How To Cut Out Felt

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One of the most common questions I get is "How do you cut your felt so straight and even?" I must admit I've developed a technique that works well for me that I'll be happy to share. There may be better ways of doing it, this is just how I do it. So here goes! 

One of the biggest secrets to great looking felt projects is to have clean cut edges. I have a couple of tricks I use. FIRST, and I can't stress this enough, get yourself very sharp scissors. I use Fiskars Razor Edged Scissors. If you go to the Tabs at the very top of the page and click on the "TOOL" tab, I list a few of the tools I use all the time or click HERE. The gray handled Fiskar scissors are at my side ALWAYS! I also own the Fiskar Sharpener, also on that page, and sharpen the scissors regularly. They give a straight and very fine cut.

Then, when I'm cutting out felt, I use wide packing tape. NOTE: The packing tape can pull and stretch the felt if you are not careful. Before you use tape on your felt test it on a small piece. This technique does not work well on craft felt. The fibers are too loose and the tape will distort the felt. But it works well on high quality, dense, smooth felt. Experiment for yourself.

How To Cut Out Felt Pieces: 

1] Cut out a paper pattern rather close to the cutting edge.

2] When cutting a single layer of felt, place the pattern on top of the felt and tape all the edges of the felt down. Then, when you cut, nothing slides. If you pin your pattern on, the edges can be slightly distorted and the pattern can slip along the edges. When you are cutting only 1 layer of felt, this is a wonderful technique. The tape will never touch the finished piece of felt since it is under the pattern piece. (Note: When cutting out a single layer of felt, the tape does not need to overhang the sides, it just needs to extend beyond the pattern piece by at least 1/4". In the picture below, I show the tape overhanging the felt. This was only done so you could actually see the tape!

3] If you need to cut out 2 pieces of felt that will be sewn on top of one another, cut them out together so they are EXACTLY the same size. Start by cutting out the 2 pieces of felt about 1/2" - 1" larger than the pattern. Then cut out the pattern as explained above and tape it on the front piece BUT this time, make sure your tape overhangs the top piece of felt by 2 or 3 inches.

4] Now, flip over the pattern and 2 pieces of felt. Using the extending tape, tape the back piece of felt. REMEMBER: The tape can pull and slightly stretch felt.  Use only enough tape to hold the pieces together. Do not press the tape down hard. And make sure there is always a part of the felt not taped on the back piece. This will be the spot you will use to help remove the tape.

5] To cut the felt, hold the felt tightly in one hand while cutting with the other. Hold the felt together close to the edge you are cutting.

6] Turn the piece over and gently remove any tape remaining on the back piece. Use a technique of removing the tape with one hand while the other slides under the tape, holding down the felt, preventing stretching.

7] You should now have 2 pieces of felt, exactly the same size, with clean, evenly cut edges.