- [Karen] This video is sponsored by Skillshare.
Rotary cutters are a fast and easy way to cut fabric.
But then, this happens,
and this happens,
and this happens.
Here are 10 common issues
that sewists and quilters have with their rotary cutters,
and how to fix it.
So stick with me,
and I'll she you how to do it.
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Hi there, I'm Karen Brown of Just Get It Done Quilts.
I give you tips, tricks and strategies
to help you make the quilt
that you want to make.
And if you like what you see,
please hit that subscribe button.
The sewists and quilting world was revolutionised
when the rotary cutter was invented.
And though it made cutting faster and easier,
it also produced a whole new set of problems.
I get so many comments and emails about cutting issues.
Here are solutions to the 10 most common ones.
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Wings are when fabric flairs,
either at the start or the end of your cut.
They can be caused by
you don't have enough pressure
on your ruler to keep the fabric flat,
or your blade is not up against your ruler
when you start,
and your cut bends in,
as you find where the edge is.
And at the far end,
it's because you disengage your blade too early.
Be sure to have your hand
or weight close enough to the ends,
and engage that downward pressure
before your start cutting,
just in case you have a little give to your cutting surface.
Before you start, have your rotary cutter
just before your fabric,
with your blade in contact with your ruler.
And keep your blade snug against the ruler
until the very end.
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When your blade skips, then you do this,
which pulls your fabric out of alignment.
So change your rotary blade.
It doesn't matter if you changed your blade yesterday,
last week, or the month before.
Change your blade.
I know blades cost money.
So if you can't afford to change them, sharpen them.
And I demonstrated how to do this
in my video The Quilt Coach Episode Four.
Cutting is a much more pleasant experience
when your tools are in good shape.
If you can't change your rotary blade,
don't pull away your fabric,
until you are sure that you have a clean cut,
which you can do by working with two rulers.
By using the second ruler,
you will keep your fabric aligned.
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Shredded fabric happens when you go back and forth
over a skipped spot.
It could be that you need to change your rotary blade,
but it could also be caused
by not using a large enough blade to do the job.
Rotary blades come in 10, 28, 45, and 60 mm.
If you are layering your fabrics,
the higher the stack,
the bigger the blade you need.
And don't forget that seams add layers too.
My general rule is
my 28 mm can cut 1-3 layers.
My 45 can cut 1-6 layers,
and my 60 can cut 1 to 12.
And no matter what size you use,
the blade needs to be sharp.
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Rotary cutters work hand in hand
with these thick edged rulers.
The biggest complaint that I hear is wandering cuts,
when your ruler slips.
There are three main reasons that rulers slip.
The pressure is coming from the side,
and not from above.
There's not enough friction
between the ruler and the fabric,
and your table or your mat is moving while you cut.
So when you are holding your ruler,
make sure your work is close,
and tent your fingers.
If your ruler is farther away,
use a weight to keep the ruler steady.
I keep mine right beside my cutting table for easy access.
Add grippy dots, first aid tape,
or non-slip coating to the bottom of your rulers.
Also helps it from slipping.
And check that your table and mat are steady.
Move it against a wall, if necessary.
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You just squared up.
You cut a strip.
And you're about to cut another,
but now the line is no longer straight.
How did that happen?
We use rulers to cut straight lines,
but this only works if the blade is engaged
with the side of the ruler for the full cut.
Not like this,
or this,
but this.
That is, your blade needs to be perpendicular,
and tight to the edge of the ruler.
And this is best done
when you're pushing the blade away from you.
When you are at an angle to the cut,
not only is it harder
to see the measurement lines accurately,
but you are using your wrist, elbow, and shoulder,
often clenching,
and that's harder to keep that blade engaged.
So always cut away from you.
You don't need a rotary cutting board.
Just turn yourself or your cutting mat to accomplish this.
This is a beginner mistake,
but occasionally this still happens to me
when I'm not paying attention.
And it's simply that the blade is on the wrong side
of the rotary cutter.
Rotary cutters are made for both right
and left-handed people.
With this type of rotary cutter,
it's as simple as flipping it over.
For this one, it is assembled the opposite way.
So be sure that the blade is on the right side for you.
So let me tell you about Skillshare.
When I am cutting and playing with scraps,
it is a great opportunity to turn on my iPad
and listen to a Skillshare class.
Most Skillshare classes are less than two hours long,
and are divided up into even smaller chapters.
Sometimes it's a skill I need to learn more of.
Sometimes it's a totally random choice.
Skillshare has thousands of inspiring classes
on design, illustration, video creation,
and so much more.
They include a combination of video lessons
and a class project to test out new ideas and practise.
And with the holidays coming up,
I'm looking forward to trying out a few more.
You can find classes for a variety of skill levels,
from beginner to advanced.
Skillshare is also incredibly affordable,
especially when compared to in-person classes and workshops.
The first 1,000 of my subscribers to click on the link
in the description below will receive a one-month free trial
of premium membership.
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In sewing, very little time or copy is given
to using the correct form.
But correct form is the foundation
for longevity with your craft.
And I showed this form in my video
on how to cut straight.
Stand with one leg in front of the other,
standing slightly to the side of the cut line.
With your shoulders down,
and your core pulled in,
shift your weight to the front leg,
and push through with your hip,
keeping the elbow tucked in.
Your cutting surface height should be two to four inches
lower than your elbow.
And since we are all different sizes,
that will most likely mean you need
to adjust your cutting table.
If it is too low,
you'll be using too much lower back.
Too high, and you'll start to use your shoulders.
So trim the legs of your table,
or add risers as needs be.
If you are sitting to cut,
make sure your chair is adjusted to the right height,
and use the same motion.
If you are using your rotary cutter with a death grip,
then you are using it the wrong way.
All your wrist needs to do is guide the blade
down the fabric.
We clench for many reasons,
but the two main ones are a dull blade,
when we clench to add
that extra necessary strength to cut it.
And the other is that you
simply have never been shown the right way to cut.
So I went through the proper form
in the previous point,
but let's take a look at what the wrist is doing.
Not much.
It's relaxed and straight,
and it just guides that blade down the length of the ruler.
When your blade becomes dull,
our wrist bends, and our hands tighten
to exert more downward pressure.
And if your hands are not strong enough,
that clench will travel up into your elbow,
and even your shoulder.
I try to exhale just before I cut,
just as a reminder to hang loose
and to be mindful of my blade.
The dreaded bump can appear
when you are cutting folded fabric
like width of fabric strips.
Actually, this is not a rotary cutting issue,
but a geometry one.
To cut a straight line through the fold,
the cut needs to be perfectly perpendicular to that fold.
So align that fold with a cross line
on your cutting mat or your ruler,
then cut a nicely straight line.
Just note that the fold that comes on the fabric,
and the fold that you want are not necessarily the same.
The steam setting on most irons is also not strong enough
to remove it.
So take a spritz bottle,
and a hot iron,
and that will do the trick.
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There are some quilters that quilt with such precision
that every block is perfect.
For the rest of us,
trimming is an important step.
You can use templates to cut out your piecing
so that the dogears are already trimmed for you,
or use the accu-cut,
or a similar system.
But personally, I just think that shifts the tediousness
to another part of the process.
For me, to make trimming easier,
I often use masking tape.
This aligns your blocks quickly and easily.
I showed how to do the HST trimming hack
in my videos Five Sewing Hacks With Masking Tape.
My flying geese video also had a masking tape hack,
and there's other hacks in other videos.
I also try to batch them
so that I don't have to do them all at once.
I plug in my earphones,
practise good form, and go.
Practise your cutting skills on your scraps.
It's through the repetition of these foundational skills
that true mastery is born.
If you want to learn about straight sewing
and a really good arting technique,
I'll leave a link to that playlist here.
And if you need some scrap block patterns to practise with,
there's also my scrappy blocks playlist.
Don't forget to subscribe.
Take care, and I'll see you next time.
(metal clinks)