Sunday, March 1, 2009

Rotary Ninja Training

Welcome Grasshopper.



So, you wish to learn the ancient skills of the
Rotary Ninja.


These skills are highly sought after by many Sewing Grandmasters.
You must be willing to submit to the training,
and use your deepest concentration to become a Ninja.


We will now begin.


1.The first things you must learn are agility and flexibility.
You must stretch your body, and your mind with this yoga exercise.

....and Breath........
very good Grasshopper.


2. You must become one with the Ninja weaponry.



The Rotary Cutter with its very Ninja blade.

The Rotary Mat


and the nearly invisible See-Thru ruler.


3. The Ninja technique.

You basically have 2 rulers that you are using to help your measure.

Before you start cutting your pattern pieces, you need to square up your fabric. On this piece of fabric, the top and bottom were already straight. I could tell this when i put it on the cutting board. It sat straight on the horizontal lines. but, the ends didn't match up. The bottom is longer than the top. To fix this you align your ruler with the top and bottom of the fabric.

With one hand holding the ruler in place, grip the rotary in your other hand and roll it along the edge of the ruler. Make sure that you always cut AWAY from your body.


Magically, that fabric scrap is severed from its body.
Ninjas love to cut things.
Your fabric is now square, and ready to be cut.

Many pattern will only give you the measurements of the pieces you need....no pattern pieces. For a Ninja, this is not a problem.

The first piece we will cut is supposed to be 1.5" x 2.5"

On your ruler, locate the line that would equal 1.5"

Assume the proper Ninja Cutting Stance.

1-Always stand up when cutting.

2-Apply firm pressure to the ruler with one hand.

3-Grasp Rotary Cutter in the opposite hand.

4-Cut away from your body.

The fabric left under the ruler is 1.5" wide.

Now we need to cut that piece to 2.5" long.

You can either find the 2.5" on the ruler, or use the lines in the cutting mat. You must use the powers of concentration to decide what is best for you.

Cut Now.

See your perfectly cut fabric!


1-Align you fabric with the lines on the cutting board.

2-Square up your fabric.

3-Find measurement on ruler, or cutting mat.

4-Cut away from your body.

When you are a real Rotary Ninja
You will sometimes be able to make two cuts in only one step.

The cut below is 1.5" by 6.75". You only need to place the ruler on BOTH measurements and then make the cuts.

Grasshopper, You have completed your training. You may have to practice these steps to gain the proper skills.

Then you will become an Awesome Rotary Ninja.

For more Rotary Cutting links see Gracie Lous blog

(and you can wear the ninja suit if you want to)

9 comments:

Kathi D said...

And may I add, KEEP YOUR FINGERS OUT OF THE PATH OF THE BLADE.

Don't ask me how I know that.

It's A Wonderful said...

Awesome instructions, Master. One must always keep one's skills honed.

Keeping in the respectful tone, Master, will you be giving us a clue as to the type bag we will be making? Grasshopper's legs are itching to know!

Madi said...

the keeping your fingers out of the path.. someone should have told me before... WOW are those things SHARP..

JJ said...

Very good Master. All I lack is enough strenght in my hand to cut through all of the material. I even have a new blade.

I am a mother! said...

Did you post that just for me? Thanks!

Mrs Jelly said...

Oh awesome master, how does one gain the strength in one's shoulder to not make you say "oh that's it, I'm going back to scissors?"

Molly said...

I thought I was a ninja, but since I usually cut on the floor, sitting or kneeling, what does that make me?

Rachel said...

Great to see that I am doing it right! Thanks. I like the fact that my Mother-in-Law made my daughter a dress with those exact fabrics too.

Jenny said...

Um! Where is the ninja suit. I was sooo looking forward to that.