To use a rotary cutter when you don t have a cutting mat you can use thick cardboard or even the bottom of an old shelf in a pinch but this can dull your blades with time.
How to make a rotary cutting mat.
There are two different types of rotary cutting mats.
Self healing mats are the most popular because rotary cutters don t leave cutting marks behind.
That s where a rotary cutter and a cutting mat come in handy.
I also prefer a mat that is self healing because it reseals rotary blade cuts.
That s where a rotary cutter and a cutting mat come in handy.
For olfa a self healing mat also helps to extend the life of the cutting mat and rotary cutter blade.
Rotary cutters come in varying sizes.
Line up the fold with one of the horizontal lines on the cutting mat or if your mat is unlined use a square rotary ruler.
You can use the edge of a table to help you mark a straight edge.
Self healing and hard surface.
Ever since my son was born i ve been lucky enough to always have a dedicated sewing area but i ve never had a fully dedicated sewing room.
When it comes to fabric sometimes scissors just won t cut it.
Make a diy cutting mat for sewing that can be moved from table to table.
A cutting mat should be made of self healing plastic which prolongs the life and improves the quality of the mat itself.
General care tips for rotary cutting mats.
Most rotary cutting mats have grids and lines all over the place that let you have references for some of the most common cuts that are performed in crafting and quilting.
Rotary cutting mats protect your work surface from damage while also providing convenient measurements cutting lines and angles.
Mats provide a sturdy surface for cutting fabrics and craft materials while protecting the table they rest on.
These graduated marks can be in metric units or standard and they make using a rotary cutting mat a lot easier than if you were measuring out every cut with a measuring tape.
It is portable and can be stored under a bed or under a couch.
Rotary cutters provide unbeatable cutting versatility and are best used in tandem with a cutting mat and a ruler.
The square ruler s left edge should be near but inside the left edge of the fabric roughly where you will make your square cut.
However when the mat warps from improper storage or from being overheated it loses most of that usefulness.
The mat i like the best is one that has the easiest to read grid lines lines spaced one inch apart and also marked with 1 8 1 4 1 2 and 1 increments.
Place the fabric on the cutting mat fold near the bottom edge side to be squared on the left.
A cutting mat is a must for an avid craft lover or sewer.
High quality self healing cutting mats last longer than other.