Here are some useful tips for getting a perfect finish while cutting your fabric. It takes lot of patience and practice to get the art of cutting right. It starts with choosing the right tools for the job at hand and following few time-tested techniques to achieve perfection. Listed below are 5 top tips that would benefit beginners as well as experts.
Use the right tools: Get good quality fabric scissors and use it only for cutting cloth materials—using fabric scissors for cutting paper will result in rough edges and damage the scissors in the longer run
Keep your scissors wide open: Use maximum width of the scissors—open the scissor handles fully so that the cutting edges are wide open preventing uneven edges
Never move the fabric while cutting: Lay the fabric in a flat surface while cutting. It is advisable not to move the fabric while cutting as this will result in fabric falling off—move your hand in the direction of the drawn pattern instead
Pin the fabric before cutting: Certain types of synthetic fabric like Georgette, Crepe, Chiffon will not stay in place while cutting. Pin the materials to ensure the fabric stays in place. You can also use a thick old table cloth to create friction grip and to avoid the fabric from slipping or moving around
Use special technique for cutting straight lines and curves: For straight lines--take long cuts keeping the scissors wide open. For circles--move the scissors and cut in circular anti-clockwise direction for better control
Above all else, practice, practice, practice. Draw the desired design or pattern on a newspaper and practice cutting it using paper scissors—this will help you master the technique of navigating curves and straight lines.
Share what works for you and your pro tip in the comments section below. Happy sewing!
