PMY in QCA-IL

When my DD's were little, anything with red nail polish dots (applied to knives) or red yarn ties (scissors) meant STOP - don't use this. They did pretty well, since they knew a red traffic light meant stop also. Of course there weren't rotary cutters way back then!! I like the idea of a locking tackle box.

ckcowl

all of the kids in my world KNOW that they are NEVER to touch the rotory cutter!!!
they can draw their lines with pencil and use scissors; or they can ask me to cut for them...they can never use the cutter themselves!
they learned this lesson very early...when my youngest granddaughter was 4 she came to the sewing school to work on a quilt for her daddy being deployed; while there one of the class instructors had a big accident with the cutter...cut her finger to the bone...it was tramatic enough that the girls do not even ask if they can try using it. (and the oldest is 15 now) she is even still happy with my cutting anything they want cut with the cutter. rule is no one under 18 allowed to touch the rotory cutters. pain takes all the joy out of an activity. i have never had to hide my cutters, i keep them put away, not laying around any more than a butcher knife would be left laying around. WE ALWAYS PRACTICE SAFETY FIRST!

stewyscrewy

Both of my nephews come over just to hang out and play video games to get away fromm mom and dads and younger lil sisters. and I always have to snatch away my rotary cutter they think it is a cool tool and have to play with it. they are both 15. You would think they know better but nooooo they just have to play.

EagarBeez

Awhile back, when my step son (17) was still in school. he had a project. I kept scissors, glue, tape, in a kitchen drawer for any school projects he had.
I told him do not, DO NOT, use any of my sewing tools. The kitchen drawer has ample supplies.
One day, I am making curtains and I went for my scissors. They were not there, asked son did you take them. His answer was NO. Guess where I found them, under his bed and a pile of clothes.
I questioned him, he had to cut some cardboard and found my scissors worked better.
I hid them from that point on

Quiltforme

Yes my 5 yo loves to cut and sew and cut everything he can find before I catch him. I have put everything up but he can climb! I am getting my kids a sewing maching (ok fixing up one I had) for one of their gifts. (you have to be careful with little girls and a razor my daughter learned the hard way one day :) I agree teach him how to use it correctly then that way he will be less likly to hurt himself!

Ramona Byrd

Anyone else have to hide the cutter from the kids?
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Sometimes you actually have to put dangerous things in a cabinet with a key lock on it. Some kids are darn clever at finding keys to locked places, and are highly offended when they get spanked for doing that. Better crying than getting sewed up in ER !!

Don't ask me how I know.

watterstide

Lock it up, is the only thing i can say..i know gals that have had to have stitches!

ckcowl

just have to add my 2-cents worth...about teaching a 5 year old to use a rotory cutter--safely...
i do not believe ANY CHILD should be given a razor blade to play with...really? you are thinking it would be ok? no child is that careful or able to understand until it is too late and stitches or worse are required.
JUST PLAIN SCARY PEOPLE!

wvdek

I agree. I do not see one 'cute' thing about a five year old using a rotary cutter much less on the wood floor. If he had been my child, his butt would be whooped.

It would not be wise to 'teach' him to use the cutter. His fingers are a whole lot smaller than an adults and would probably be cut off a lot quicker than the adult not to mention being that small he would have his face closer to the balde and ....oh my people , use your common sense.

Annaquilts

Definitely hide it. With 14 kids, I have a lock on the outside of my studio door that I need to punch a number code into. sometimes I get weird jokes from people that I lock my kids in there but it actually locks people out and you can not lock people into the room. Before I had a studio I would pack it away when not in use. I also make sure to lock the blade when it is not in my hand and also remind my dear quilt friends to do so when they come quilting. I am glad your little one is so interested in quilting. Many of my children started sewing at that age and some became awesome quilters at around 12 years old. Still the rotary cutter is held back till they are about 12-13 years old under super vision and for some of my kids, even adult ones, they will never be allowed to use it.