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I think it depends on the maturity of the child. I've taught both of my grand daughters to quilt begining at age 5. The eldest who is now 11 yrs old started using the rotary cutter around the age of 7. Either her mother or I stood watching as she used it and we explained the dangers. She's never had an accident or any problems but she's always been a very responsible child.
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If he is responsible I would let him cut with you there if you don't teach them they will never learn.
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My 11 year old is learning to use my rotary cutter now. She's been allowed to use my computerized sewing machine and iron unsupervised (with permission) for a year now, and my older machine (it's mechanical, not computerized) for about 2. She started sewing by machine when she was 8, but was only allowed to sew while I was in the room then.
Next she gets to quilt her current project on my frame- with assistance, of course. She is entering it in a quilt show next spring, and the requirement is that she does all the sewing herself. I did help her with the cutting up until this last stage, though, which was within the rules of the youth category. *Edit- I do have 2 rotary cutters: one has a guard of sorts, so your hand cant slide onto the blade, the other is less, shall we say, idiot proof. She's not allowed to use the 2nd one, and she knows it. |
Originally Posted by gaevren
You know, I think that we wrap our children in too much cotton-wool sometimes. Obviously much would depend on the individual child in question (their age, maturity, and abilities), but I don't see any reason to blanket ban them from using any tools until they're a certain age. Except power tools, perhaps!
My eldest daughter is 13 years old (will be 14 in February) and I trust her completely around a stove and sharp kitchen knives. She can, and often does, make full dinners for the entire family, unsupervised. It's an incredible help because her father and I both have to work full-time, but I had started teaching her how to cook and how to respect the dangers long before I had to go back to work. My next daughter is nine years old and has been using "dangerous" tools for some time. Two years ago she used a soldering gun to build her science fair project (supervised). I wouldn't allow her to use a sewing machine or a rotary cutter unsupervised, but if I was in the sewing room and she wanted to work on her projects, I would let her have at it. My youngest will be 6 in December and she isn't allowed to use anything except pins and snub-nosed scissors (supervised of course!) As she gets older I'll "graduate" her to more things she can use. It wasn't that long ago that children and teens/young adults were expected to know how to use and do things that nowadays we think they can't or shouldn't be allowed to do. |
Just my personal opinion, but I wouldnt let a child near it.
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Originally Posted by MoanaWahine
My 9 year old son has shown interest in learning how to sew. I have an old machine for him to learn on and he knows this. He has picked out some precut fabric that he wants to work with. The question that I have is how young would you allow them to use the rotary cutter and rulers? In case he needs to cut some strips for the quilt top. It just makes me nervous to have either of my kids around that or would a plain scissors work the best?
Lock up the rotary cutters, He might not ask first, if they are handy. |
Originally Posted by debp33
no rotary cutter in my opinion
Here Here. :-( |
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