A new year brings an opportunity to take up a new hobby. It’s the perfect time when you think about it! The holidays are behind us, we’re in the midst of a wonderful summer and you often find yourself with more time on your hands during these long days. Getting into crafts requires the right tools and hours of practice for it to become an enjoyable and worthwhile way to spend your time. That’s why we’ve put together a handy guide to the 5 essential cutting tools for crafters.
- Craft Knife: Craft knives are for precision cutting in straight lines or free-hand. Sharp blades on a good-quality craft knife cut without straining, ripping or slipping. You can choose between different sizes and opt for auto-reload and retractable safety knives. We’d recommend choosing one with a safety lock if you are inexperienced.
- Cutting Mat: These mats are used to protect your tables and desks, whilst offering a helpful measuring guide to cut from. Good cutting mats are self-healing, meaning slices in the resilient surface will soon stick back together and seal themselves. We recommend a mat that includes square and bias lines making cutting squares, shapes and angles easy.
- Rotary Cutter: Similar to a pizza cutter, a rotary cutter has a disc blade that will produce long, fluid cuts time after time. It works well on fabric, leather, vinyl and paper and offers fast, precision cutting on all your projects. We love the speed and fun of using this tool! A personal favourite.
- Hobby Knife: This tool consists of a small razor-sharp blade on a pencil-like handle. Made for very fine, detailed cuts – as opposed to the larger craft knives and rotary cutters – the hobby knife is needed for those intricate details of your crafts. Perfect for multiple arts and craft projects using wood, cardboard, vinyl or wallpaper. We recommend choosing a design with a textured grip.
- Guillotine: When mistakes are made during paper crafting, it can be rather frustrating. Adding a guillotine to your tools collection can save you tons of time and effort. Choosing one capable of cutting multiple sheets at a time means identical cuts and time saved. The rotary blades will ensure crisp cuts every time.
These 5 essential tools will turn you from novice to expert in no time at all. So, what are you waiting for? Start your craft journey now and make this a year to remember.
