- [Karen] This video is
sponsored by Skillshare. Rotary cutters are a fast
and easy way to cut fabric. But then, this happens, and this happens, and this happens. Here are 10 common issues that sewists and quilters have
with their rotary cutters, and how to fix it. So stick with me, and I'll she you how to do it. (lively acapella doo-wop music) Hi there, I'm Karen Brown
of Just Get It Done Quilts. I give you tips, tricks and strategies to help you make the quilt that you want to make. And if you like what you see, please hit that subscribe button. The sewists and quilting
world was revolutionised when the rotary cutter was invented. And though it made
cutting faster and easier, it also produced a whole
new set of problems. I get so many comments and
emails about cutting issues. Here are solutions to
the 10 most common ones. (lively doo-wop music) Wings are when fabric flairs, either at the start or
the end of your cut. They can be caused by you don't have enough pressure on your ruler to keep the fabric flat, or your blade is not up against your ruler when you start, and your cut bends in, as you find where the edge is. And at the far end, it's because you disengage
your blade too early. Be sure to have your hand or weight close enough to the ends, and engage that downward pressure before your start cutting, just in case you have a little
give to your cutting surface. Before you start, have your rotary cutter just before your fabric, with your blade in
contact with your ruler. And keep your blade snug against the ruler until the very end. (lively doo-wop music) When your blade skips, then you do this, which pulls your fabric out of alignment. So change your rotary blade. It doesn't matter if you
changed your blade yesterday, last week, or the month before. Change your blade. I know blades cost money. So if you can't afford to
change them, sharpen them. And I demonstrated how to do this in my video The Quilt Coach Episode Four. Cutting is a much more pleasant experience when your tools are in good shape. If you can't change your rotary blade, don't pull away your fabric, until you are sure that
you have a clean cut, which you can do by
working with two rulers. By using the second ruler, you will keep your fabric aligned. (lively doo-wop music) Shredded fabric happens
when you go back and forth over a skipped spot. It could be that you need
to change your rotary blade, but it could also be caused by not using a large
enough blade to do the job. Rotary blades come in
10, 28, 45, and 60 mm. If you are layering your fabrics, the higher the stack, the bigger the blade you need. And don't forget that
seams add layers too. My general rule is my 28 mm can cut 1-3 layers. My 45 can cut 1-6 layers, and my 60 can cut 1 to 12. And no matter what size you use, the blade needs to be sharp. (lively doo-wop music) Rotary cutters work hand in hand with these thick edged rulers. The biggest complaint that
I hear is wandering cuts, when your ruler slips. There are three main
reasons that rulers slip. The pressure is coming from the side, and not from above. There's not enough friction between the ruler and the fabric, and your table or your mat
is moving while you cut. So when you are holding your ruler, make sure your work is close, and tent your fingers. If your ruler is farther away, use a weight to keep the ruler steady. I keep mine right beside my
cutting table for easy access. Add grippy dots, first aid tape, or non-slip coating to
the bottom of your rulers. Also helps it from slipping. And check that your
table and mat are steady. Move it against a wall, if necessary. (lively doo-wop music) You just squared up. You cut a strip. And you're about to cut another, but now the line is no longer straight. How did that happen? We use rulers to cut straight lines, but this only works if
the blade is engaged with the side of the
ruler for the full cut. Not like this, or this, but this. That is, your blade needs
to be perpendicular, and tight to the edge of the ruler. And this is best done when you're pushing the
blade away from you. When you are at an angle to the cut, not only is it harder to see the measurement lines accurately, but you are using your
wrist, elbow, and shoulder, often clenching, and that's harder to
keep that blade engaged. So always cut away from you. You don't need a rotary cutting board. Just turn yourself or your
cutting mat to accomplish this. This is a beginner mistake, but occasionally this still happens to me when I'm not paying attention. And it's simply that the
blade is on the wrong side of the rotary cutter. Rotary cutters are made for both right and left-handed people. With this type of rotary cutter, it's as simple as flipping it over. For this one, it is
assembled the opposite way. So be sure that the blade is
on the right side for you. So let me tell you about Skillshare. When I am cutting and playing with scraps, it is a great opportunity
to turn on my iPad and listen to a Skillshare class. Most Skillshare classes are
less than two hours long, and are divided up into
even smaller chapters. Sometimes it's a skill
I need to learn more of. Sometimes it's a totally random choice. Skillshare has thousands
of inspiring classes on design, illustration, video creation, and so much more. They include a combination
of video lessons and a class project to test
out new ideas and practise. And with the holidays coming up, I'm looking forward to
trying out a few more. You can find classes for
a variety of skill levels, from beginner to advanced. Skillshare is also incredibly affordable, especially when compared to
in-person classes and workshops. The first 1,000 of my
subscribers to click on the link in the description below will
receive a one-month free trial of premium membership. (lively doo-wop music) In sewing, very little
time or copy is given to using the correct form. But correct form is the foundation for longevity with your craft. And I showed this form in my video on how to cut straight. Stand with one leg in front of the other, standing slightly to the
side of the cut line. With your shoulders down, and your core pulled in, shift your weight to the front leg, and push through with your hip, keeping the elbow tucked in. Your cutting surface height
should be two to four inches lower than your elbow. And since we are all different sizes, that will most likely mean you need to adjust your cutting table. If it is too low, you'll be using too much lower back. Too high, and you'll start
to use your shoulders. So trim the legs of your table, or add risers as needs be. If you are sitting to cut, make sure your chair is
adjusted to the right height, and use the same motion. If you are using your rotary
cutter with a death grip, then you are using it the wrong way. All your wrist needs to
do is guide the blade down the fabric. We clench for many reasons, but the two main ones are a dull blade, when we clench to add that extra necessary strength to cut it. And the other is that you simply have never been
shown the right way to cut. So I went through the proper form in the previous point, but let's take a look at
what the wrist is doing. Not much. It's relaxed and straight, and it just guides that blade
down the length of the ruler. When your blade becomes dull, our wrist bends, and our hands tighten to exert more downward pressure. And if your hands are not strong enough, that clench will travel
up into your elbow, and even your shoulder. I try to exhale just before I cut, just as a reminder to hang loose and to be mindful of my blade. The dreaded bump can appear when you are cutting folded fabric like width of fabric strips. Actually, this is not
a rotary cutting issue, but a geometry one. To cut a straight line through the fold, the cut needs to be perfectly
perpendicular to that fold. So align that fold with a cross line on your cutting mat or your ruler, then cut a nicely straight line. Just note that the fold
that comes on the fabric, and the fold that you want
are not necessarily the same. The steam setting on most
irons is also not strong enough to remove it. So take a spritz bottle, and a hot iron, and that will do the trick. (lively doo-wop music) There are some quilters that
quilt with such precision that every block is perfect. For the rest of us, trimming is an important step. You can use templates
to cut out your piecing so that the dogears are
already trimmed for you, or use the accu-cut, or a similar system. But personally, I just think
that shifts the tediousness to another part of the process. For me, to make trimming easier, I often use masking tape. This aligns your blocks
quickly and easily. I showed how to do the HST trimming hack in my videos Five Sewing
Hacks With Masking Tape. My flying geese video also
had a masking tape hack, and there's other hacks in other videos. I also try to batch them so that I don't have
to do them all at once. I plug in my earphones, practise good form, and go. Practise your cutting
skills on your scraps. It's through the repetition
of these foundational skills that true mastery is born. If you want to learn about straight sewing and a really good arting technique, I'll leave a link to that playlist here. And if you need some scrap
block patterns to practise with, there's also my scrappy blocks playlist. Don't forget to subscribe. Take care, and I'll see you next time. (metal clinks)
