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How do you cut good circles...

How do you cut good circles...

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Old 01-10-2015, 04:14 PM
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Default How do you cut good circles...

I made a pillow cover for a round pillow and I had never made one before. I got it completed but I struggled a bit. How would you cut an accurate circle... but a bigger one. I know that Olfa makes one that looks slick, but I needed a 13" circle. What I have seen the Olfa doesn't go that large. I don't have a bowl or plate that size either
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Old 01-10-2015, 04:32 PM
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Fold a large piece of paper in quarters, use a plate or a compass to round the corner and cut out.

I have one of those cheap rolling rulers that can act as a large circle tracer. I put my fabric or paper on a surface that is firm but I can put a pin into. I put the pin in the hole at one end and put pressure on it. I choose another hole down the side of the ruler for my pencil point and trace around.

Do you have a pizza pan large enough to trace? You can also make a cheap compass by putting a pencil on a string and holding the other end of the string at the center point and tracing the circle edge with the pencil.
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Old 01-10-2015, 04:34 PM
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Tartan always comes up with good answers!!
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Old 01-10-2015, 04:39 PM
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Hi...my method is pin, string or dental floss, and pencil or chalk marker.
I lay my fabric on my cardboard mat stick & straight pins around it to keep it from moving - stick a large straight pin the middle..tie the string (dental floss works well) around the pin....measure the length (radius of the circle) plus enough to tie and tie a pencil to the other end...hold the center pin firmly - pull gently on the string to keep it taut - go around in a circle. I've made up to 30" diameter this way.
Not very techie - but it works.....we're very "old school" (and just plain old) around this house !!!


Ha...Tartan was answering while i was typing!!!!! No offense with the "old" comments Tartan...that was only for myself !!
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Old 01-10-2015, 04:42 PM
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I would fold either paper or just my fabric in quarters. and make a mark at 6 1/2 then tie a string around a pencil and pin it at the folded corner and tie the pencil so that it is at the 6 1/2 inch mark and draw around to the other edge and viola Cut and you have a 13 inch circle. Now is that clear as mud or what We must have been typing at the same time
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Old 01-10-2015, 05:25 PM
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I use a pencil and a piece of string and a pin. It gets a close enough to perfect circle for me.
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Old 01-10-2015, 05:39 PM
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I use the pin/string/pencil plan or search the kitchen for something the right size - pizza stone, pan lid, plate etc.
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Old 01-10-2015, 07:13 PM
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Thanks for the tips.. I did folding of the paper into fourths, but I must have done something wrong because it didn't work But now I have some good ideas for next time
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Old 01-10-2015, 08:53 PM
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Here is a picture of my rolling ruler I picked up in the back to school stuff a while ago. I can draw up to a 24 inch circle with it. It has holes every 1/2 inch along the 12 inch length. It is rather handy.[ATTACH=CONFIG]505585[/ATTACH]
Attached Thumbnails image.jpg  
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Old 01-10-2015, 09:02 PM
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When I need ROUND, I go into the kitchen and look at my dinner plates. Jim and I have some fairly large ones.
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