Originally Posted by
Bitts&pcs
at this point I am working white knuckled with fear, which probably doesn't help.
Couple of things. Hopefully you are not pressing down with much force. You
should not need to press hard, and if you find you have to for the blade to work, it's time to change the blade. Secondly, if you're terrified of cutting yourself, buy a pair of cut-resistant gloves. They're like chainmail for your hands. I haven't seen them in quilt shops or fabric stores, but you can buy them online.