tools of the trade.

Published by

on

Today I thought I’d share some of my favorite craft tools! No endorsements here; just pure awesomeness.

Paper trimmer
I’ve had this Cutterpede brand cutter for years now. The blade lasts a really long time and the cutting cushion can be rotated and flipped for maximum use. I have yet to replace it. The side ruler swivels out and the clear ruler on top lifts up for easy paper placing.

paper cutter.

Scissors
I use two types. For paper I have a Recollections brand pair (left). For felt, a Tim Holtz brand (right). The short blades allow for more control and precision. The finger loops are nicely cushioned.
Fun fact: I used to use kitchen sheers for all of my craft cutting. Can you believe that? After finding these scissors I can never go back!

scissors.

Bone folder
This makes folding paper effortless, and super fun, too. This definitely reduces my chances of getting a paper cut or paper burn (#realcraftproblems).

bone folder.

Rotary cutter
I didn’t realize how much I “needed” this tool until I bought one. It makes cutting fabric super easy. Pair with a really good ruler and you’re good to go.

rotary cutter.

Self healing mat
And if you have a rotary cutter, you need one of these. I particularly love the Recollections brand mats because they don’t smell. Go smell the green ones and then you’ll know what I’m talking about. Plus, these come in pretty pink.

self-healing mat.

Hot glue gun
If you’re going to purchase a glue gun, get a good one. The $2 ones from the craft store have failed me multiple times. The one I have gets the glue hot and super hot for different materials. It’s easy to control the amount of glue that comes out.

hot glue gun.

What’s in your craft toolbox? Share below!

4 responses to “tools of the trade.”

  1. PeachPod Avatar

    Your glue gun is so clean! Mine gets covered in globs…but it’s a cheapie, so maybe that’s why. 😉

    1. Erin G. Avatar

      hehe, I try to pick at mine to remove gunk, but if you look closely you can see burnt glue. eee…

  2. Janice Avatar
    Janice

    Is the roller cutter only useful for cutting fabric? I’ve restarted my ultra realistic paper craft project of the vmax Yamaha motorcycle (check out the Yamaha paper craft website btw! It’s so cool!) and it’s taking quite a while for me to cut out the pieces with an exacto knife.

    1. Erin G. Avatar

      Ya!! So cool!! Hmm, you can probably also use it for paper but maybe try a smaller diameter one for detailed work + a ruler and curvy ruler thing to help guide cuts (See 3rd pic: https://crafterateur.com/2015/03/14/t-shirt-dress/). Exacto knife is probably best though!

Leave a Reply

Previous Post
Next Post

Discover more from Crafterateur

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading