silk slips and slides. Help!
 

I am using my DH's ties to make a lap quilt. The silk likes to slip and slide on my mat while I am using the rotary cutter. Any suggestions? I have managed to complete a dresden and want to start cutting 4" squares from the silk ties. Thanks for any ideas.

Were the ties washed? If so, I would try heavily starching them before cutting.

What about ironing on a really thin interfacing before you start cutting?

You can also use tissue paper, not Kleenex!

a light weight fusable stablizer comes in very handy when working with silks- keeps then *stable* and really helps with cutting. i generally use a lightweight tricot from joannes.

Good luck. I bought a teflon cookie sheet, and can't tell you how many times it has slid off the counter or out of the oven. I would put dabs of glue (hot glue) on the ruler. That will at least keep it from sliding, and you can remove it when you are done. Maybe some small pieces of sand paper on the mat just beyond where you are cutting would keep the fabric from running away from you.
Sue

How does silk react with starch or sizing?