Silly quesiton about stencils....

Bucsnpats · **Silly quesiton about stencils....**

What do YOU do with them???

My dd and I have a few different "styles"...some made with strong plastic that you can use with the shape cutter (although I can't get it to work)...some that are flexible plastic....

So, do you trace and cut out the shapes??? Fill it in with a marker???

I can't get this Shape Cutter to work for the life of me...not even on a simple circle....not sure what I am doing wrong...

But also curious as to what else to do with all of these stencils....

Hope I am explaining myself correctly here...

abbysmommy · 08-03-2007, 08:57 AM

I had some stencils, but I didn't care for them, so I got rid of them. One thing I did was cut pictures out in shapes. To do so, I just laid the stencil over my picture and used a wax pencil to trace the shape over the image. Then I cut the image out with scissors and used a tissue to wipe the wax pencil off of my photo. Of course, I also used them to simply cut shapes out of cardstock some as well for die cuts or decorations on the page. I still don't have a shape cutter, but I simply use things around the house to cut circles like tracing around a glass or a bowl.

Bucsnpats · 08-03-2007, 09:04 AM

Maybe this shape cutter needs to be the bonus prize when I host my crop....cause I am ready to throw it out the window!!!

Thanks Martha ~ but how do you cut straight then??? I try cutting a circle freehand and it looks horrible....you must have really steady hands!!!

kmslhowell · **stencils**

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my shape cutter and I have just about every stencil that Friskars makes for the shape cutter. I think that it just takes practice and working with it because my Mom bought it and cant stand it either. You have to set the tension/spring on the cutter. I do know that they have changed their design recently but I have the older one and have no trouble with it. You have to be using the cutter on the right side of the template though. Be sure that the stencil you are using is smooth on the side facing you. The side that is down should be the lined or groovy feeling part of the stencil. You then just place the cutter on the inside edge of the shape and carefully hold onto the paper and stencil and cut it out!! I recently purchased the letter set and LOVE using it.

I have also used my stencils to cut photos out using a wax pencil. You can also use chalks or paints and color in the inside of a stencil to make cute decorations on cards or scrapbook pages. I will try and do some in the future and post on this thread so you can see what I mean. Have fun with those stencils and keep trying that circle cutter.

eap8898 · 08-04-2007, 12:20 AM

Yeah, that Fiskars shape cutter bites! I had one a long time ago, and I could never get it to work either. I gave up trying and sold it on ebay with some other sb stuff. I use the CM shape templates these days, and they are much easier to cut.

I have a few stencils too that I rarely use, but hold on to them "just in case" I need them! I've traced and cut, and also sponged ink inside them to make the ink shape on my card stock.

jessthenurse · 08-04-2007, 08:13 AM

I love my shape cutter! You have to make sure the correct side of the stencil is down. You also have to make sure to start cutting on a straight line. I use a glass mat with mine and I find that works so much better for cutting everything.

Bucsnpats · 08-04-2007, 03:38 PM

Ok, here is the thing....I guess the stencils that I have are too small for the shape cutter, or that is what I am guessing....they are not made specifically for the shape cutter...they are stencils that my dd had in her "stash". Hard to explain, maybe I will post pictures...

So, I just went out and got the jumbo circle templates....so I will try that.

I almost bought the glass mat.....do you really think that works better??? Hummmm.....that might have to be my next purchase....

meghannsnanny · 08-04-2007, 05:03 PM

i GOT ONE OF THE FISKARS ONE AND CAN'T WORK IT FOR NOTHING! I HAVEN'T A CLUE WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

jessthenurse · 08-04-2007, 05:53 PM

Do I think my glass mat works better? ABSOLUTELY!!! I think it works better for everything. I had a self-healing mat and hated it! I won't even consider using anything besides a glass mat now.

jessthenurse · 08-04-2007, 10:24 PM

Just wanted to add that it helps if you make sure your blade is facing the right direction before cutting.

Here's a two-page layout I did tonight using my shape cutter. All the pics were cut with the fiskars all-purpose cutter and the circle stencil. The solid circles in the background were cut with my curvy cutter. All were cut on my glass mat.