Experiments cutting fabric

[fairwayflunkie]

Well I finally tried it...cutting fabric which is why I bought the cougar...

1st attempt: Steam a seam applied to back of fabric, fabric side down on sticky mat...45 degree blade on click 3

Results: It cut but left a gooey mess on the fabric...yuck...

2nd attempt: Spray starch (Mary Ellen's Best Press, unscented) three coats on back and one coat on front on regular mat, doesn't stick so no go...

I watched them cutting fabric on the new Silhouette Cameo and they put a stabilizer (looked like steam a seam) but before they put the fabric down they took the paper backing off....aha...let's try that...

3rd attempt: Spray starch as above, apply steam a seam, take paper backing off, put on regular mat fabric side up, Force 125, Velocity 100 and 45 degree blade on click three.

Results: Voila! success! The only thing is that it cuts into the mat a bit...not through by any means but I can feel it when I run my fingernail across it...what should I try next? the cut is fabulous...I think I just need to tweak the force a bit so it doesn't cut into the mat so much...what do you guys/gals think?

[Elizabeth]

looks great, Nancy! I used a super sticky mat with my starched fabric, and didn't need a stabilizer. I can't wait to cut some more.

[Thyme]

the cut looks great.
Try dropping the force a little and see if you can get a clean cut without it cutting into the mat.

[Suzan]

My mom cut with wonder under from a roll on the back of fabric with paper and a sticky mat. You probably wouldn't need the paper and it shouldn't leave a gooey mess. Also a starched piece on a really sticky mat should work also. And try just lowering your force just a few not many just a few.

[fairwayflunkie]

I'm trying it now...stay tuned!

[fairwayflunkie]

Okay looks like it's V 100 and F 65...still cuts a little bit when in points but overall yahooo!!! A friend is coming by to see it in action tonight...so Sherri might have another sale on her hands....

[Retta]

Looks wonderful!!! Contests!

[Gigi]

Looks terrific Nancy

[pigtailpat]

Nancy -

keep up with the tests because it will help me out when I am ready! Looks so nice so far.

Pat

[fairwayflunkie]

Well I tried letters like and O and an E lower case and that didn't do so well...it shifts when it cuts the interior before the exterior...but I will keep at it until I figure it out....

[Tyler]

Thank you so much for doing this! I am going to keep an eye on this to see what you find works best for you!

[pigtailpat]

Nancy -

cutting the "innies" is actually preferable and that is known as an inline sort. If the material is shifting, that means the mat is not sticky enough. From everything I read, and my own experience when I had cut fabric on the gazzy, you need a super sticky mat for fabric.

Pat

[rachellann]

extra sticky mats and sometimes startching the fabric also helps

[fairwayflunkie]

Actually...the sticky mat that came with my machine was laminated cardstock (that's what it looks like) with some adhesive on it...did not work at all and very gummy...

[pezadoodle]

i can't wait to try fabric myself as i did alot of that with my cricut. one thing i found in general - super sticky mat, very sharp blade and wonder under without the paper backing - works every time with the cricut so i am sure i will have superb results with the BC when i get to that point! (i am still brand new and learning!)

[kim]

I think Penny has been working with fabric. I would think the biggest thing to have is a REALLY sticky mat. You could probably take an old mat and resticky it just for fabric.

[newbiecat]

Looks great and 10 of 10 for finding edison moments, and a lot lesss than he took to get the bulb to light

Will be watching closely since I had no desire to cut fabric till I saw this - then I remembered I have some christmas fabric somewhere stuffed away - thinking Christmas tree on mats for the table or similar .........and just when I thought I had settled on vinyl being the thing I enjoy cutting most

Good luck - off to see if we can get wonder under in the UK or something similar

Pandora