a nail file

There are little stick on feet you can put on the back side of your rulers and there is a sheet of some not very sticky stuff that you can put ont he backs of your rulers - both hold fabric down to make cutting easier. I sometimes use the suction cups with handles, too.

Try Nancy's Notions on the internet for products like these and, no, I don't know Nancy but I order from her site and find the service great.

Jois

Steam a Seam 2 is lighter and not as stiff - I use that one. Also, if you are appliqueing large pieces, you can cut out the center of the steam-a-seam shape and only iron on the outside edge. It leaves the center portion light and you can secure it with regular quilting methods. The outside will be secured by blanket or zigzag stitches.

I have never heard the term emery board before! I'm not American, that should explain it. But I don't understand what you do with it, where do you put the file when you cut?

i think she means you use little emery board dots,on the back of the ruler? i think thats what she means..you can get them in our hardware stores. they are tiny..and they have sticky tape to it stay on the ruler..
or
i could be way off here!

That's what I think too. Sticky sandpaper dots.

Aside from using sandpaper dots on your ruler, are you using good technique for holding the ruler in place? This means spreading your hand so that part of your hand is on the cutting mat as well as on the ruler.

The Accuquilt Go! is a die cutter that makes wonderfully accurate cuts quickly, but it is expensive. There are other cutting systems that help with accuracy. Here's a link to one that some people like:
http://www.quiltcut.com

When I have lots of strips to cut, I like my June Taylor Shape Cut. It is a flexible plastic that has slots in it for a rotary cutter. It can make cutting strips a lot more accurate.

The suction cup tools that have handles can help take the strain off of your wrists, as it puts your wrist in a more natural position. I also bought a roll of InvisiGrip made by Omnigrid. It is self clinging plastic, you cut it to fit your rulers. I like it because I can still slide my ruler to line it up, but once I apply a little pressure my ruler stays in place very nicely.

Thank you all for your replies! I think the first thing I'll do is get a new cutter. Whenever I see someone cut in videos, the blade just slides through the fabric. I bought mine at Joann's (not Fiskars, not Olfa, it's blue), and from the beginning have not liked it. No matter how hard I press down, it never cuts a line in one going. After a short time it looked like it left little pieces of fabric uncut, as if there were a nick in the blade. I bought a new blade for it, same problem. Maybe it's just a poor quality cutter. And that's why I have such a hard time holding the ruler down, because I have to press so hard on the cutter.

Thanks again!

newbie 1001, how many layers of fabric are you trying to cut through? Sometimes if the either the blade isn't sharp or there are too many layers you'll get the underneath that hasn't cut all the way through. I try to always do one pass forward and one backwards, found it does help.

ohh backwards? i wouldn't recommend that, especially with a newbie..the chances of going off the original cut line..is is great!
if your blade is sharp and your holding your hand correctly,straight up and down,your other hand is frimly on the ruler,it should cut with one pass. never cut more than four layers, 2 if your not comfortable with what your doing. IMHO