rotary cutters
Fiskars has many styles and sizes of rotary cutters that are perfect for every fabric project. To help showcase our tool of the month here are projects from the Fiskars design team
Design by: Janna Wilson What is the perfect anytime gift for a friend or a hostess (especially during the holiday season)…a fun oven mitt + potholder set! Coordinate your project to the receiver’s kitchen for that personal touch.  A set like this is pretty simple to make and takes minimal time if you have the right tools. A rotary cutter makes cutting through several fabric layers and cutting precise measurements easy! Create a simple pattern for the oven mitt and cut the following pieces using the pattern: Next, just layer the pieces in this order: 1 muslin piece, 2 pieces batting, fabric piece (right side up), contrasting fabric (right side down), 2 more pieces of batting, and finally the remaining piece of muslin. With the pieces stacked in the order mentioned, pin the layers to secure and stitch a ½” seam around the outside of the layers. Turn the mitt right side out. Cut a 5” x 30” strip of fabric (blue pattern) with rotary cutter. Fold in half (wrong sides together) and stitch closed. Gather the length of fabric, pin to raw edge of mitt and stitch. Press seam toward mitt and ruffle away from mitt.
Use 12-in-1 Sewing Tool (seam ripper) to get a hold of any stray threads.
Create a “ribbon” by stitching a 15” length of 2” wide fabric together lengthwise (right sides together) and then turn right side out. Press, tie bow, trim and finish ends. Pin the bow onto the mitt so that is removable for laundering.
Create a basic potholder in a flash. Decide what size you’d like your potholder to be and cut two layers of fabric and at least 2 layers of batting to size. (My finished potholder is about 7”.) Layer the fabric (right side down), batting layers and contrasting fabric (right side up). Stitch the layers together around the outsides (take about a ¼” seam). You can quilt the layers as well. Finish the edges by adding bias tape (either purchased or you can make your own with your fabric) around the outside of the potholder.
Designer: Katrina Simeck I’ll admit that one of my favorite parts of the holidays is….holiday meals! I just love cooking, entertaining, and (of course) eating! This fun felt placemat is super quick & easy to make, and will get your table ready for yummy winter meals. You’ll even have time to make matching fabric napkins.
I started with a piece of felt approximately 17.5 inches x 13.5 inches. Rather than sewing, I used the Fiskars Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter with a Pinking blade to trim edges. Using the Ultra ShapeXpress & a Diamond template, I cut diamonds out of coordinating fabric. After using fusible web to attach, I hand stitched through 2 diamonds to create an “argyle” effect.
To make the napkin, I used the Fiskars Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter to trim fabric into 2 rectangles approximate 17 inches x 12 inches. With wrong sides of fabric together, I stitched around the edges using the zig-zag stitch on my machine. A quick trim with Fiskars Pinking Shears give the napkin a finished look that won’t fray!
Supplies: Felt, fabric, thread, fusible web, Fiskars Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter 12-97937097, Fiskars Pinking Blade 95327097, Fiskars Ultra Shapexpress 48007097, Fiskars Diamonds Template 48547097, Fiskars Pinking Shears 94457097
Designer: Patti Milazzo These simple fabric baskets are a creative way to present small gifts to family and friends for the holidays. Fill them with baked goods, candy, tea, cocoa or even bath products. They’re easy to make and Fiskars Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter makes quick work of cutting your fabric pieces. Set aside a few hours and you can create a handful of baskets ready for the upcoming holiday season.
Cut fabric piece for cuff (stripe patterns in both samples). Fold in half with right sides facing each other and stitch ends together. Press seam flat. Fold only half of the tube over to see right side of fabric to create cuff. Turn cuff upside down (raw edge up) and fit over top (open edge) of base. Line up edges and pin around entire opening of the basket. Stitch around opening. Turn basket right side out and fold portion of cuff over top edge of basket. Fall basket fabric measurements:
Designer: Stacey Kingman Here’s a fun little sewing project that can be as simple or as detailed as you want to make it. I used the Fiskars Rotary Cutters, my sewing machine, and a needle and thread to create these three fun squares in just a couple of hours. I love this project so much, I think I’m going to make a few more of them!
Although the details are whimsical and sort of primitive looking, you need to start with well-measured pieces. I used my Easy-to-Read ruler and the Self-Healing Mat to measure 7” squares – three of gray felt and three of white batting. Then I measured three different fabric squares – two of small-print fabrics and one of an old quilt block. I find chunks of old quilts in antique stores, thrift stores, and garage sales. They are usually quite inexpensive and they add such wonderful vintage detail to sewing and paper crafting projects. Stitch these squares together – first put down the felt, then the batting, then the fabric or quilt square on top. I used green thread to sew these together, leaving about ¼” around the edges. After stitching around the entire square, use pinking shears to cut around the borders. You could pin these squares before you sew them to make sure your layers don’t move – I didn’t pin them and they came out just great.
Now it’s time for the fun details. Since I wanted this to have a winter feel, but I didn’t want it to be specifically a “holiday” decoration, I used evergreen trees and a house because they both say “cozy” and “welcome home” to me. I found some scraps I liked and used my 18mm Rotary Cutter to cut some shapes to make the house and trees.
I wanted a heart for my house, so I made one by folding a punched heart in half and cutting around it with the 18mm Rotary Cutter on a folded piece of red felt. Once I got my basic heart shape, I cut around it a bit more with the rotary cutter until it looked just right to me. Machine stitch the house onto the first square, then hand stitch everything else. Add some vintage trims, buttons, and felt scraps. Fold six 4” pieces of ribbon in half and sew to the top of the squares. These loops will be about 1 ½” above the squares and your dowel rod will go through them.
NOTE: If your dowel rod is very large, make your loops a bit bigger. Paint or stain (I used ink) the rod and let it dry. Slip the rod through the loops and hang it up. Enjoy! Supplies: Fiskars Brands: 12-74197097 Large Squeeze Punch – That’s Amore, 18mm Cutter and Blade, 94457097 Pinking Shears, 86357097 24” X 36” Self-Healing Mat, 95077097 #4 Mini Craft Scissors, 12-39817097 3.5" x 18.5" Easy-to-Read Ruler, 12-97937097 45 mm Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter, Other: Ink, dowel rod, fabric scraps, felt, old quilt pieces, needle, thread, buttons, ribbon, batting
Designer: Valerie Salmon Who doesn’t need a cozy to snuggle up in during these cold winter days?
Here’s how:
Supplies: 45mm rotary cutter, self-healing mat, acrylic ruler, 12-in-1 sewing tool (for tape measure). By Fiskars design team « Back to Featured Tools |
