If you've been wondering about the best tools for the job when it comes to cutting, I have put together a quick guide all about tools that cut!
PAPER SCISSORS
It's really important to have scissors dedicated to paper and cardstock. Good quality paper scissors may have micro serration to help keep control of slippery cardstock such as foiled card which may have a shiny coating. It's a good idea to have a large pair of paper scissors for large pieces and a smaller pair, sometimes called snips, for fussy cutting and smaller more detailed cutting. Choose wisely, comfortable handles are a must!
TOP TIP: If you have been cutting something super sticky and ended up with gluey blades, use an alcohol wipe to clean them off!
FABRIC SCISSORS
A lot of multi-crafters will have a separate pair of scissors with a ribbon tied to the handle so it's easy to tell the difference between their paper and their fabric scissors. Paper and Cardstock can blunt scissor blades quickly so it's important to keep a nice large sharp pair of scissors separate for soft crafts. Good quality scissors will advertise having a 'serrated edge' which means they have little cut outs on the blade to help the slippery fabrics stay steady when cutting and help with a straighter cut.
EMBROIDERY SCISSORS
If you are an avid cross stitcher or crocheter, you may be familiar with tiny scissors for threads and yarn. Have you noticed a lot of embroidery scissors are in the shape of a stork? This is because in the past these kinds of scissors were used by midwives to cut the umbilical cord during childbirth, and the stork is a symbol of a baby arriving into the world. Embroidery scissors need to be super sharp for a clean cut when snipping threads or yarn, so don't borrow them for your vinyl or card!
PINKING SHEARS
A lot of sewing patterns will require you to 'pink the edges' which means to create a zig zag edge to make it a smoother edge when turning through fabrics the right way after sewing them together. An easier way to do this is to use pinking shears, which will cut a zig zag edge into any fabrics. These need to be super sharp for the perfect finish.
DIGITAL DIE CUTTING
Let's not forget my personal fave way to cut out everything from paper to fabric, a Cricut machine. With a Cricut machine like the Cricut Maker you can cut out a wide range of materials in whatever shape you fancy.
Design your project in Cricut Design Space on your Computer or Laptop then cut it out on your machine from a wide range of materials! There are lots of different machines to choose from depending on the type of project and the type of material you want to use!
DIE CUTTING
In Papercraft, die cutting has become an amazing trend which provides an incredibly professional finish to any paper projects. Did you know you can also die cut fabrics and felts? There are specialist dies out there that have a deeper blade to give you perfect shapes in all kinds of materials from mount board to silk!
To use a die cutting machine, all you do is place your chosen material and metal die onto a set of plastic plates, pop a plate on top and then put it through the machine. The pressure of the machine will crush the metal die into the material, cutting through it in the shape of the metal die.
There are various die cutting machines on the market, I personally recommend a larger one if your budget can stretch to it, as then you are future proofing yourself if you find some larger dies you'd like to use. There are also manual machines, which require you to turn a handle at the side and crank the die and paper through, or there are electronic ones that feed it through and do all the hard work for you.
PUNCHES
If you're not quite there with your Papercraft journey yet, punches are a great alternative to die cutting. Just slot your material into the side and press down to cut the shape of the punch into your cardstock or paper. My personal favourite punch is a corner rounder - an absolute essential!
TRIMMERS
Another craft room essential for me is a paper trimmer. Super easy to use, just slot your paper through, line it up and push the blade down. A super sharp trimmer will glide along your papers with ease! You can be super accurate with a good quality trimmer right down to the millimetre. Perfect for you scrapbookers out there!
GUILLOTINES
Cutting more heavy duty materials such as mount boards and thicker cardstocks? A guillotine is a great way of slicing through thicker materials. Guillotines have a blade that comes down onto the material rather than sliding across like a trimmer. Some guillotines will be spring loaded, making it a little easier on the hands. Guillotines are also great for going through lots of sheets at the same time for super speedy crafting!
I hope you've been inspired to go shopping and upgrade your cutting tools!
