops)
    Lanell – 2005 (JoAnns)
    Sophia – 2005
    Jamie – 2006 (JoAnns)
    Amanda 2006 (JoAnns)
    Julia - 2006 (specialty shops)
    Alyssa – 2006 (JoAnns)
    Maria –2007 (JoAnns)
    Glory – 2007 (specialty shops)
    Ashley – 2007 (JoAnns)
    Bianca – 2007 (JoAnns
    Emma – 2008 (JoAnns)
    Freedom- 2008 (JoAnns)
    Roberta - 2008 (specialty shops)
    Sarah – 2008 (JoAnns)
    Criss- 2009 (JoAnns)
    Elena - 2009 (specialty shops)
    Mia - 2009 (JoAnns)
    Charlene -2010 (JoAnns)
    Sonia - 2010 (specialty shops)
    Ella – 2010 (JoAnns)

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  18. Compulsive collecting? Coni, meet my husband...Dear, meet Coni!

    He only collects a few things, but when he does, he MUST have the set! (Like Slughorn!)

    I have a few pairs of s cissors, but I bought each pair for a specific function. I do like the colours of the Ginghers, but have so far resisted!

    I do covet the black scissors with the handles that look like spider webs though...

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  19. :) Yes, I collect them, too. Sigh. They are so pretty, though. (But, really, why do I need so many scissors? Although I do rotate them, to make sure they all get used! Weird, right?) Anyway, this website has a bunch for sale that are listed by the year released. http://www.speciallymadeby.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=GingherScissors
    They are a fortune here; I usually buy via eBay. But--I did pick up the Ella pair when I saw them (serendipitously) in Joanne's a couple of weeks ago, and, like you and your sister, got a GREAT deal!!

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  20. You are in great company here, I too like to be thorough! lol My collection isn't as thorough yet. BUt perhaps with my diligence it will be.

    Jane

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  21. Love your collection. I am not a collector though. I do have a pair of Jamie 4" ones for sale. lynn.pidgeon@msn.com

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  22. Love Designer Ginghers proud to say I started collecting them from day one and have all of them... just sold the Thimbleberries, Emilia Set, Abigail set and a 4 inch Laural (employee only). I deceided to sell my collection now so if anyone is interested I have them for sale. please email me at sewsew@chartermi.net and let me know what ones you are interested in.... THANKS!

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  23. Hi. I don't know if you'll see this comment since this is such an old post. But I use your post as a reference for Gingher designer scissors. I'm so glad you made a list and put the photos up too. I love, love, love my only pair of Gingher Designer scissors, 4" Sonia. I only discovered them recently! I thought I wanted a 5" pair and put it on my Christmas wish-list, but was given an undesigner pair, which I didn't like at all (and returned). Too clunky. The 4" have very sharp points, and the 5" was rounder. What size do you prefer? Perhaps the undesigner 5" ones are different shape than the designer ones? Or are they exactly the same, just pretty? Inquiring minds want to know :) Any discussion of Gingher designer scissors would be greatly appreciated. I also heard that beginning in 2012, they are not nearly the quality, so didn't buy the ones I saw in the stores in 2012. My email is julie.saville@gmail.com.

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  24. Thankyou this just makes me so happy. I am hooked on gingher scissors not only the designer collection of which I have about six pairs, some embroidery and some sewing shears and several other pairs of ginghers, my latest obsession is a pair of Sarah shears I am desperately wanting. Seeing I am not the only obsessor of these beautiful and great quality scissors I have all but hit the "add to cart" button to purchase my next pair and now I can justify to myself and my sister and quilting friends I am making a great investment. Well at least you all may believe me. I am a total fan. Happy stitching ladies.

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  25. From a really avid collector, I share with you the most updated Gingher designer list and year they were issued:
    1999 Victoria
    2000 Emilia
    2000 Thimbleberries
    2000 Rosemarie
    2001 Gloriana
    2001 Cheetah
    2001 Laural
    2002 Abigail
    2002 Katelynn
    2002 Penelope
    2003 Leah
    2003 Audrey
    2003 Gabriella
    2003 Audrey
    2004 Casandra
    2004 Lindsay
    2004 Olivia
    2005 Amanda
    2005 Lanell
    2005 Sophia
    2006 Jamie
    2006 Alyssa
    2006 Julia
    2007 Maria
    2007 Glory
    2007 Ashley
    2007 Bianca
    2008 Emma
    2008 Freedom
    2008 Roberta
    2008 Sarah
    2009 Criss
    2009 Elena
    2009 Mia
    2010 Charlene
    2010 Ella
    2010 Sonia
    2011 Alicia
    2011 Tessa
    2012 Emily
    2012 Jennifer
    2013 Julia
    2013 Sharon

    Hope this helps, Judy

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  26. Oops, somehow didn't copy and paste at the top of my Gingher list should be 1999 Rosa (THE original pair) Sorry about that, don't know how that got missed. Enjoy, may you who Love them collect them all, Judy

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  27. i know someone searching for a pair of abigails. only pair she doesn't have. any help would be appreciated. :)

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  28. I am late to the table and only started collecting about 2 years ago. That being said, I don't really want every pair, just a select few, like Olivia, Julia (original) and Leah, which happen to be the hardest to find and the most expensive to buy. But I keep holding on to hope that they will one day pop up on ebay for a reasonable prince, and that I am the only bidder!

    But I do have the Charlene and Alicia's, which I love!

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  29. What a great collection of beautiful scissors and, please do not take offense, but would you be of the mind to allow us to purchase any of them? My wife is also a collector and really cherishes them. (SKujolic@aol.com)

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  30. Are you still looking? I have a few extra pair I may consider selling: I'll list them here and you can see if there are any you may be interested in:
    All but two set NIB & they are NEW, GREAT COND., never used!
    Alicia 4 & 8"
    Barbara 4"& 8" (2014)
    Cheetah 8"
    Emily 4 & 8"
    Emma 4" & 8"
    Jennifer 4" & 2 pair of 8"
    Julia 4 & 8" (2006)
    Julia 4 & 8" (2013)
    Maria 4 & 8"(need tin boxes X2))Otherwise brand new - NEVER used!
    Sarah 4 & 8"(need tin boxes X2)Otherwise brand new - NEVER used!
    Sharon 2 pair 4" & 8"
    Sonia 4 & 8"
    Sophia 8"
    Tessa 4 & 8"
    If interested leave a note, if you really want them go to the Gingher facebook series and leave a note. Happy Collecting, it's GREAT fun! ~Judy

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  31. I want to share a picture of my collection, does anyone know how to embed a photo?? I also have 2 to trade if someone is ISO SARAH AND Emily!

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  32. I will trade several pair (even Thimbleberries, Rosa, Emilia, etc)...for ABIGAIL...the only one left I need. If you want money, I have that too. My email is: snebh4@aol.com

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  33. Check out Etsy - the first designer 8” scissor “Rosa” for sale

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