I tend to "rip" out seams the Eleanor Burns way, with my smallest rotary cutter. I hold the item in my left hand and right to spread the seam open and take my rotary cutter (also in right hand) held upside down and touch the treads as i go along. works fine for me for most ripping out work.

I use my rotary cutter or a very sharp seam ripper. I also have a magnifying floor lamp with light that is essential for me.

Depending on what I am ripping out - if it is a seam then I have the electric ripper (got it at the Road to California show and LOVE it) if I am taking out quilting then I used my standard ripper and do the every so many stitches and pull the other side. The electric one is like magic, what used to take several minutes is now done in seconds and one side stays long. For those pesky little pieces I use the sticky lint roller.

I have the one that has a magniifier and a light I love it but sometimes I use a seam ripper or a box opner

I have the battery powered one, and it works best on straight seams. I tried it when I had to rip out some quilting but it didn't work nearly as well. I had to rip out binding and it zipped right along in nothing flat.

I got a LED lighted magnifier at the Des Moines, IA quilt show. That and my white handle Clover ripper makes this chore easier. I even use the lighted magnifier when hand stitching binding. It's called the Craftlite Dublin Magnifier Light.

I do mine every 5 stitches and then pull the thread from the otherside. This method has made me become a very happy ripper!

I beleive every quilter has a turn and ripping and i can speak from experience..in the beginning I was ripping alot. I think it comes with practice and that she is doing a great job already for asking for help......which is "looking for problems" Not sure why but that statement of yours sounded harsh.

Re the question about cutting fabric with the ripper --YES! I was given a new ripper for Christmas (the type with the rubber end to rub away loose threads) and started to rip out some wonky binding. I was amazed at how easy it was because the new ripper was so sharp, and the next minute I had sliced into the fabric as well. Obviously my old rippers had gradually blunted and I hadn't realised it - so be careful with a new tool.

I love my seam-fix which has a seam ripper but when the ripper is closed is a large white tip which is great for removing all those tiny threads left after following the steps above. No idea where it came from do a google search if interested.