Rotary Cutting Safety 101:
Read this BEFORE you cut

To learn the secret of protecting
your wrist, your blades and your table

   
If you're looking at this Rotary Cutting Mat Set, chances are...
 

• You're learning to make patchwork quilts, and you need them for class.
• You're doing scrapbooking / papercraft, and need to protect your table.
• You're fed up with sore wrists from repetitive scissors cutting - there's got to be an easier way!

You're Not Alone. There is NOTHING more frustrating than damaged table surfaces and wrist pain - from doing the craft you love!

   

Ask anybody who does patchwork / papercraft..... 

Rotary Cutting is The BEST invention since sliced bread!!

But most people are dangerously unaware: you NEED to know how to rotary cut safely. Because the blades are made of surgical steel. They are Extremely SHARP.



That means you want to protect THREE things:

   

Here's a little bit of insider information...

Having worked for a decade or so behind the scene in the clothing industry, I was formally trained as a Fashion Designer - and later spent 10 years teaching others the joy of patchwork. I like to share insider tricks, and I believe in doing things properly.

So you see, rotary cutting safety is one of the most important issues, and I have been known to make a song and dance out of it - for good reason too....

You wouldn't want to attend a fun-filled sewing classes and then to come home scarred for life, because someone (or goodness forbid - you) seriously hurt themselves in class. Would you?


And that's why I make sure everyone knows about this......

The Secret of keeping yourself safe when cutting is a Self-Healing Rotary Cutting Mat.

 

   

Here's a brief introduction on all the different sizes:

 

 

 

Next - Grab yourself a set of  Self-Healing Rotary Cutting Mats in  Small...

So you don't need to worry about damaged tables and blades anymore!

 


 

Let's See What We've Got Here:

 


This 12" x 9" Genuine Sew Easy (larger than A4)
Self-Healing Rotary Cutting Mat is the most compact size available .

• Measuring 304 mm x 228 mm (or 12" x 9"), this is a great size for your sewing classes. It can fit inside your folder and protect your working surface.
• Self-healing professional quality - this rotary mat is especially designed so that your blade lasts longer.  
• Made of exclusive 5 layer construction for extra strength - this mat is 3mm thick (that's TWICE as thick as Olfa), so you KNOW it is made to last! 
• Contains Imperial and Metric measurements (inches on one side, cm on the other) with a matt, suede-like surface to reduce the risk of slipping.
• Double sided for double the life-time - with grid lines in inches clearly marked on one side and centimeter on the reverse side - it's like getting TWO mats with the price of ONE.
• Protect your work surface, your blades AND your hands: there is enough "give" in the mat to minimise hand fatigue. Who says "no pain, no gain" anyway...?
• Best Value for your money - Top Quality at affordable prices. Why pay more for a better-known brand-name?

And Here's Your Bonus:

 


This 45mm Genuine Olfa RB45-1 (one spare blade)
Rotary Cutter Blade is the most popular size and suits most brands of cutters.
 

• The circular rotary blades are razor sharp - made from quality tungsten steel to last longer - save money to spend on more fabrics (YAY)!
• Cuts up to 6 layers of fabric, Olfa blades are known for their unparalleled sharpness - this is why your patchwork pieces will turn out perfect, every time!
• A spare blade on hand: for those who are serious about their quilt making sessions - hey, when you're on a roll, why let a blunt blade stop you ?!

 


Together with your own favourite Rotary Cutting Ruler & Rotary Cutter....

You can master the most efficient method in cutting fabric while staying safe

Just like cutting a pizza - quickly, easily and accurately EVERY TIME!  
 

One More Thing: Size Does Matter.

There - I said it :-)

One of the questions we get ask most often is:
How big is this mat? How does it compare to A4?

Here's the Fact -
The Small Cutting Mat is BIGGER than A4.

(other sizes are also larger than the closest "A" paper sizes)

See, when it comes to sizing, most people are familiar with the "A-Series" Paper Sizes, because our printers and photocopiers take A4 size paper. And this sizing is pretty much used everywhere in the world (apart from the US and Canada).

The mat sizing, however, goes slightly beyond that. Based on the understanding that standard sized paper would be cut on these mats, they have been made to "Architectural Sizes" ("Arch" for short) so that the "A-Series" papers are slightly smaller and can be cut on the mats easily.



Let's compare the Small -

A4 Paper measures: 297 mm x 210 mm

Our Small measures:
304 mm x 228 mm
(equivelant to "Arch A" size)

However -  

The maximum Grid marking (i.e. the yellow lines printed on the mat) is 11" x 8" on one side, and 28 cm x 20 cm (280 mm x 200 mm) on the other.



 
And in case You want a Different Size...
 
Care Instruction s:

 
With a bit of common sense and care, your cutting mat will last for years!

• Avoid Extreme Temperature      
• Do Not Leave in Car     
• Do Not Bend or Roll     
• Keep Away from Heat & Iron

   


Warning: Don't Put Up with Your Tired Old Mat.....

 
If your mat looks like this, then you WILL compromise the end results of your current project.

Think about it - why pay good money for quality fabric and sharp new blades only to have them damaged by a worn-out mat? Is it really worth it?
 

Order Yours Now. You Deserve a new Cutting Mat!

 


   
Self-Healing: Myth or Fact?

So, how "self-healing" is a Self-Healing cutting mat supposed to be?

First thing to be aware of is this: NOT all cutting mats are created equal.

In fact a lot of the cutting mats out there are NOT self-healing at all (so do look at the fine prints when you shop for a cutting mat. This is especially true for the "bargain priced" mats).

You may have already realised that's why prices seem to vary a lot - and in this case you don't always get what you pay for.....

See, it takes a fair bit of work to create a self-healing mat. You need multiple layers of materials of varying softness and desity, and the secret of success depends on getting the mix just right.

These mats we stock are thicker and heavier than some of the better-known brands, AND they are genuinely double-sided to give you TWICE the lifespan (that's like two mat for the price of one)!

Have a closer look at their construction:
 

So How Does a Cutting Mat Self-Heal?


Let's - I will do my best to explain this. Think of the soft PVC layer (just underneath the surface) as a really firm layer of jelly.

When you dip the tip of your butter knife into some jelly, as long as you do not cut through it, the marks made by your knife isn't really visible after a few seconds. Even though the cut IS there, the surrounding jelly move back in and close the gap or mark left by the knife. Well, the density of the PVC in the board sort of behaves like that too.

Now, this is true providing you DO NOT repeatedly cut into the same spot. Because the exact position of each individual cut isn't going to be identical every time, the effect of repeated cutting in the same spot would be similar to hacking a log with an axe - a little bit of PVC gets hacked away each time, and a gap will be left behind from the missing bits of PVC.

The idea of self-healing mat is based on the fact that when you cut, the chance of you cutting into exactly the same spot ALL the time is highly unlikely. That means the PVC material will have a chance to push back into each other and close the gap made by the knife. There, self-healing done!
 

And that brings me to the NEXT point...

Which Line to Follow? The Ruler or The Mat?


This is another question frequently asked by beginners.


My answer is ALWAYS the same:

Use the Lines on your Ruler, NEVER your Mat.
  Why is that?

Because when you lay your fabric to cut, the fabric goes on top of the mat, and the ruler goes on top of the fabric. That means it is ALWAYS easier to see the lines and measurements on your RULER.

And, since your fabric covers the mat, not only is it harder to see the lines on your mat, it also takes much longer (not to mention fiddly) to try and line up your fabric with the lines on your mat!

Most importantly, by using the lines on your mat, you end up cutting repeatedly into the SAME places over and over, this prevents your mat from healing, and shorten the lifespan of your cutting mat dramatically - which means it WILL become costly, because you need to replace your mat frequently (excellent for the people selling mats, not so great for you).

So, it is BEST that you rotate and move as you take the next cut, to make sure that you utilise the whole surface evenly, rather than just cutting in certain areas.

You WILL get the most out of your mat this way.
 

Bonus Tip: How to Keep Your Mat in Top Condition

You know how some fabric leave a trial of fibre and fluff behind? They will do that on your cutting mats too.

This is especially true if your blade is getting blunt - it means instead of cutting every filament cleanly, some of the fibre and fluff can get pushed into the cut-marks of your cutting mat,

While this might look unsightly, the real issue is that the  fibre and fluff sit INSIDE the gaps and this will prevent your mat from healing!

While some people suggest using sand paper, I find that sandpaper takes a layer off your mat, so it is not a sustainable method (imagine wearing your mat down over time just by repeated sanding). I came across a nifty solution which I will share with you here:

 

 

Rotary Cutting vs. Scissors Cutting

   

When you use the method above, you will get sore hands.
And when you go to sew the pieces, you will find:

1. The pieces are not always identical in size, and may not fit together 100%
2. By the time you've sewn quilt blocks using these pieces, your blocks end up different sizes
3. Now, you go to assemble the blocks together, and find that you need to ease the bigger ones or stretch the smaller ones. Not fun....
4. Worst of all: once all the blocks are sewn together, you realised that your quilt top is all wobbly and bubbly, and most of the seams are not straight any more....!

Why?

Because of the easing & stretching you've had to do, all cause by very small size variation in the pieces you've cut by hand.

You see, a fraction of extra pencil line here and there on EACH little piece eventually add up to quite a bit, which contribute to all your blocks being different sizes....

Which means you either need to ease & stretch to make the blocks fit together.....

This causes some excess fabrics or tight spots on your finished quilt top, and that's where your problem begins... just try quilting one of these tops!


So, What's a Quilter to Do?

Get some Rotary Cutting gear and Experience the Difference for yourself...!

What this method does is simply eliminating the need to mark and cut individual patches of fabric.
 
By placing your fabric (pressed first for best results) on the cutting mat, and the ruler gets placed on the fabric where you would like to make the cut, then using the edge of the ruler as a guide, run the rotary cutter along it with firm, even pressure.


This method speeds up the cutting process considerably.

By allowing multiple layers of fabric to be cut at once (up to 6 layers, but I mostly do 4).... you can really save time! Once you've got the knack of squaring up, you can be certain that all your pieces will be identical.... that means your quilt will turn out looking professional, and you will really enjoy sewing the blocks together!


You will end up getting more quilts done, completely stress-free ..... everyone will ask you to make them a quilt... and guess what?! Now you CAN...!!

 

 

What else is it good for....?

• Trimming photos for scrapbooking - getting your wedding album done has never been easier!
• Speedy Christmas wrapping - simply cut what you need from a roll.... another fiddly chore made simple for you so you have more time to enjoy the holidays.
• Great system for preparing artwork for picture framing. Perfect square corners every time!
• The mat makes a useful permanent fixture on your desk. The "give" provides a perfect surface for drawing, writing and tracing. Save some hand strain, prevent scratched table top and get better results all in one go.

     
 

 
 

   

Not a Quilter?

See What Two Of Our (Very Innovative) Customers Get Up To With Their Rotary Cutting Mat:

 

 

   

The response for using self-healing cutting mat has been phenomenal.

Here is what other people are saying about it:

       

Grab yours now and you can experience:

• Precision cutting like a pro - Done Quickly & Easily.
• Save Time and Get your project done - already!
• Do it Right in the first place - so you can Avoid pains :-)
• A sense of achievement , because you've solved your own problem.
• No more frustration - just your finished project and satisfaction!
• Be proud and tell everyone: "I made this!"

 

   

Simply  Click The Add To Cart Button To Get Yours Now!