Yep! Me too! I cut the side of my finger off while cutting fabric for a customer at my shop! New blade (of course) & that rotary cutter just jumped right over the ruler edge! Customer was a great friend - even took me to ER. Tried to keep a hard hold to ebb the bleeding, but let go once to ease cramps in my other hand-- & of course, blood all over her car! While I was at ER my shop partner found the chunk of finger wedged underneath the blade of the cutter. (Glad she found it & not me-yuck!)
That was 2 1/2 yrs ago & I never got the feeling back in my finger tip. Too much nerve damage Dr said.
Go figure!! the next week my shipment of ruler safety guards came in!! Put them on EVERY ruler in the shop & at home! Strongly urge their use - you just never know when that darn thing will 'jump the track'

Everyone, PLEASE be careful:)

I did not know that safety guards exist! What do they look like? I think I need several!

Ouch! I have not cut myself with a rotary cutter but I can feel your pain as I read the posts. I try very hard to remember to close my blade every time I put it down and to keep my fingers away from the edge of the ruler. I do know someone though who was coming to guild meeting and had her cutter in her purse. She reached in to grab something and sliced her 4 fingers inside around the second knuckle bringing up a bloody hand. Oh! I can still feel her pain!
Be careful!

Safety guards? Never heard of those. More info please.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Oh yes....back when I was still working, I was in a hurry trying to get some quilt pieces cut out before going to work....I let my finger slip to the edge of the ruler and neatly cut off the whole edge of the finger.....what a shock to the system that was...then an embarrassment when my patients asked what happened to my finger!! :D

Barbara, What a great memory of your Christmas table topper. (It's great now, in retrospect, of course!) When making a quilted Christmas stocking for a good friend, I ran the sewing machine needle through my finger and fingernail. Eeeeeeeee! My first thought was to keep blood off the fabric. Second thought was "did the needle break?" It didn't, but a quilter friend said I HAD to change needles. I smile to think of that incident every year when I hang up my own quilted Christmas stockings.

You all have me cringing... I am glad that it hasn't prevented you from going back and finishing up your quilts :D:D:D

I was cutting along my 24inch ruler with a very new blade in the rotary cutter. i didn't notice until later but I had sliced through all except my little fingers false nails. Good job it was them and not trhe tops of all my fingers.

I use the Gypsy Gripper. I have the small and large size. I also like Fons and Porter's Klutz glove. I keep it in my take to class/workshop tote. I had a great ruler guard I ordered online a few years ago. I loaned it to a guild member and she said she lost it and it cost too much for her to replace it. I need to learn not to loan out my good stuff. I can't remember the name of it. I remember is was made in Australia. I would like to buy another one if I could find where I bought it.