Maxi-Lock Serger Thread 3000yds - Medium Pink 
Maxi-Lock Serger Thread 3000yds - Hacienda 
Maxi-Lock Stretch Serger Thread 2000yds - Lilac 
Maxi-Lock Stretch Serger Thread 2000yds - Purple 
Clover Pen Style Chaco Liner - Silver 
Dritz Small Ergonomic Seam Ripper - Purple 
Rit All-Purpose Box Fabric Dye - Cocoa Brown - 1 1/8oz 
Rit DyeMore Synthetic Fiber Dye - Sand Stone - 7oz Bottle 
Scissors vs. Rotary Cutters
@National Sewing Circle
@QuiltWithKim
@Doina Alexei
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Should you use fabric scissors or a rotary cutter? The answer is: you will eventually need both! Each tool has specific strengths depending on whether you are cutting long straight lines for quilts, or intricate curves for garments.
Materials Needed:
- High-quality fabric shears (scissors)
- Rotary cutter
- Self-healing cutting mat
- Clear acrylic ruler
- Pattern weights or pins
Tips for Success:
- Never, ever use your fabric scissors or rotary blade to cut paper! Paper dulls the blades incredibly fast.
- Always retract the safety guard on your rotary cutter the moment it leaves your hand.
1. Understand Fabric Shears
- True fabric “shears” are different from standard scissors. They have a bent handle design. This allows the bottom blade to rest completely flat against the cutting table, which prevents the fabric from lifting and shifting while you cut.
2. When to Use Shears
- Scissors excel at cutting tight curves (like armholes or necklines), snipping small notches into seam allowances, and handling delicate, slippery fabrics like chiffon or silk where a rotary cutter might push or pull the fabric.
3. Understand Rotary Cutters
- A rotary cutter is essentially a razor-sharp pizza wheel for fabric. It is always used in combination with a self-healing cutting mat to protect your table, and a clear acrylic ruler to guide the blade.
4. When to Use Rotary Cutters
- Rotary cutters are the absolute gold standard for quilting. They are designed to cut perfectly straight lines and can easily slice through multiple layers of fabric at once with zero distortion, making quick work of cutting strips and squares.
5. Safety and Maintenance
- Rotary blades are notoriously sharp. Always cut away from your body and engage the safety latch instantly when done. For both tools, maintain sharpness by dedicating them *strictly* to fabric and changing/sharpening blades as soon as you notice them skipping threads.
6. Combining the Tools
- Many garment sewists use both simultaneously! They will use pattern weights to hold the tissue pattern down, use a rotary cutter for the long, straight side seams, and switch to fabric shears to carefully cut out the intricate curves of the armscye.
Top FAQs for Fabric Cutting Tools:
Can I use regular household scissors to cut fabric? +
It is highly discouraged. Regular scissors are not sharp enough for fabric fibers and will result in jagged, frayed, or chewed-up edges. You need dedicated fabric shears for clean, professional cuts.
Why do fabric shears have a bent handle? +
The bent handle design allows the lower blade to rest completely flat on the table while you cut. This keeps the fabric from lifting into the air, preventing distortion and ensuring your pattern pieces remain perfectly accurate.
Do I need a cutting mat to use a rotary cutter? +
Absolutely! If you use a rotary cutter without a self-healing mat, you will deeply gouge and ruin your table, and the hard surface will instantly dull and destroy the razor-sharp rotary blade.
Can I cut paper patterns with my fabric scissors or rotary cutter? +
No! Paper contains minerals and wood pulp that are incredibly abrasive. Cutting paper will dull your fabric scissors and rotary blades very quickly. Always keep a separate, cheap pair of scissors for cutting out your paper patterns.
Which tool is better for beginners? +
Fabric shears are generally less intimidating for beginners making garments. However, if you are beginning with quilting, a rotary cutter is absolutely mandatory, as cutting hundreds of perfectly square blocks with scissors is nearly impossible.
How often should I change my rotary blade? +
Change your rotary blade as soon as you notice it leaving “skipped” threads connected, or if you find yourself having to push down extremely hard to get through the fabric. A dull blade is dangerous because it forces you to use poor ergonomics and risk slipping.
