Hemostats look like big tweezers with the handle ends of scissors attached to them. They are not sharp .. or used for cutting, they are used for gripping .. and they even have a lock on the handle so you can wiggle and pull without worrying that you'll let go of your fabric.
I love them for doll making.
1) They are brilliant for turning little limbs - well they are brilliant and fast for turning anything the right way! Those long handles can really get down a doll leg!!
2) They are great for firmly positioning stuffed body parts together :) like necks and head.
You can get them with straight ends or curved ends ..... Both are fabulous and I use them daily. In fact I have been using them for years.
So why have I not mentioned them before? Well they were not that easy to come by .... BUT thanks to the internet they are now and they are supper cheep! Hooray! I brought this pair recently when hubby 'borrowed' my other pair for a project in the garage ... gerrrrrrr ... don't get me started ..... and they have been brilliant! So I thought I'd share :)
How to use them.
Easy and Fast!
Put the Hemostats all the way in (back arrow) to your softie/dolly opening and grab the furthest seam with the ends. Make sure you get the tips well over your stitches (red arrow) ... this will make sure you won't damage your stitches or seam when pulling the softie the right way.
Now gently pull the fabric out through the opening (black arrow) ... WOW that was fast!
For little limbs, and small curves the Curved Hemostats are fab! Pop them in, grab the end and wiggle the fabric to get it going ......
POP! Out is comes!!!!
Tips
- Always check on a scrap piece of fabric if the 'locked' handles will damage the fabric .... sometimes it's just best to hold your Hemostats and not lock them :)
- Do not lock the handle and just Tug on the fabric ... you could rip it. Gently pull and wiggle to get it started.
- Be aware of what you are grabbing hold of ..... on the inside ..... you don't want to rip off a cute applique by accident!
- Brilliant for turning Faux Fur too .. but make sure you have the fabric not just the hair in your Hemostats otherwise you'll just end up ripping out the hair ... and no one likes a bald patch!
Conclusion ....... Hemostats are fabulous!
