Crafts Beautiful - Quick & Crafty - Let's Make Cards Magazine

I have the same one as you Lollies.

I find I can use it in either direction as long as I hold the template down firmly and keep the wrist I hold the cutter in flexible. It is a little hard to describe, but you need to keep the blade parallel to the edge of the template and move your wrist around as your go around curves or turn corners(also turning the cutter slightly to keep it parallel to the template). It helps to keep your elbow level with your table to do it.

As always practice makes perfect. The more you practice at it the better you will get. Sometimes the best tools take time to get to know.

Thanks PinkBubble!

Your Welcome Lauren. Let us know how you get on. Once you get the knack there will be no stopping you!

My tip for this, is to use some low tack tape (like double sided tape, run over your jeans)

Then put it on your plastic template.
But as everyone said anti-clockwise. and guess what everything stays in one place. No movement of the template, and no struggle to hold it all in place.
when finished, your cut out will fall away and then carefully peel the template away from the rest of the paper or card.

Hope this helps, it took me a day to figure out the best way to use mine

Sarah x

Thanks for the tip sarah! will try that in a moment!

I find it really annoying!  I have less-than-strong wrists, etc. and its a struggle for me...so glad I got it at my fav. ‘75% off’ counter!

[Its the funniest thing, but I found a counter staffed by a group of gay men in the Bay, and they love to just give you stuff for 75% off - they don’t have much priced with stickers, and they seem to make it up as we go along! I am always like so happy I found them! LOL! They are always laughing and goofing around too - so funny. ]

Anyways, if it hadn’t been so cheap - I’d be ticked, but I’ll try the suggestions here too and pray it works better. Its a shame because mine came with 4 sheets of templates, and so it would be good to use them.

I used to be intimidated by mine until I got my husband involved. He experimented with it and found out it has more to do with the shape cutter itself rather than the paper or the template. I found out that by turning the knob on the cutter, you can adjust the amount of pressure the blade will cut with. After trying it out, I found out what works best and have had no problems with it since. Now I love my shape cutter and templates and use them frequently.

You have all inspired me to get my Shape Cutter out and persevere - and lo and behold it works for me now!  One tip I picked up from the Fiskars website was to run the blade down the cutting mat towards me a couple of times first before trying to cut to align the blade.  That certainly seemed to help it cut more freely, both freehand and with a template.  And I only just cottoned on that the holes in the templates were for storing them in a ring binder - my craft room (or the dumping ground as DH calls it) just got the teeniest bit tidier!!

This might help
Fiskars were demonstrating at the SECC and ‘cos I had problems using mine too I went and asked for a demonstration. Apparently you need a special cutting mat it’s clear and costs £5 from fiskars. I had a go using the correct mat at the SECC and low and behold it worked fine, needless to say I bought one.
Have tried it with my cutter and yes no more rucked up spoilt bits of paper.
Hope this makes sense if not just shout and I will try to be clearer

torpenhow07 - 26 October 2008 02:21 PM

This might help
Fiskars were demonstrating at the SECC and ‘cos I had problems using mine too I went and asked for a demonstration. Apparently you need a special cutting mat it’s clear and costs £5 from fiskars. I had a go using the correct mat at the SECC and low and behold it worked fine, needless to say I bought one.
Have tried it with my cutter and yes no more rucked up spoilt bits of paper.
Hope this makes sense if not just shout and I will try to be clearer

What a swizz - if that’s the case why don’t they include it with the shapecutter, or at least tell you that you need a special mat?

I have had mine for ages and I think it is great,
I use it with my Fiskar’s shape boss,
the holes at the side are all aligned with the
shape boss and you just fit them on with the pegs
and it all holds steady, even the cutting mat.
Hope this helps all xx

What a swizz - if that’s the case why don’t they include it with the shapecutter, or at least tell you that you need a special mat?

I bought mine as a starter kit with the cutter and a basic template and it came with the special mat - must admit I haven’t tried it with a different mat at all - must try using it on my shape boss - hadn’t thought of doing that!!!

You will find it a lot easier Eve it won’t move when you cutting xx

Will try using mine with my shape boss too as not tried that

Yes do Jackie it is a lot easier, xx