I am fairly new to patchwork and quilting but very keen to learn. I have my cutting board and rotary cutter but am having difficulties getting to grips with it as a left hander - as usual, everything is produced for right handed people. Any hints please to help me use my new equipment? Many thanks.

Most rotary cutters can have the blade installed on either side.

Olfa and Martelli make rotary cutters specifically for left handed people.

One of my best quilting buddies is left handed. She has left handed scissors & rotary cutter - definitely awkward when I grab them by mistake!

I can cut either way with mine. It can be hard being left handed. I am too.

Maybe but aren't lefties more artistic than us righties??? :D:D:D

Im left handed too...and my rotary cutter can be used both ways. I cant remeber the brand name of it but the handle is blue, with black rubber grips, and it has a saftey guard on the cutting wheel. Great cutter.

I am a natural lefty who was forced to eat and write right-handed. I still do a lot left-handed. That said, I think it is just awkward to use the cutters at first regardless of which hand you use. I was showing someone the other day, asked which hand she used and set it up backwards anyway. We just turned the cutting mat around and it was set up for her. I do use the olfa cutter which is straight and works well in either hand. Obviously, the ergonomic handled ones are specific to which hand you use. I have right-handed scissors because the left is awkward for me but I naturally grab the rotary cutter with the left. Go figure.

I am Leftie also, I have an adavantage I think.
My Mom is a rightie, and Dad was a leftie too. I learned to use right handed things. Only thing I can't do is write with my right hand.
I do things backwards sounds odd but it works for me. I learned to adapt to a right handed world.

To this day I can't use things made specifically for lefties.

In my family...7 out of 9 of us kids are lefties. 4 of my children are too. So are 5 of 13 grandkids.

I'm also a lefty, the Martelli cutter is the best, you do not have to use their blades you can replace with whatever is on sale. Take your time, it will get easier.

I, too, am a lefty and have had to learn to adapt. I hold the rotary cutter in my left hand and the ruler with my right. When I want to make my first clean cut, my fabric lays on my cutting board with the bulk of the fabric towards the right and I square up my fabric. Then to begin cutting strips I have to turn the fabric the opposite direction (the bulk facing left) and use my ruler as a cutting guide not the mat. That may not be the correct way but it's easiest for me. I also need to be sure that at least 3 fingers and my palm are holding my ruler straight. It will take time to find the best way for you but you'll get the hang of it. Don't get frustrated. It's practice that will help you as you continue. The other issue I have is when I have layed out my blocks to get ready to cut. If I don't label them I have a tendency to sew the blocks on the opposite side. Hang in there.

i am leftie but am ambidextrous with a rotary cutter
practice with scraps doesnt take long

i'm right handed but have trained myself to cut with my left hand, too. i use the plain Olfa cutters with no problems at all.

the blue cutter described above is a Dritz. that also works just as well for me in either hand.

my Fiskars cutters don't seem to work as well (for me) in my left hand.

I too am a lefty........... adapt, adapt that's the key word. With time you will learn how to do these things in a right handed world. Look at it this way.

Left handed people are the only people in their right mind.

I also knit and crochet left handed and dirve everyone nuts around me...... lol.

I'm a lefty. I just don't think about it. Doesn't seem to matter with quilting.

Also a leftie- I can do certain things with both L & R hands, but sometimes I find things impossible to do...?! lol!

I say figure out which things you can do only with each hand, and buy tools accordingly. For instance: My cheap fiskars cutter will work in either hand.

Good luck!

I'm a lefty and use an Olfa rotary cutter. It is universal and can be used either way. All rotary cutters I've seen were universal.
I find it hard to believe that companies would make rotary cutters that would be for right handed people only.
Seems this would restrict sales. Companies are even making scissors universal so not to restrict use so they can sell to the
overall public.

Oh I sympathize with you though I am not left handed. They do make sissors and rotary cutters for left handed people which would be well worth the investment.

I write and eat left handed and cut and sew right handed, can cut with rotary cutter with either hand. I don't find it much of a problem. My mom always just gave me something to do and Icould do it however it worked best for me. The school tried to get me to do everything right handed until my father paid them a visit and told them to knock it off, he didn't care which hand I used as long as I got the job done! Both parents were right handed but my brother was a definite lefty, I am a mixture, and my sister was a definite righty. None of our five kids are lefties.

I am a lefty too! I learned to do things right handed. Used right handed scissors upside down etc. Then I got left handed scissors and had to learn all over again! I have left handed scissors and a rotary cutter that you just reverse the blade.
When I get a pattern that has illustrations on how to cut up a fat quarter, for example, I have to reverse it in my mind to be able to cut it out without going through some interesting contortions! I learned to crochet by using a book that had drawing of the hands doing the stitches and placing it in front of a mirror! Then followed the mirror image to do the stitches.
Don't give up you will find a way that works for you.

I'm a lefty and like most of us lefties, I've had trouble living in a righty world, too. Personally I think rotary cutters are a gift from the gods! Cause, unlike scissors, rotary cutters are ambidextrous, you just switch the blade to the other side! And take pride in knowing that many of the top national quilters are lefties. Yippee!!!

Enjoyed the post about learning to crochet. My mom was very patient but couldn't teach me to crochet left handed and after many days of trying, she told me if I wanted to learn to crochet I needed to get that hook in my right hand. I now crochet right handed. It was really awkward at first. I decided I wanted to learn to knit and took lessons. The teacher tried mirrors, sitting directly in front of me, and finally told me to take the book and try it however I could make it work. I do lots of knitting but hold the right needle between my legs, manuver the yarn in my right hand and hold the project in my left. Looks goofy but works for me. I use a rotary cutter that you just turn it upside down for leftie cutting. Don't even need to change the blade to the other side. Where there's a will, there's a way!

That's what "they" say, but it doesn't work that way for this lefty!!! :cry:

Joanie, this is exactly the way I do it too!! Didn't think there was another way for lefties that works!

As a lefty, I started buying all lefty cutters, scissors, etc., but have found if I have the ones that can be used either way, I can snip small areas with my rt. hand as well. As I mentioned on another topic, the revolving cutting mat is wonderful as directions are always for righties and you can just turn the mat if you've lined it up wrong to cut as a lefty. Don't give up; I'm sure you have adapted many other tasks in your lifetime and it will get easier with time. I made folding wallets for Christmas presents---the Vera Bradley king---my lefty friends were so happy to receive a wallet that worked for them. Everything is usually geared for the right-handed.

you can put your blade on the other side of your rotary cutter.
i am a lefty also and you just have to learn how to left-side everthing. good luck

[ I do lots of knitting but hold the right needle between my legs, manuver the yarn in my right hand and hold the project in my left. Looks goofy but works for me.

My grandmother taught me crocheting & knitting by sitting knee to knee. I can crochet easily but I couldn't get the hang of knitting because my right hand just is too clumsy to hold up the knitting needle correctly so I tried the way you do with the needle between my legs. Unfortunately my yard got tighter and tighter until I choked it and it just wouldn't work for me. I gave up and went on to other crafts instead.

Olfa makes a "Quick Change" rotary cutter, where only half of the blade needs to be exposed at one time, and is perfect for left handers. I am trying to learn to cut with both hands (I'm right handed), and this cutter I can just switch from one hand to the other without having to change the blade setting.

Almost all of the Rotary cutters are ambitextrous. It's a learning process to go from scissors to rotary.

Thank you very much. I am amazed at all the helpful and sympathetic replies I have received. I have now changed the blade to the other side of the cutter and am practising hard. I am still having to turn the board all the way around but I am getting pretty good results. Thanks again.

Thank you so much. I have been overwhelmed by the response to my (first) query. Your advice is helpful and very practical and I am trying it out. Thanks again.

Okay I know this doesn't have anything to do with quilting, but it does have something to do with. Ring a lefty. Have any of the it her lefties noticed some laundry detergents spouts pours better when you use your right hand. This really gets me!

Okay I know this doesn't have anything to do with quilting, but it does have something to do with. Ring a lefty. Have any of the it her lefties noticed some laundry detergents spouts pours better when you use your right hand. This really gets me!

Sorry didn't mean to send it twice.

Many thanks, I have now worked out how to change the blade on my rotary cutter and I am practising cutting, albeit upside down! thanks again

Careful. If you use any blades in a Martelli they need to have round holes. Not the notched holes like Olfa blades. The Olfa blades will cut through the screw that holds the blade in place. (Don't bother to ask, yes it happened to me. sigh) I really prefer the Martelli blades even for my other cutters.

As for the original poster, using any rotary cutter takes some getting used to. It always feels awkward for a while. Except for the Martelli cutter I think pretty much all the other types can be set for left or right handed cutting. Just be sure to cut with the blade against the ruler. Get some throwaway cheap fabric and practice until it becomes natural.

Have fun.
Pati, in Phx

Save $$$ and buy a Quilt Cut 2 .....it is the absolute BEST for us lefties..........no more sliding rulers and ruined fabrics........

I'm a lefty too! I just make sure my rotary cutter has a blade that can be attached to the correct side so I can use it. Often the cutting numbers on my mat go backwards...good for practicing those counting skills.

I'm a lefty too! I just make sure my rotary cutter has a blade that can be attached to the correct side so I can use it. Often the cutting numbers on my mat go backwards...good for practicing those counting skills.

I'm a lefty. Someone told me it's a bit weird for quilting - but I'm learning. I was at JoAnns and complaining about my Fiskar rotary cutter because it kept closing on me when I was trying to use it. Someone at the counter immediately asked me if I was left handed! YES. She told me to get a different cutter, which I did and switched the blade. It works fine.
What gives me a hard time is the Easy Angle ruler! I have to literally turn it upside down so I can measure and cut with my left hand. I always have to look at the picture before using this!