I changed out my rotary blade last night. Dude, I had not realized how dull it had gotten! I guess it’s put in some great work this past few months,especially with the leather cutting it has been doing. It reminded me that rotary cutters aren’t the only sewing tool that dulls with use. So let me pass on the friendly reminder to you! Here’s a list of 5 tools that we sewers need to keep sharp.
- Scissors – Is there anything so satisfying as the snip-snip sound of supper sharp blades? I think not. Hand fatigue while cutting is my clue that my scissors need sharpening (or replacement).
- Rotary Cutter – Your blade should be able to cut through at least two layers of fabric with ease. Swap out your blades for fresh ones and feel a world of difference!
- Seam Rippers – They should cut through the offending stitches without effort. Also, a dull blade puts you at greater risk for cutting a hole in your fabric. Toss your old and cranky seam rippers, and buy some new ones!
- Needles – Not changing your needle is probably the most common new sewer mistake. Bad needles cause skipped stitches , funky tension, and damaged fabric. One good rule of thumb is to switch needles with every bobbin change.
- Pins – This one was news to me until the lovely Leila mentioned it. Did you know that pins can get dull? If your pin is bent, sticky, or not gliding through your fabric toss it. It’s not worth the effort of keeping tools that don’t work well for you anymore!
What tool maintenance are you doing to prepare for the New Year?
Jodi –
It’s like you stepped into my room! I just bought 4 pairs of new scissors and got a 5th pair for Christmas. I just replaced my pins at Christmas and I have so many extra needles it’s a bit crazy (I tend to switch needles every job). I need to replace my seam ripper but I’m looking for suggestions about which seam ripper is the best.
An excellent and timely post!
Angie
I totally agree with all 5 of your items. Why make more work for yourself by using dull tools? Let alone the safety factor.
My daughter’s boyfriend recently wacked a chunk out of his thumb with an xacto blade and the second question that I asked (after are you okay?) was, “Was the blade dull?” He looked at me funny and replied, “Yeah, I guess it was. How’d you know?” I explained that in order to use a dull tool one needs to press harder and in pressing down harder, one loses control – yada, yada….then I promptly went to change the blade in my rotory cutter!
Little reminders are always welcome…..
Ooh, great post! I hate using dull tools… unfortunately, my current cutting mat is NOT self-healing and dulls my rotary blade in less than 5 cuts. Sharp pins are a joy to use. =)