Reva's Tips: Are You a Cut Up?

A bit of Rotary trivia:

What year was the rotary cutter invented?

Believe it or not, the rotary cutter was invented in 1979 by Yoshio Okada, the founder of Olfa. Thank you Mr. Okada, I wouldn't be sewing without you! That is because I dislike cutting stuff out. However, a rotary cutter makes the task more bearable.

Personally, my favorite cutter is made by Quilters Select. Let me tell you why:

• The shape of the handle is comfortable to hold and is easy to keep upright to cut properly and my hand does not get fatigued easily.
• The cutter has a nice weight that makes it easy to get a good cut without having to put excessive force into the cutting action.
• The blade guard is built into the unit making it easy to keep it on when not using.
• The cutter can be used either left or right-handed without any modifications (My personal favorite feature).

I am quite excited that the Quilter Select rotary cutters are now available in three sizes. The specific size is the measurement of the blade's diameter.

45mm - This is your go-to everyday size. It can easily cut through about 6 layers of fabric and is the perfect size to work with rulers that have cutting slots in them (such as the Quilters Select Square It Rulers)

60mm - This big guy is your workhorse. Not used as often as the 45, but the large blade makes beautiful long straight cuts through multiple layers of cotton. I can easily cut 10 layers. This is also my go-to size for cutting polar fleece, batting, and other fluffy things.

28mm - The new kid on the block! Its smaller blade diameter cuts curves more easily and is a perfect choice for applique and garments. Also, it is exceptional for smaller projects and can increase accuracy when truing up small units and blocks. 

If you enjoy working on many different types of projects, you will definitely benefit by using a cutter that has a blade the right size for your task.

Happy Sewing,
~Reva