Page 14 - THE INDEPENDENT

14
WHAT IS craft DIE CUTTING?
Die cutting for the home crafter involves
a one-time investment in a die cutting machine (see page 18 for more information on the types of machine available), die designs to fit the machine and general craft supplies.
The technique of die cutting at home involves a table top machine and cutting plates. Some machines are incredibly small and lightweight but go all the way up to robust larger machines. The die and material to be cut are placed in a ‘sandwich’ between cutting plates which act as a barrier between the roller and the
metal die. This is put through the machine’s rollers, either manually or automatically dependant on the machine, in the same way that washing used to be put through a mangle!
The pressure of the rollers on the plates pushes the metal blade of the die through the paper or cardstock and cuts out the shape as per the design on the die. The best part about this is that this process can be repeated any number of times to replicate the design exactly with perfect results every time.
Many different materials can be cut using home crafting dies and we share lots of inspiration on these materials throughout this book. The variety of materials that can now be cut allow the crafter to move from the more common paper crafting with die cuts into fabric, mixed media, home décor techniques and many other styles of craft.
The ease of the process for home crafters means that this can now be a fun way to spend time with the family, with parents and grandparents crafting with children and grandchildren. With designs
available in every style you can think of from flowers and butterflies, to super heroes and licensed characters, there really are dies to suit every occasion.
With such a multitude of designs available for craft die cutting nowadays, from simple essential shapes such as squares and circles to intricate toppers and sentiments to shaped cards, there is a whole world of crafting available at your fingertips.