Chain Piecing Tool
 

I've heard there is a tool for separating chain pieced sections. I believe it sits on a tabletop. Does anyone use this tool? And do you like it? Name of it? Thanks

It's called "The Cutting Gizmo" by the Quilting Gypsy.
It's an awesome tool. And the blade is replaceable - I think with a standard razor blade. I've had mine for a couple years now and haven't had to change the blade.

I guess I am cheep--I glued an empty thread spool to a 4X4 inch ceramic tile and put a seam ripper in the spool hole---works great LOL LOL

I have seen them-a couple of ladies in my sewing group have them but don't seem to use them much. Great idea RJ-very inventive and creative idea.

I use mine a lot. It stands firm and doesn't tip over.

One of the guys in my Guy Quilters group has one and swears it's the best thing since the rotary cutter. I don't see that it's a time saver or makes anything easier, so I just use a thread clipper. To each his or her own.

no, I lay mine out still together on the ironing board, press them and then use my spring loaded snips to cut the threads. I find I can get a nicer press with them still attached to each other. Makes laying them on the cutting board much easier too.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps6cfcb18f.jpg

Using one eliminates the repetitive motion using scissors or snips which is very bad for your hands. You aren't using your hand to cut, only holding the fabric.
I have seen the ones made with a seam ripper sticking up and they are dangerous. A guild member went the cheap way and got impaled for it. LOL If you have an unused thread cutter pendant, that is safer to stick in a piece of wood or spool.
I have seen two sizes, short and tall. I like the tall one the best. They aren't that expensive.

I have one and for me it was worth the $10 or so I paid for it.

I have the Gizmo and and do like Macybaby, lay the pieces out on the ironing board, press, and then instead of snips or scissors, just lift the chain and cut apart with the Gizmo. It works best for me because I have limited vision in one eye and my depth perception is off. Kept sticking the snips into the ironing board, or missing the thread all together, so I got the Gizmo, now as I cut those threads I can neatly stack the pieces and move on. Even without the vision issue, the gizmo is much faster than snips or scissors.....IMHO

I had one, it did work great, but it moved around too easily, I gave it to a friend and I just use my little snips, they're easier since I know where they are at all times. LOL

I love my Gizmo, actually have two, one in the sewing studio and one in the spare bedroom by the sewing machine (my sewing annex). I do a lot of chain piecing, so I find it a time saver from having to pick up the scissors, also my right wrist doesn't bend, making certain actions difficult. The gizmo take care of that.

i use my trimmers from in the days working in the garment factories [ATTACH=CONFIG]601890[/ATTACH] i lay them out like macybaby but on my lap my ring finger is through the hole of the trimmer it stays on the palm and i trim away.still trimming good after 30 + yrs

My machine came w/a thread cutter in front of the machine so I just use it.

I simply had to have one, but quite frankly I seldom use it.

Sunflower Quilts has a great one and at a very reasonable price!
If you are going to the Houston Quilt Festival, they usually have a booth.

I place a small seam ripper in the hole of a spool of thread with the cutting part facing up and gently cut each piece apart with the seam ripper standing there. Works great and no additional "gadget" to buy.

Like RJ (post above) I glued a spool to a block of wood and use a seam ripper. How are they dangerous? I remove the ripper when not in use.

I agree humbird

I have 2 of the Cutting Gizmos. One stays in my travel sewing bag and the other is right next to my machine. They save so much time. I even use mine just to remove long threads from pieces I have sewn together.

Love mine. Use it all the time. Hated snipping all of those little threads. Mine wasn’t very expensive as quilting supplies go.

Thanks for all your replies. We do all have our own methods--but I am going to give this gadget a try. Like all of you, I've got a few things that I purchased and never did fine helpful. But for under $15--I'm going to go for it!

I still use mine from a garment industry job too. I worked at “Jantzen Knitting Mills”. They are no longer in business, but my little spring loaded black snips live on. Mine looks like a short fat pen with a cap that comes off for use. I have been using them to cut thread for 42 years. Geez, I AM old. Lol.

I have the letter opener, newspaper clipper which was a common giveaway by everyone from insurance companies to the United States Postal Service. The razor sharp cutter is perfect for cutting apart chain-pieced units. My favorite letter opener came with a space large enough to insert the man's business card. I removed the card and inserted a lovely picture of my daughter when she became a Brownie. With her picture enclosed, I have something precious to look at each time I use the cutter! <3 <3 This is also flat, portable, and free of charge, ;-)

Nancy's notions has it for $9.99...plus shipping.
If you are an annual member of craftsy, with free shipping, their cost is $11.60 today.

Snips are for a snip not repetitive snips. I can feel my hands hurt just thinking about it.

I just use my small scissors and cut in between the blocks. Fast and easy. I have arthritis in almost every joint in my body. By using my body I keep my joints moving and they keep working. Different strokes for different folks.

brilliant hack, I have a couple of these, thanks

I purchased one from "Stitchin Heaven" while on my first quilt cruise which was wonderful BTW) and made sure to purchase another one on my 2nd cruise because I loved the 1st one so much and worried about what I would do if I lost the first one. It's a wooden block (like kids played with in the past) and it has the cutter screwed into it. It sits on the table and you just separate, separate, separate. Love this cute little gadget. Go to their website and I'm sure you will be able to find them.

here is a pic: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1528132396

Amazon has a couple different ones and if you have Prime it's free ship. They are under 10 bucks. I may get one.

I won one recently at a guild meeting. Haven't used it yet, but will soon. Just need to get some sewing time in!

My son made me one by taking a small branch and drilling a hole in it to hold my seamripper. He then glued the piece of branch to a 4" square wooden base for stability. When I am not using it to cut threads, I cap the seamripper or turn it upside down to keep from having a sharp point sticking out.

I just got one and I love it. My 12 year old GD loves to use it and wants me to just do a bunch of chain piecing just so she can use and cut them apart.

Onebyone, I love my snips, and use them for also cutting small pieces of fabrics/paper, etc., and although have carpal tunnel, have never had a problem. If I knew how to post pics of them I would.

After reading everyone's response, I'm thinking of getting a cutting gizmo :)

RJ that is very creative. I couldn't come up with that in a million years.

Me, too. Works fine.

I like this idea. Nothing is more frustrating than wrangling those small, sewn pieces, trying to get that seam open and flat. Keeping them strung together has to make the job a little easier. Thanks!

~C