My Mama Always Says: Where years of experience and bits of quilting wisdom guide me on my quilting journey.
My Mama Always Says: “They (rotary cutters) are sharp.”
At least they should be. Through the years, I’ve found that some fabrics (or maybe fabric finishes) seem to dull the blades faster than others and I seem to be changing those blades more often than I want. A sharp rotary blade makes cutting so much easier and faster. But what can one do if no new blade is at hand?
I’ve been sharpening my scissors for years by snipping thru aluminum foil.
To sharpen a scissors quickly, just snip thru a sheet of aluminum foil a few times.
As I was cutting the 1.5″ squares for my postage stamp quilt today I said to myself, “I wonder if my rotary cutter blades can be sharpened in the same way?”
A sharp blade makes the cutting job easier and faster.
So I grabbed some foil and gave it a try. I laid the foil on the mat and made several cuts with the rotary cutter.
I should close the blade too before laying it on the table. This open blade has become a bad habit for me. After all, my mama’s advice also pertains to preventing an accidental cut from an open blade.
Sure enough. It worked. I am now sure I can prolong the life of the blade by using this method to sharpen it. Maybe you can too.
What I Learned Today:
- Aluminum foil will sharpen rotary blades as well as scissors.
- My Mama is very wise.
Question: How do you sharpen your scissors and rotary blades?
Linking to:
Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl for Tips and Tutorials
Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?
Myra at Busy Hands Quilt for Finished or Not Friday.
Beth at Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday.
Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats 