Originally Posted by
lm wood
I am a new quilter, and am having a terrible time learning to use the rotary cutter. From the comments I am reading, I think I may be cutting against the ruler, this is a no-no - correct? Also, I just bought a "set" from walmart, fiskars I think. Should I invest in a better one, and which is your preference? I appreciate any and all help/comments. thanks
Fiskar's are fine--the cutting mat will not last as long as the Olfa self-healing but I've got both and Fiskar's will do just fine. As far as using your rotary cutters--don't push it against the ruler, instead hold it so it rolls right next to the ruler, with your wrist forming a straight line from elbow through to the rotary cutter--in other words, don't angle your hand down. with your other hand on the ruler, leave your pinkie (or even pinkie and ring finger) off the ruler and on the fabric/mat--this anchors the ruler better than just pressing down on the ruler. If you are finding the blade to skip, check to be sure that you aren't always cutting in the same spot on the mat resulting in cuts, grooves, and snags. if you are moving the fabric around the mat ocassionally and still get skips, your blade probably needs changing.