Sewing Accessories

Cutting mat: 
Is a rotating mat worth it?
So far, I’ve been rotating the fabric on the mat, not the mat itself.

Rotary cutter sharpener: 
expensive but sustainable—who among you has one? 
Experiences, please... 

Rotary cutter ruler:
So, the one where the rotary cutter is already fixed to the ruler—also expensive.
Can anyone report on this? 

 

In my opinion, a rotating one isn’t necessary, but a large mat, 60x90 cm, is.
You don’t really need a rotary cutter sharpener either; in my opinion, new blades are better.
A patchwork ruler like that is always useful; I have the 15x60 cm, the 10x45 cm, the 15x30 cm and the 10x10 cm myself.
For sewing clothes, I also have two curved rulers, but they’re only necessary if you draft your own patterns.

Best regards, Inge

I have a regular cutting mat—it’s perfectly sufficient for my projects. I just rotate the fabric. But as Inge mentions, it should be a certain size.

The ruler is also very important. I have a small one that’s 15 x 15 cm—it’s great. Now I need a large one. I’m still figuring out how big it should be. Right now I’m using one that’s 34 cm. That’s definitely too short for me.

As for a combination of cutter and ruler—I can’t say. I just don’t see the point in it. But since I already have both, I wouldn’t spend money on a combination tool.

  I haven’t cut much with my rotary cutter yet and am still using the first blade. Here, too, the question is: how often can I resharpen it, how much does the sharpener cost, and how much do new blades cost? But eventually, I’ll just buy new blades; otherwise, I’ll end up with another tool sitting on the shelf that I don’t use very often.

  Since I’m not a pro and don’t plan on becoming a master, I’m trying to keep the upfront costs for my new hobby as low as possible and avoid making bad purchases.

Wishing you a wonderful sewing weekend!

Definitely! I bought one of those rotating mats, and it’s a real lifesaver. I used to always rotate the fabric, but that was often annoying. Now I just rotate the mat and save myself a lot of time and stress.

Yeah, I have a sharpener and I’m super happy with it. My blades last much longer because of it, and I don’t have to keep buying new ones. I cut quite a lot, and this tool has really paid for itself.

I also have a ruler like that and can only recommend it. It makes cutting much easier and, above all, more precise. Sure, the price put me off at first, but now that I’ve been using it for a while, I wouldn’t want to be without it.

And here are a few tips from my own experience:

Even if you have a sharpener, you’ll eventually notice that the blades are just worn out. I replace my blades regularly to ensure clean cuts every time, and it’s worth it.

I also tried a cheap cutting mat at first, but it wore out quickly. Since I invested in a high-quality mat, my blades last longer, and I have to replace the mat less often.

I always iron the fabric before cutting and fold it neatly. That saves me a lot of trouble, and the cuts are much more precise.

I’ve gotten into the habit of always securing my rotary cutter right away when I’m not using it. The blades are super sharp, and I don’t want to risk getting hurt.

I always work with light pressure and make sure the ruler is firmly pressed against the fabric. That way, nothing slips, and I don’t have to constantly make corrections.

Best regards, Kathi

Thanks for your comments ❤️

My desk is only long enough for an A2 mat—nothing bigger fits—but now I have an A3, so it’s a lot of back-and-forth shuffling. I also always have to push the sewing machine all the way to the back, which is annoying.
I cut right through my current mat when the rotary cutter got dull and I pressed down like a bull. I’m going to give it a cold-water, dish soap, and vinegar soak now—let’s see if it can be salvaged.

And as Petra says, keep costs down—I’m all for that. I’m also trying my hand at upcycling because fabrics are so terribly expensive. The conditions are definitely more challenging there. Of course, it’s easier to sew with a great new, smooth fabric than with fabric that’s already been used—sometimes even ironing doesn’t fix it.

I saw these gadgets in a video and was blown away. The 2-in-1 ruler especially looks tempting to me, since my ruler keeps slipping all the time. Pressing and cutting at the same time seems to be too much for me. 😶‍🌫️

To keep the ruler from slipping, there’s a cheap solution: get some fine 100-grit sandpaper and tape it to the back of your ruler—I’ve taped these strips on, too. One strip at the front and one at the back is enough; maybe add another one in the middle.

Best regards, Inge

I have cutting mats in various sizes, from A4 to A2, but none of them are rotatable. I can simply lift the small ones up and turn them, but with a large one, you’d need enough space to do so—otherwise, turning it just won’t work. So, if you have enough space, why not?

I haven’t had my rotary cutters for very long, so I haven’t used them yet. I also haven’t decided yet whether I’ll eventually get a blade sharpener.

I love my rulers! When cutting, I apply more pressure to the ruler than to the blade. That way, the ruler doesn’t slip, and I can make multiple passes with the blade if needed.
A ruler cutter with a fixed blade wouldn’t be an option for me, though. It feels too imprecise to me. That might just be me, but when I’m marking and cutting, I like to feel like I have absolute control. ;-)

I prefer to work with tailor’s chalk in pen form or a self-erasing marker. They’re brilliant for the patchwork and small pieces I’ve been sewing lately. I can even cut them out with scissors. :-)

Yes, I’d like to buy a marker like that now too. I’m starting to quilt my blocks now, and it’s sure to be helpful for that. So far I’ve been drawing my lines with a pencil, but I’m not completely happy with that yet. 

I’m sure I’m also pressing much too hard, because with the ruler I’m afraid it will slip, and with the rotary cutter I’m afraid it won’t cut everything. 

@Needle-mistress - I haven’t tried it with scissors yet for small squares. Do you mark the lines with a ruler first and then cut with scissors?

@Inge - I’ll try the sandpaper tip

Well, my mat is done for, in the truest sense of the word. Considering that the rotary cutter was already dull and wasn’t cutting the fabric, it still managed to cut through the mat. 

Next, I’d like to try making bias tape myself with these helpers. I saw a video where someone folds the fabric like that and only lines it up once to then cut one long strip in one piece, so you don’t have to keep sewing short strips together. 

I got myself some refillable chalk pens like these; they mark really well! 

I have this chalk pen and a bias tape maker too, and I haven’t ruined a single mat yet—even though I’ve made a lot of mistakes.
My old mats went to my grandkids as craft mats to protect Mom’s table, so they still had a use.

Love, Inge

@WollwunderPetra: Yes, exactly. I mark out my shapes first and then cut them out with scissors.

I have a rotary cutter here, but I haven’t tried it yet. I think you have to do it a few times to get a feel for how firmly you need to hold or press down.

Refillable chalk pens are already on my list—I’ll try those out at some point, too.