Today our guest Blog writer is Crystal, our knowledge expert on the Scan n Cut machines. I hope you enjoy it.
Do you use your scan n cut for cutting fabric or applique shapes?
Do you know there are specific mats and blades that can help you with this process?
If you own an SDX machine, there is now a mat that is specifically geared for use with fabric. This mat has a gold base colour and is very tacky and therefore holds your fabric more giving you a better cut.
Prior to this mat being released you may have been applying a high tack adhesive sheet to one of your mats and therefore using it as a fabric mat. The new fabric mat replaces this. I have been using this mat with my applique shapes recently and I find it has great hold with my fabric.
These mats are available from My Sewing Supplies.
For those who own older model machines (CM series), this mat will not work with your machine however you can continue to utilise the high tack adhesive sheets and layering these onto a new mat and dedicating that mat to fabric cutting.
Don’t forget once you have finished cutting with your mat, give it a clean with baby wipe (fragrance free/alcohol free one only!)
Here is a little video to help with the cleaning process
In regard to blades, it is recommended that you use the appropriate blade for the material you are cutting. If you own an SDX machine you have 2 options for blades and fabric cutting.
If you are cutting applique shapes (ie fabric with an adhesive layer such as vlisofix) use the black blade.
If you are cutting fabric only you should use the brown blade which is the thin fabric blade.
To get the best cut however with fabric only it is best that your fabric is starched to make it stiffer. Any starch will do the trick but the best one I have used is the Mary Ellen Best Press. This is available from My Sewing Supplies in both a spray bottle and 1L bottle. Empty spray bottles are also available and these are great to use. They have a much better and even spray pattern.
473 ml spray bottle
1 litre Refill
Ultra fine spray empty bottle
If you own an older model machine (CM series), it is best that you use your teal blade and complete a test cut to determine the appropriate blade depth. It is important still for you to starch your fabric when cutting plain fabric to ensure a clean cut.
Holders
Blades
If you are finding you aren’t getting a clean cut on your Scan n Cut machine (any model), it may be time to change your blade. This is a bit like changing a needle on your sewing machine. Over time the blades will get blunt and it will depend on what you are cutting and the frequency of cutting as to how often you will need to change it. It is also important to clean out the blade holder at the same time as this will accumulate a build up of fibres over time and can impact the way the blade operates. Always ensure that you are buying the correct blade for the holder you are using it with as an incorrect blade will either not fit or give you a poor cut.
If you ever unsure don’t hesitate to contact us and we can guide you through the options.
Here is a little video on changing a blade (with a cool trick that I learnt about the spatula!)
This video shows the blade system from the CM series machines however the principle can be applied the same way to the SDX blade system.
Hope these tips and tricks have been helpful and I’m sure your machine will thank you 😊