Quilting Secrets Blog Hop – My Favorite Cutting Tools

263 Comments / By / January 4, 2013

mrs pickles garden

Good morning and welcome to day four of the Quilting Secrets Blog Hop hosted by the wonderful Mrs. Pickles!

If you have missed any days, here is the schedule:

December 31st, Christine from Quilt Monster in My Closet
January 1st, Linda from Buzzing and Bumbling
January 2nd, Barbara from CatPatches
January 3rd, Melissa from Sewbittersweet designs
January 4th, Sharon from Vroomans Quilts
January 5th, Sue from Quilt Times
January 6th, Hayley from Mrs.Pickles Garden

There have been some amazing secrets shared so far, so make sure you go and check everyone out!  I would also like to thank our wonderful hostess, Mrs. Pickles, for organizing this wonderful hop and inviting me to join. She has also arranged some pretty fantastic prizes, so make sure you read to the bottom of the post.

Today I am going to share some of my favorite cutting tools. Accurate cutting is ESSENTIAL in quilting, especially when we are dealing with 1/4″ and scant 1/4″ seams. Being off by just a couple millimeters can change the size of your entire quilt.

To start with, if you are completely new to quilting and only own a pair of sharp scissors, my first recommendation is to invest in a good rotary cutter. There are lots of different types, including ergonomic ones.

The reason rotary cutters are preferred is that they are super sharp and the blade is super thin. This makes cutting easy and accurate.

Next you will want to invest in a rotary cutting mat – pictured above. And then some quilting rulers.

As you can see from the picture above…I have a thing for rulers, and I have them organized so that they are easy to get to when I am cutting. I use curved and bent screws to hold them to my walls. They are easy to grab.  When you are first starting you do not need all of these, for me they are mostly toys…I mean tools. The 2 that I would highly recommend to start with is a 12.5″ square ruler and a 6.5″ square ruler.

I recommend these because the 6.5″ ruler makes it easy to cut and trim smaller pieces, you can do that with a 12.5″ ruler, but the smaller one makes it slightly more manageable. I recommend the 12.5″ ruler because if you are working with larger blocks you will need this size to easily trim them down.

When cutting your fabric I have found that the best way to account for the seam allowance in piecing is to line your fabrics up as below:

Your fabric should sit flush with the bottom of the black line on the bottom 2 inch line. It should also sit flush with the left hand side of the black 2 inch mark on the top.  Having your fabric lining up flush with the black mark will give you a smidgen more fabric and it will help you achieve your perfectly sized blocks.

You DO NOT want your fabric to line up on the inside of the lines, always on the outside. This ensures accuracy and accounts for any length lost when pressing your fabrics.

Now rotary blades and rulers are not the only cutting tools I use in my quilting. I also use a variety of scissors.

From left to right: Applique Scissors, Sharp Cutting Scissors (these are my mom’s I usually use my Gingher Dress Maker’s Shears), and Pinking Shears.

I personally love the applique scissors and use them ALL the time. I use them to help get a thread that I can’t reach under my needle, I use them when I’m basting my hexies, I use them for EVERYTHING!  What I love most is that you squeeze them to cut as opposed to having to open them. This is much easier on my arthritic hands and I highly recommend a pair!

I use my Ginghers when I am paper piecing to trim my seam allowances down. Nobody needs to know that my seams are not trimmed exactly down to 1/4″. This makes the process SO much faster!  I use the pinking shears when I am sewing any kind of curve, it is much easier than cutting little triangles (I gleaned this tip from the fabulous Kristy at Hopeful Threads and now use it in my regular sewing).

Being able to sew an accurate quarter inch seam is essential but if you are not cutting your fabrics accurately it will not matter if your quarter inch seam is accurate. Invest in the right tools and take the time to line your fabrics up perfectly and your quilting will improve instantly!

This giveaway is now closed

The winner is: Kathy MacKie – Congratulations! You will receive an email from Mrs. Pickles!

And now….A Giveaway! Today’s lovely prize was donated by Clint Masden from Green Fairy Quilts. One very luck commenter will win one

Moda Jelly Roll – Bear Country School
Includes 40 strips at 2½ x 44 inches

Company Info

Judi Madsen, aka the Green Fairy of Green Fairy Quilts, started piecing and quilting at a young age.  She grew up watching her

What used to be a hobby, she and her husband have now turned into a full-time, successful business selling Judi’s many quilt pattern designs with pattern distributors, fabric stores and quilt shops all over the country, and into foreign countries.  They have expanded with their on-line store selling a large variety of fabric products.

Judi is an award winning Long Arm Machine Quilter, Clint manages the website, and stays busy shipping out all the orders and is also in charge of buying all the fabric you see on the website.

http://greenfairyquilts.com/

To win, simply leave me a comment. If you need inspiration: tell me your favorite cutting tool.

Followers will get an additional entry – just leave a second comment telling me how you follow!

This giveaway will be open for 24 hours. Good luck!

263 thoughts on “Quilting Secrets Blog Hop – My Favorite Cutting Tools”

  3. Kim

    My favorite (and most used) cutting tool would have to be my rotary cutter. I don’t think I could quilt without it.

  6. Michelle H.

    My favorite tool is my rotary cutter too. I can never seem to cut a straight line with scissors but my rotary cutter makes it so much easier!

  8. Leah

    Love your wall of rulers… My favourite cutter is my rotary cutter (my most favourite is my broken no longer made fiskar’s one)…. And a pair of Ginger 4″ scissors that are wonderful and sharp (and found again!)

  12. Marlene

    Great information! I think an addiction to rulers and cutting tools describes most of us! Blessings, Marlene

  14. Rachelle

    I have all of those tools excepting your particular favourite rulers, I find everything is good for something, though the rotary cutter tends to be used for quilting and the shears for cutting out garments.

  15. Nana B

    Thanks for the tip on line placement of your fabric. I know that I have lined up blocks for one quilt different ways, because it takes me so long to finish anything. I have ended up with different size blocks or strips. So now I will always line up on the outside of the line, lush on the left hand sideline. Funny how this seems so basic but I don’t remember ever hearing this in a class, friends or in books.

  19. Deb Cline

    I love my rotary cutter! I just bought a new one and love the design. It is much more comfortable.

  20. Sandra V

    You are so organized. Your ruler wall is great.

    I usually have more than 1 rotary cutter that way I don’t have to stop what I am doing to change the blade.

  22. Lavonna Zeller-Williams-Bratschi

    I am right there with you! I use my little applique snippers all the time too. Cutting threads, applique, or while embroidering, my snippers are there (I actually have 3 pairs). Thanks for sharing!

  23. Dana

    I love my little “snippers” too and use them the same way you do, for everything. They save my fingers and save time. Thanks for all of the info.

  24. Joyce Mitchell

    My Olfa rotary cutter is my favorite tool – the blade is exposed when I squeeze the handle to cut & then retracts when I set it down – no chance of accidentally cutting myself because I forgot to close it. Thanks for the tool tips & the giveaway.

  26. Donna Joy

    I do remember cutting the blocks for my first quilts with scissors, the results weren’t as accurate as now when I use a rotary cutter. The spring scissors were a hand saver for the rag quilts. Thanks for sharing.

  27. Donna

    I love the ruler line up hint. I, like Vickie said, said have been lining up on or inside the line. This does explain a recent finished size situation I had. Happy quilting.

  29. Kristy Lou

    My favorite cutting tool is a teeny tiny pair of scissors that I remember my grandma always having around her neck. I still have her ribbon on them to put around my neck. unfortunately the ribbon has been cut and retied a few times. These are great for thread trimming on the go (because when the project is all done, the last thing I want to do is go looking for threads tot rim). Thanks!

  30. marjorie

    Very nice tutorial…informative and easy to understand. I love the rotary cutters as well as my GoBaby. Like you said; rulers are so very is important…and a nice gripper so it doesn’t slip.

    Thank for sharing

  32. Sandy D

    Definitely the rotary cutter would be my favorite tool.The tip on where to line up the fabric is an excellent one that I needed.Thanks for the great tip.

  34. Colette

    I couldn’t live without my rules. I have mine hanging from the side of my cutting table surface so I can just grab them.

  37. Natasha

    I love the idea of using pinking shears for curves! And I really must get a pair of applique scissors for EPP.

    Thanks for all the great tips.

  38. Beulah

    I don’t really have a ‘favorite’ cutting tool….as long as what is in reach is sharp! 🙂

  39. Karen M

    I agree with your recommendations about rotary cutters and rulers. Great information for new quilters. Thanks for the chance to win some great fabric.

  40. Cecilia

    Of course my rotary cutter is my most used cutting tool, but I keep a small pair of ghinger scissors beside my machine which are my favorite. I use them to snip the threads as I sew and when I do handwork. Thanks for your tips and I love your ruler wall!

  43. Margaret Schindler

    I love your wall of rulers. I have a bathroom washcloth holder that I put all my rulers on and it stands at the end of my cutting board so I can easily reach the ruler I need. Lately I have been using a 28cc rotary cutter to help cut circles out and have found it to be great for doing the curves. Thanks for the chance to win

  46. Sandy (aka Stitches)

    I think I would have to go with the rotary cutter too. This tool has made quilting so much easier, quicker and more accurate. When it comes to scissors, I could not live without my Dovo Lace Scissors..with one sharp blade and one blade with a nub on the end. I do a lot of applique and they are the best for trimming, helping turn points and etc. I love them!!!

  50. Janet Frank

    My favorite tool has got to be bent end needle point tweezers. It’s great to use a stiletto, also for removing bits of paper when paper piecing and getting bits of thread after any “un-sewing”. Also a help with grabbing thread when threading the machine or hand sewing needles. Just a great all round basic tool that is very economical. I, too, have a bit of ruler addition! I won’t say how many….but, it’s a lot!

  51. Lauren aka Giddy99

    Love the ruler wall! I recently put up hooks for my rulers, and boy howdy it’s so much easier to find and get to the ruler/square I need! My favorite cutting tool is the 45mm rotary, which I both revere and fear (an ounce of prevention, and all that)! 🙂

  52. Pat

    I love my rotary cutter(s) and my husband made a cute wall rack to hold all the larger rulers, though I’m quickly outgrowing it as far as storage of the smaller triangles, etc., they’re all in a drawer. Still feel like a total klutz with the Gingher applique scissors, will need to try the ones you’ve shown here – thanks!

  55. Connie

    Great tips Melissa! I remember the days of quilting before rotary cutters…….I never want to go back to that time. Like you I have a great collection of rulers…..great toys!

  56. Rina

    My favorite cutting tools are my rotary cutter and thread snips but I am addicted to rulers. I hate to admit that my wall of rulers is at least twice what you have. Guess I need to join a ruler addiction group.

  60. Joanna

    From now on I will always line up my ruler with the bottom of the line, not any where else. That is a point that I was never sure about, so thank you for clearing it up for me. Super nice giveaway.

  61. Carol

    Thanks for all the little tips on cutting. Your ruler collection is impressive! My Martelli rotary cutter is my favorite tool.

  62. Beth

    I also have a thing for rulers & rotary cutters. Thanks for all the tips on lining up your ruler & using the pinking shears on the curve. This blog hop is really fun & very informative. Thank you.

  63. Barb N

    Melissa – you have a new logo/header – I like it! I follow you on Bloglovin and FB. And maybe Twitter, too, but I don’t check over there very often.

  64. Virginia in TX

    My favorite ruler is the 61/2 by 24, it helps when cutting strips
    I also agree with the applique scissors being so useful.

  65. Barb N

    I’d love to get that large 10″ block ruler. One day. I use my Applique Scissors all the time, so they are my favorite. Very good for snipping threads off.

  67. Amy

    I absolutely love my applique scissors…and I don’t do much applique! I use them for everything when sewing and quilting! Thanks!

  69. Brenda Hulsey

    The rotary cutter and mats are the best thing since sliced bread! I couldn’t go back to scissors.
    hulseybg at gmail dot com

  71. RuthK

    Love the tip about lining up fabric with line when cutting. Might explain some of my “off” cuts.

  75. Kay

    As an absolute beginner I don’t even own a roatary cutter and just use sharp scissors. However after reading this series I have a bit of a list and a better idea of what I really need. Thanks for the tips.

  76. Mary

    I have a thing for rulers too. I think my favorite rulers are the 6×12 and the 6″ sq. Can you imagine quilting before rotary cuters and rulers?

  81. Carolyn

    I love my rotary cutter, not only does it help with keeping everything straight (which is something I struggle with when using scissors) but it is also pink. I do, though, always keep my Gingher stork scissors around they trim threads nicely.

  85. Pauline

    I’m a new follower on FB….added you to my side bar. Thanks Melissa, Clint and Judi, and Barb for a chance to win the JR….have a great day everyone!!

  86. Kat @ And Ladybug Hugs

    I am in awe of your ruler collection!! 🙂 I think I definitely need to invest in some applique scissors and pinking shears. My favorite tip was lining up the fabric to the outside of the lines…. I’m sure I’m not precise enough about that but I’m going to pay more attention from now on. I’m sure it will make a big difference!

  88. Maria Hart

    Great read to start my day off! I love all your toys….I mean tools. LOL (that made me smile) Super good tip on where to line your ruler to not be short on your blocks!
    I will have to get me a pair of the applique scissors…..
    Thanks to Clint Masden for donating the jelly roll!

  89. kathy

    And I thought pinking sheers were out of style! What would this quilting world be without a great rotary cutter??? Nice tutorial! Thanks!

  91. Lisa

    I just bought myself a pinking shears with a 50% off coupon from JoAnn’s right before Christmas…I LOVE them! Thanks for the info on lining up the fabric on the rulers!

  93. Sharmond

    Thanks for your cutting tips. I do enjoy the applique scissors as well. But I need to invest in a new quality sharp sewing scissors. Appreciate this opportunity.

  94. Judy Bowes

    Being a lefty, who cuts with both hands, I use on Olfa cutter. I prefer the 60mm size. Thank you for the great tutorial and great giveaway!

  101. Kathy MacKie

    Of course it is my rotary cutter, I have an older style one for when I want a straight edge on paper. Thanks for the giveaway.

  105. VickiT

    Those tiny squeeze scissors you have are awesome. I have 3 different types of those but the one you’ve shown is the one that I use every single time I am at my machine. It is easily accessible to grab quick to snip little threads and that one is invaluable when doing machine embroidery to snip jump stitches.

    As far as cutting tool that’s my favorite, I actually have two that I cannot live without;
    First would be the Olfa 60mm rotary cutter. I love the larger size and while I have every size made, I use that one most often. My 60mm and 45mm both are the style where you squeeze the handle and the blade pops out to cut and when you let go, the blade goes back in again. I love that I never have the worry if I have forgotten to close the blade so no accidents happen. The other are my scissors that have rubber handles and have a spring to help them open and close easily. They’re so easy to use and cut wonderfully.

  106. VickiT

    I am already a follower of your blog via email and also have ‘liked’ you on Facebook as well.

    Great post!

  109. Shelley C

    I’m one of the older quilters that started out cutting with scissors and templates and graduated to the wonder of rotary cutters and rulers! wow! what a wonderful improvement! I do tend to use dull blades for way too long and then want to kick myself for waiting so long to change it…2013 I vow to always keep a sharp blade in the cutter…no more nicks and missed slices for me!

  111. Carol J

    I have so many cutting tools – some for quilting, some for regular sewing. Of all of them, my favourite is a pair of snips, but these are not like what you would find at a Joanne’s or Fabricland. I can’t remember the make of them, but they are similar to the applique scissors in that you squeeze them to cut. But the best thing is that they have a ring for one of your fingers to fit in. I can sew and always have my snips right there at the ready. They are the best! Thank you for sharing your tools with us 🙂

  112. Maria Kievit

    Love my scissors, cutters and any other tool. My most favourite is that purple thang, to turn small things around with, and poke the corners to sharpness with. Thanks for a great giveaway. Follower via fb, and gfc.

  113. Emily C

    My current favorite cutting tool are a pair of scissors I inherited from my mother. They are 7 1/2 inch with black handles and very sharp.
    I use them for sewing right now, but I am starting a pieced quilt in a few weeks and I think I will be investing in a rotary cutter.

  114. Diane

    My Olfa Rotary cutter and my seam rippers are my favorite cutting tools. And I have a pegboard for my rulers because I have way more than I need but I’m sure I will get more.

  117. Gun Adrian

    My rotary cutter! It´s the best. I use it and use it and use it and use it and……..need to shift the blade now and then 🙂
    Gun, Sweden

  118. Sharon

    Wonderful post today. My little embroidery snips are always at my side no matter what the project/medium.

  121. Lisa L.

    I still need to get some applique scissors. I keep forgetting until I am sitting down working on a project and am like “Oh man… I wish I had some applique scissors.” Perhaps I should make a list. Thanks for the chance to win! 🙂

  123. Mary Stephens

    My favorite cutting tool is my rotary cutter. But, here’s something we did. My brother gave me his computer desk when he moved overseas so we turned it into a sewing station for me. It isn’t exactly ideal in some ways (not enough room next to the sewing machine), but I love the slide out keyboard holder. My husband cut down my old cutting mat for me to fit it, and I use a small rotary cutter (usually) and a small ruler to trim off excess fabric on various and sundry projects! It is so convenient! When I need it I slide it out, and when I’m done I just push it back in. 🙂

  126. nancy mcmahan

    Thank you for the tips. I am going to have to get the “twizzer” scissors. Thank you for the chance to win.

  127. Sherry V.

    Thank you for all the information about your cutting tools. I loved the picture of how you have your rulers organized — that is one of the biggest problems that I have — deciding on how to manage the rulers!

  129. Catherine

    Wonderful post. I will definitely buy applique scissors. I never thought to add them to my tools. I appreciate your recommendation of quilting rulers too. I`m a relatively new quilter and learned a lot today. Thank you for sharing and thanks for a great giveaway!

  131. Karen O

    Hi! My favorite cutting tool is my protective glove. After slicing the tip of my finger off last year, I find it is very important. 😉

  138. Lori Smanski

    great informaton. i dont know what i would do with out my rotary cutter. thanks for a chance to win.

  140. Lisa C

    Having the right ruler just makes this a lot easier. I just made an 18″ square out of plastic and now I’m on the hunt for a 20″ square ruler. Thanks for the giveaway!

  146. Snoodles

    Ah, that would be a tie between my “square it up” ruler and my rotary cutter! LOL Thanks for the informative post — those scissors just went on my wish list!

  147. Amy's Crafty Shenanigans

    I love my orange handled scissors. They are sharp no matter what and the tip is sharp too. they fit in my hand just right. Wonderful jelly roll – my fingers are crossed!

  153. marla Nelson

    You are so right about making the cuts as accurate as possibe. Helpful hints. Nice give away

  158. Susan

    You are so right, if you don’t start out with your block pieces the correct size, you don’t have a hope of getting a block that is the correct size! Thank you for the reminder to put the fabric on the outside of the line – those few threads do make a difference!

  160. Lisa Marie

    The tools you have recommended are good ones! I also like a pair of tiny scissors with blades that are curved similar to cuticle scissors. With them I can trim threads very close to the fabric.

  161. jevne

    My favorite cutting tool are my rotary cutters. I have a small one that I use when I’m foundation piecing and a larger one for cutting fabric.

  162. jmniffer

    Great tips on needed cutting tools. I was happy to see the part about where to line up the fabric on the ruler before cutting. I’ve always wondered about that and now I know! Thanks for sharing and for the chance at your giveaway.

  164. Susan C

    Nothing beats a good pair of sharp scissors and a rotary cutter with a sharp blade. Dull scissors and a dull rotary blade just make for frustration and misery. Love your assortment of rulers! How nice to have them all hanging and handy to use.

  165. Maureen

    I love my rotary cutter. Wish the blades weren’t so expensive though. Do you have any experience with any of the blade sharpeners?

  166. JoAnn Whittaker

    What a neat trick with the pinking shears. mine will finally come out from obscurity where they have rested since the days that I quit clothing construction and never thought of using them as you suggested in quilting.

  171. Halena Frick

    This is brilliant. I always enjoy your posts but I hve been confused about which ‘line’ to line up to. Thanks 🙂

  172. Jenelle Boxberger

    I also have a lot of rulers, but I did start out with the 2 you suggested. 12 – 1/2 square up and 6 -1/2 square up. I like how you have your rulers stored.

  176. Evelyn

    I love love love my rotary cutters — different sizes for different needs. I’m definitely going to check out a pair of those squeezy scissors.

  179. Christine L

    LOVE your Secrets! I don’t have applique scissors so that will definitely be a next investment for me. What a fun fun hop we’ve been able to help participate in, please don’t pick me in the giveaway.. 🙂 Hugs and Cheers to a New Year *tink*.

  180. Elizabeth McDonald

    How nice of you to ask what our favorite cutting tools are! My very favorite (blush!) are a pair of tiny, gold colored ‘stork’ scissors, scissors with a stork on the handles. They were a special Christmas present quite some time ago, and came in an adorable little box — ginghers, which are definitely my favorite brand of scissors. I use rotary cutters for cutting out pieced blocks, and larger ginghers for cutting appliques, but the stork scissors are perfect for cutting threads as I am sewing, and they are also good for picking out stitches!

  184. Carrie O

    I love my rotary cutters! I haven’t tried pinking shears yet, but then I haven’t done much curved cutting yet either. [That must mean something.] I love the pics of the applique scissors… I just ordered a couple of curved scissors, and wasn’t at all sure what those that look like yours were all about. 🙂 I have a fair collection of rulers now and use my 6″x24″ a lot, and then my 6″x6″ and 12.5″ square… haven’t been doing quilt blocks for a couple months otherwise I’d be using the 12.5″ more. Wondering if I may want to get a 16.5″ square ruler sometime. Anyone have ideas about that one?

  186. Kate

    Love my rotary cutter! If I had to only pick one favorite, that would be it. And it is the Olfa Quick change cutter because I can easily cut with either hand. My second favorite, if I was allowed 2, would be my 8 1/2″ x 24″ ruler. Kind of goes with therotary cutter. Next would be my snips. I keep them by my machine and use them all the time. OK- time to stop!
    Thanks!

  187. Susan

    Great tools, Melissa! I’m embarrassed to say that I have a plethora of rulers, and most are not often used. But when I need one, I need it! I love Gingher’s, too, and have them in several sizes. I’ll have to try those squeezy applique scissors.

  188. Judy

    My rotary cutter is my favorite cutting tool. I am very interested in your applique scissors I have never seen any like that before.

  190. Denise :)

    I have a door of rulers … does that count?! Thanks for participating in the ‘secrets’ hop! I’ve never seen the squeeze scissors until this hop — I bet they are nice for arthritic hands!

  192. Kathy h

    I like the wall of rulers. I have a ginger rotary cutter that is my favorite because it is so pretty.

  196. evelyn

    My favorite quilting tool is chocolate. Just a little piece when you are pondering how to fix/or do something, and the stress melts away!
    Next would be my rotary cutter. Good scissors. I just started using a stilletto and find it very useful.
    Your info on cutting to the outer edge of the line was new to me. Gotta start doing that! I am sure it will make a huge difference.
    Thanks for sharing today. And thanks for a chance at such a sweet giveaway.

  198. Jeanne Jones

    My favorite tool is a pair of stork scissors. They are great for snipping threads and I use them for seam rippers.

  200. cal

    love your ruler wall! I had a pair of small scissors that were similar to yours, you squeezed to cut, and I really liked them, but the mechanism broke. I lost my cutting shears somewhere in the move to the new house three months ago, and I miss those a lot!

  201. CeLynn

    Melissa,thank you so much for all the informative tips! Now I know what I have been doing wrong,when cutting fabric 🙂 Those rulers are also now on the wish list,as well as the applique scissors.

    Love how your rulers are all within easy reach on the one wall.

  204. Joyce Carter

    Great information, Melissa! I like your rulers hung on the wall like that. It would be a lot easier to find the one that you need than having to hunt them from the way that I have mine. I like the 6×24 ruler the best and I use it more often than any of the others. It is great to use when you are cutting long strips from yardage. Thank you so much for the giveaway.

  209. LJ

    Without a doubt, rotary cutters are my favorite cutting tools. I have one I use just for paper, several of the 45mm ones, the big 60mm one, and the small one, too. That doesn’t take into account the circle rotary cutter. I sometimes wonder what I did BEFORE rotary cutters!

  210. Debbie Reaves

    I follow by email and love my rotary cutter the best. Another one of my favorite tools is my two sad irons that I place on my 24″ ruler to hold it down while I cut. The ruler doesn’t move and it helps with my poor arthritic hands. They weigh 6 to 7 pounds each.

    Love your blog and appreciate any chance to win some cool fabric.

    Take care,

    Debbie

  212. patty

    I love Judi’s quilting. I’ve seen some of it on her site/blog. Thanks for the great giveaway.

  214. Michele W

    I love all your tips especially the one for the best way to account for the seam allowance. My favorite cutting tools are all my rotary cutters. I can’t imagine having to use scissors to cut out a quilt like I did 35 years ago.

  218. quiltmom anna

    My favorite tool is my rotary cutters but I also love my gingher trimmers for snipping threads which I am always finding when I quilt. Having good tools is so important to getting good results. Your ruler wall is fabulous- Great post- Thanks for the chance to win the jelly roll from Green Fairy Quilts- they do such nice things for others..
    Regards from Western Canada,
    Anna

  219. Debbie St.Germain

    I love my rotary cutter and use it for cutting basic shapes and half square triangles, but I do use a go cutter for other shapes to make it easier on my hands. I also have a ruler wall, I have them on the wall next to my cutting table, so I can grab one and put it back, really saves time.

    Debbie

  220. Judy Herrst

    You are so right if your fabric pieces are not cut correctly your squares will not be the correct size. Thanks for the tips.

  221. usairdoll

    Happy New Year! What a super post Melissa! Lots of great tips. Love your rulers and how you have them displayed. Rulers can be pricey but having the correct tools really does make things easier. After all, who wants to struggle when you are suppose to be having fun? hehe. I have a cute little pair of Gingher scissors I love and a favorite ruler as well. It’s 2 1/2″ x 6″ which is perfect for my handwork. I love that it’s wider than just 1″.

    Thank you and Green Fairy Quilts for an awesome giveaway and a chance to win.

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

  222. Lori Morton

    Looooove your Ruler Wall!!! Awesome!! My favorite tool HAS to be my Rotary Cutter!! Don’t know how we ever did without them! LOL

    Thank you for chance to win! 🙂

  223. Lori Morton

    I’m also a follow…thru email…don’t do FB, Twitter, etc. Thanks for chance to win by just bein’ a “regular” follower! 🙂

  224. Karin

    My favorite cutting tool? Well, my very favorite has to be my magic knife – you know, the ones you see on tv that will cut most anything & still be sharp? Well, it’s true. I’ve cut asphalt shingles & vinyl siding, and even tho that puppy is 24 years old…he’s still as sharp today as the day I bought it! We’ve cut plexiglass and window-tinting film with it, even wood. Still sharp. I wish my rotary blades were like that!

    My favorite scissors tho has to be my itty bitty Gingher embroidery snips. I’ve had them almost as long, and they’re still snipping away too! They’re curved just a bit & I use them for unsewing as well as snipping jump stitches & trimming applique shapes that are just a smidge too big. Couldn’t live without ’em.

  225. Karin

    Thanks for a glimpse of the wall o’rulers – I have all mine on fancy hooks, so they sort of decorate as well as hang handy at my finger tips.

    Love the fabric giveaway – thanks for the chance to score!

    (yup, I’m a faithful follower)

  226. Kathie

    I use a little pair of scissors with a curved point to trim the thread. Less chance of nipping the fabric

  228. Diane Swett

    Hi, my favorite quilting tool is my 60mm Olfa Rotary Cutter that I use with my Omnigrid 12.5″ square ruler. Like you I too love my rulers and I envy your ruler wall. I bought my 60mm rotary cutter after watching the owner of my LQS cut thru several layers with such ease – I just had to get one! LOL Now it is the one I use the most.

  229. Diane Swett

    I follow you by email. I also keep your blog site on my favorites Bar so I can check in throughout the day. I love to read my emails early am before getting out of bed on my Nextbook. This way I can decide which blogs I want to visit during the day and if there are anything of interest for me…

  231. Nancy W

    I blog follow 🙂
    I think my snips ( which are similar to yours but are curved ends vs straight like youre. Love your blog! Inspiring and inciteful!

  232. French75

    I have a pair of clippers sort of like your applique scissors, but the ends are curved. I love them. And, I love them for the same reason you do….they are so much easier on my hands. I love to just grab them up and give them a little squeeze to cut threads.

    Thanks for the great give away.

  233. Heather

    I’ve never seen scissors like those applique ones before. I would really like to get my hands on some pinking shears. I’ll bet they’re handy. I also wanted to get a small sized rotary cutter for cutting curves, which I hope to try in 2013.

    Happy New Year to you!

  235. Andrea Franklin

    I couldn’t live without my Olfa cutting boards, my Olfa cutter, and my 24 x 6 inch ruler.

  237. Sarah

    Thanks for the great tips, Melissa. I love your wall of rulers! I’m deciding whether I need some ez angles or flying geese ones at the moment. I think I will have to get some pinking shears too.

  239. Susan Bewick

    Thanks for all the great secrets! Esp. this one :
    “You DO NOT want your fabric to line up on the inside of the lines, always on the outside. This ensures accuracy and accounts for any length lost when pressing your fabrics.”
    I plan to follow this one religiously in the future.

  243. Felicia YHamlin

    Oh my, I am salivating over the fabric! I really hope to be chosen, but I will be a good loser if I don’t. 🙂 I really enjoy my rotary cutter. Couldn’t do without it.

    Happy new year and thank you for the chance to win. Felicia

  244. Felicia Hamlin

    Oh my, I am salivating over the fabric! I really hope to be chosen, but I will be a good loser if I don’t. I really enjoy my rotary cutter. Couldn’t do without it.

    Happy new year and thank you for the chance to win. Felicia

    Sorry my name came out wrong on my first comment. I visit your blog.

  245. Andrea

    I love my rotary cutter – I can’t believe that I used to trace squares and cut them with scissors! I read most of your entries through Google Reader, and pop over to the blog every once in a while.

  246. Beth T.

    For quilting, my favorite cutting tool is my titanium rotary cutter. What a huge difference that made! For sentimental reasons, my favorite cutting tool of all time is my mom’s “sewing scissors”. We learned at early ages never to cut paper with her good scissors, and now I treasure them and treat them the same way.

  248. Margaret

    I love my shape flex ruler. It lets me cut twelve inches of fabric at a time into whatever width strip I need.

  250. Rhonda Desgranges

    Thanks for the tip on lining up fabric. Love your ruler wall! Wish I had that much room. Thanks for the chance to win!

    wigglypup2(at)yahoo(dot)com

  252. Judith

    Thanks so much for the tip to use pinking shears rather than notching curves. Brilliant! And thanks for the great giveaway opportunity.

  253. Judith

    I use Google reader to keep up with your blog postings, and then either read them there or pop over to your blog.

  254. Jeifner

    I use my rotary cutter the most but the one I love is my pair of Gingher spring-loaded-handle scissors. They are so beautiful and I waited for so long to get them.

  256. Janet

    Hey I might be inside the 24 hours! I have one of those ergonomic cutters but it fell apart and I can’t figure out how it goes back together. I love my rotary cutter and hardly ever use scissors.

  258. MaryBeth

    My favorite cutting tool is my Ginger snippers. I was in JoAnne’s a few years ago and they had them on clearance!!! $5 each!!! I bought all they had and gave them as gifts to some special people in my life. I bought them for my daughter and daughter-in-law for Christmas this year too.

  261. Margaret Diez

    I love how you organize your rulers. I’ll have to add some to my collection. I have my scissors and cutters organized on a pegboard wall. Having everything organized and visible makes the sewing room environment so much more relaxing and makes me more productive.

  262. Allison C

    I love my Olfa ergonomic rotary cutter and my new rotating cutting mat. I also am a fan of my little scissors which I use to trim threads.

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