gollytwo

ditto
I cut for both my Grands til they were 12. Even then I only let them use the rotary cutter when I was with them and could oversee.

marscrafter

My son is 8 and I cut the pieces for him. He is allowed to use scissors and I watch him if he uses the sewing machine. My 6 year old daughter sews by hand but doesn't get to use the scissors yet, I still handle them. It's amazing to see the creativity little kids have with fabric.

gaevren

You know, I think that we wrap our children in too much cotton-wool sometimes. Obviously much would depend on the individual child in question (their age, maturity, and abilities), but I don't see any reason to blanket ban them from using any tools until they're a certain age. Except power tools, perhaps!

My eldest daughter is 13 years old (will be 14 in February) and I trust her completely around a stove and sharp kitchen knives. She can, and often does, make full dinners for the entire family, unsupervised. It's an incredible help because her father and I both have to work full-time, but I had started teaching her how to cook and how to respect the dangers long before I had to go back to work.

My next daughter is nine years old and has been using "dangerous" tools for some time. Two years ago she used a soldering gun to build her science fair project (supervised). I wouldn't allow her to use a sewing machine or a rotary cutter unsupervised, but if I was in the sewing room and she wanted to work on her projects, I would let her have at it.

My youngest will be 6 in December and she isn't allowed to use anything except pins and snub-nosed scissors (supervised of course!) As she gets older I'll "graduate" her to more things she can use.



It wasn't that long ago that children and teens/young adults were expected to know how to use and do things that nowadays we think they can't or shouldn't be allowed to do.

mshollysd

I have a klutz glove that any child who ever touches a rotary cutter is "required" to wear. I have seen too many people (adults) which hugh bandages on their hands when they slipped with the rotary.

debp33

no rotary cutter in my opinion

ManiacQuilter2

I TOO would NOT let him cut with a rotary cutter. He is probably OK with the sewing machine. There was a search on QB recently for a device that looks like a scrapbooking paper cutter but it cuts fabric. Eleanor Burns demo it on her TV show when she had a young girl she was teaching how to quilt. Something you might want to look into for him. Men DO love power tools !!! GOOD LUCK !!! :mrgreen:

Rosyhf

There is a ruler and cutter all in one now, new on the market. It cost about 45.00. the blade runs on a lip of the ruler and there is no way you can cut yourself.

Glassquilt

Scissors. Worked for our mothers and will work for today's younger quilters.

clarinet87

I would say it's what you feel comfortable with.

The most important thing, whether or not you let him use it is to make sure he knows the proper way to work with all tools. Take the mystery out of it for him so he's not tempted to try to use it behind your back, which could definitely end badly.

I'm 24 years old and even just today I cut myself a bit with my rotary. Whoops!

Good luck!

MoanaWahine

I was thinking this also. Had not thought about the age to let them use a Rotary Cutter, but 18 sounds good to me. When I am using a Rotary Cutter, the kids are not allowed near me. Yes, I have cut myself a little bit, not bad but none the less. I can see him use a scissors when needed. And always under the very close eye of me. This will be a new advantage for him and he is looking forward to it. I mentioned it to him and he would love to start yesterday :lol:

I need to get my old machine out and working first and he needs to have some free time before we go down this path.

Thanks for all the replies.