Felt is such a versatile crafting material and because it doesn't fray, it's ideal for adding features on toys, such as eyes. Cutting small shapes from felt however, can be challenging. It's hard to trace directly onto felt and pinning small patterns in place is less than ideal. Lucky for us, there's a much simpler way to accurately cut small felt shapes without the frustration.
Introducing... Freezer Paper.
We all know it's easier to cut neat little shapes out of paper than it is out of felt right? This is where freezer paper comes in very handy for crafters.
Now before we dive in, it's important to note that in Australia (and possibly other countries), the freezer or greaseproof paper sold in our supermarkets won't work. You'll need to buy the American sort, waxy on one side and matte like paper on the other. It's readily available from large crafting stores such as Spotlight. Reynolds is a popular brand.
Best of all, freezer paper won't leave residue on your felt so you can use the felt shape on either side, particularly handy if you're working with directional shapes.
A little admission up front... With regards to cutting the shapes, I use embroidery scissors. This is the only time I use them to cut paper (wahhh!) and I must admit it makes me cringe but no other scissors will do the job as well. If it's something you plan to do on a regular basis, you might like to have a pair of scissors dedicated to this kind of work.
Ok, let's get started.
How to:
And that's it!
Go forth and cut felt.
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