ok, i have a couple questions and prefer to ask in 1 thread than making 2 lol...
and have found its better to ask and this is the best place for the best answers :D

lol.. am already picturing the eye rolling and hearing the snickers lol they are probably very simple answers lol


1. how often are rotary cutter blades supposed to be changed, and do i shop for same brand as the cutter? Im guessing im overdue, but i just started with 1 and not sure when after this, and should i buy them in multiples? and are the different sizes of rotary cutters for different things?

2. same question for needles but also for handwork... are there certain sizes that work best for different things.. like applique, handquilting, etc.

thank you for being so patient with beginners here :D it really makes this board a very special 1 and means alot to many of us... i probably wouldnt have continued if i hadnt found all the people here :D

and its ok to be humorous, i will NOT be offended :D

I change rotary blades when it starts being difficult to cut. Because I'm a bad driver and run into the edges of rulers on occaision, some blades last longer than others.

I have a Fiskars handle and can put several kinds of blades in it. I buy whatever is cheap.

Smaller blades cut curves more easily than larger blades.

I avoid hand sewing, so I can't tell you much about needles. I'm sure some of ladies who do it will help you out.

The brands of blades are interchangeable except for the Martelli. Get the multi packs, on sale. If you are sawing on your fabric like a carpenter on a board, you are overdue for a blade change. The different sizes are for different things, but for most you will find that the 60 mm works just about everywhere. That is the size I use the most.

I buy the hand needles in multi packs. I know there are better needles available, but I mostly do machine work, and these types of needles are what I started using when I was doing fine embroidery at 12. That way you will have a needle on hand for almost any job that comes up.

These are NOT dumb questions! Just good ones. IF you come up with a dumb one, let me know!

I went and checked, I have the 45 mm, not the 60 mm rotary cutter, sorry.

I don't do hand sewing either, so can't help you with hand sewing needles.

As for your rotary cutter and blades, I use my 40% off coupon at Jo Ann's or wait for them to go on sale. The most common size is 45 mm, but there is the smaller 28 mm and the larger 60 mm. Look on Jo Ann's online website and some other online places like ConnectingThreads.com or NancysNotions.com. You can probably Google it too.

Good luck!

Hi,
I was at a sew day last week and noticed that when I was cutting was leaving behind a few stitches, so my friend said lets change your blade and guess what, that is what it was trying to tell me

Change your blade

Also she told me to go to Walmart and much cheaper than Joan's. So I went to Walmart and bought Fiskars straight rotary blade 45 mm (5 blades) in package for $15.95 and much cheaper that way instead of using the coupon at Joan for one blade.

Enjoy!

Craftybear

You get no eye rolling/snickering from me!:)

For me, I change the blades when my shoulders hurt from pressing so hard to get the cut--by that time it's probably waaaay past the time that it should have been replaced but they are kind of pricey so I use them as long as I can. I would definitely buy multiples when you can find them at a good price.

I don't use a particular brand of applique needles but I find that the thinner the better for me. I have, however, found that it matters what brand of quilting needles I buy. I mentioned on another thread that I used to use the Dritz needles that I got from Joann's but they would bend on me really fast. At the suggestion from a nice lady at my LQS I bought 2 packs of John James needles--one pack of large eyed needles and one pack of the GoldnGlide and they slide through the layers like butter! They are a little pricey -- 10 for $3.10 at the LQS but I feel that it is worth it for the ease on my hands and fingers. Another poster on this site recommends Roxanne needles--they are a lot more economical -- 50 for $8.00. I bought some but haven't had a chance to use them yet--they seem more flexible than the John James needles but I will reserve my judgement until I get to use them.

Any who, this is just my opinion, you'll find lots of us out there that have strong opinions about what they use. I think it's just trial and error until you find what you are comfortable with!

Hey, you have to remember, we've all been there!!

1) I use a 45mm. When I start getting drag I'll use this little sharpener gadget that I got. Its a blue circle and it'll sharpen my blades for me to get some more use out of. Actually, someone posted a really nice blade sharpener at Nancy Notions that I'm really interested in. You just run your blade through it and it sharpens it. http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...e+sharpener.do

2) for handquilting I use a between size 10. This seems for me a good size.

You need to realize that in some circumstance what may be good for me, won't be good for you. Sometimes its just trial and error to find out what works for you.

I started with the 45mm blades, then eventually decided I really prefer the 60 for most jobs (I do have the smaller ones for curves though, but I mostly grab the 60).

I can't help with needles, I bought some straw needles (longer than average) for hand applique, and now that's what I use for everything, evening binding. the only disadvantage to these is the eye is pretty small.

No such thing as a dumb question...

A lot of us "experienced" quilters are slow to change our rotary blades. Then, when we finally do, it's such a relief to have the fabric cut easily again.

When your table knife has more of an edge than your blade, it's probably way overdue. :? Seriously, when it becomes an effort to cut the fabric, it's probably time to change the blade.

Sometimes one can get good deals on blades on e-bay. Be sure to compare prices elsewhere so you know what your top bid should be.

There are so many kinds of hand sewing needles available. A lot depends on what you want to use them for. Another of those "it depends" questions.

Yes, there is a difference from brand to brand. Some are much easier to thread than others. Some glide through the fabric more easily than others.

Ask away. As you've probably already noticed, you will get a variety of answers.
If you get two out of three that agree, you will probably be okay with that advice.

Exception: Wash your fabrics before cutting them. (My strongly felt opinion)

For Hand Quilting I use #10 John James needles. For hand sewing like binding or applique I love straw needles size 10. they are longer and very thin. My blade gets changed when it starts skipping threads in the fabric. I also replace my board about every year as it will dull your blade if it starts to have grooves etc. in it. I do turn it over and use the back of it too.

I didn't know about the board dulling the blades--thanks for the tip!

Good tip about using the back of the board, you paid for that side, too!

I learned on the QB that I should rotate my blade before changing to a new one. It extends the life of the blade a bit. I also have a blade sharpener which is not the best tool in the world, but it allows me additional time on the blade.

YOU'LL KNOW when it is time to change the blade and I would recommend changing it BEFORE the skipped bits drive you nuts.

As for needles, I know there are guidelines, but I usually use what works for me and sometimes I use what I have at hand.

BTW: no silly questions at all.

When I start to have trouble cutting I change my blade. I wait til they are on sale and buy multi packs then. I use the same type as my cutter. I try not to hand sew much so I can't help with the needle question, but I'm sure someone here can.

I change my blade when it no longer cuts my fingers lol which I do quite often

I use a blade sharpener, after every long cutting session, say cutting out a whole quilt. It seems to keep my blades sharper longer. Then when it starts to get harder to cut I know that it is definitely time to change the blade. When I first started quilting, I rarely changed or sharpened my blades, and I actually ruined my handles by wearing grooves in the metal bar that holds the blade in place, so eventually the blade wouldn't even rotate. Isn't that terrible. It sure is a lot easier to keep a sharp blade. My shoulders sure do thank me.

Before you race off to Joann's for cutter blades on sale, my cousin checked out E-bay and got me a 5-pack of Olfa 45mm for about $9.00 - yes, a 5 pk! Brand new in the package!

Anybody tried that one? (Nancy's Notions)? Or has anyone had success with any of the others? I tried the little blue circle thingy but had no success. I tried the USA sharpener by Orbital Rotary Blade Sharpener and it was moderately successful but with E-Bay prices I'd rather use a new blade when starting a beautiful new quilt.

ROFL....
by the looks of it, i should have not only asked but changed my blade a couple weeks ago lol

im so slow sometimes lol
and thanx for another excuse to go hunt ebay lol :D
so far my use of needles for handsewing is... i got a big pack of assorted sizes, and use whichever are small enough not to gouge ugly holes but with eyes big enough to see lol... just wasnt sure if i was supposed to be using a specific size lol

One thing I've noticed is that I need to pay attention to my cutting mat. When I'm cutting alot of strips or pieces the same size, I tend to cut over and over and over on the same 'line'. It eventually gets a rut and the fabric doesn't cut well no matter how sharp the blade is.

By the way, what exactly does 'self-healing' mean with regard to these mats? I've tried several different ones and I don't see any self-healing going on!!

I only use Roxanne needles for hand quilting. They never break or bend.
I only changed my machine needle when it broke, untill one a teacher in a class I was taking said we should change needles every 10 to 12 hours of sewing. Wow! I had probably used one for 10 to 12 quilts. I do change more often now, but not as she said.

I get my blades on Ebay in bulk.