Help me with my photo matting technique...

[mcnuss]

I find matting my pictures to be the most awful chore, and I hate doing it bc they never come out nice. It occurs to me that I am not cutting them right or something (I am pretty much a self-taught scrapper, other than 1 CM class).

Are there tricks & tips you can share? I do ok with circles & ovals bc I use the cutters I bought from CM. Is there something similar out there for rectangles & squares or other shapes? I am always attracted to double-matted layouts, but mine don't look nice and take forever to do.

Help!!!

 

[mommie2angels]

I absolutely LOVE my Fiskars 12" cutter. I cannot master the CM cutters. First I trim my picture if needed. I chose the color I want closest to my picture. Adhere my picture to one corner of that paper. Trim with my cutter the width I want my mat. Adhere that to the next color I chose for my mat. Trim the width I want that border. I always make sure I adhere my picture before cutting so that it doesn't slide. I have always been very pleased with my mats. HTH!

 

[pattievers]

It is a couple of rulers, with several different lips. You use an exacto knife to cut. Really easy!

After that...I agree about the fiskars. You line up your picture with one of the lines, and go!

Good Luck...it will get easier...we promise!

Patti

 

[mcnuss]

This is a dumb question, too. What do people use the Coluzzle for? Do you use the nested templates to make mats? My problem, even using the 12" Fiskars cutter that I have, is that my mats are not even, even when I measure 3x!!

 

[bananiem]

I use my coluzzles for matting. It makes rounded corners though.

 

[RRBB]

I have the Perfect Layers tool set from QVC also. It realy does make cutting straight-edged mats so easy. The set comes with a self-healing cutting mat, a cutting blade, and 2 "rulers". You can make mats from 1/16" - 5/8" - a total of 8 different sizes.

 

[ToDisney]

Originally posted by mommie2angels
I absolutely LOVE my Fiskars 12" cutter. I cannot master the CM cutters. First I trim my picture if needed. I chose the color I want closest to my picture. Adhere my picture to one corner of that paper. Trim with my cutter the width I want my mat. Adhere that to the next color I chose for my mat. Trim the width I want that border. I always make sure I adhere my picture before cutting so that it doesn't slide. I have always been very pleased with my mats. HTH!

This is exactly what I use... and how I cut my mats!!

 

[mommie2angels]

I just haven't mastered an exacto knife for cutting mats. I use it for paper piecing and cutting out titles. I love using my coluzzle though and the swivel knife.

Mcnuss, make sure when you use you 12" Fiskars that you have the paper flush at the bottom. I have a friend who is constantly cutting crooked mats for this reason. She gets so mad because I can just fly through matting with it.

 

[bananiem]

Mcnuss, with the coluzzle you place your photo underneath and position it, then cut to the desired size and shape. Then choose what size mat you want and cut it from the nested template. It's really easy but practice first. The swivel knife must be held straight up and down to cut.

 

[welovemickey]

I just love my "Magic Matter". It's hard to find in LSS and I know that AC Moore and Michaels do not carry it. But if you can find it online, it's worth the $10.00.

Basically, it's 3 different size magnetic circles with a hole in the middle. I put a pencil in the middle and run the circle around the picture, then cut around the lines. There's also the same product with a cutter instead of a pencil, but I always mess up and get frustrated.

 

[MikeScott8]

I use my Fiskars 12" trimmer to do my mats. I measure the picture, holding it against the lip, with one edge of the picture to the cutting line. After I get the length I put in my paper and position it to the length of the picture, and then add on two or more increments on the ruler, and cut.

This works great except for when the cuts are around the 4" mark where the platform ends and the swing out ruler starts.

After cutting I just attach the picture to the mat, centering as needed. I am bit of a perfectionist, but have learned to accept LITTLE crooked/uneven on my mats.

Mike

 

[Pammy jo]

I also have the QVC mat cutter and it cuts great. You can always be assured of exact sizes.
For matted circles I find the coluzzle is ok, but doesn't give you alot of choices of sizes. I have an old CM cutter (the one with the glass to cut on) which is great because you can choose exactly the sizes you want.

 

[MICKEY M0USE]

When I was first learning I used my friend's 12" Fiskars trimmer and never got straight mats. I bought one called Carl and it cuts much straighter, in my opinion. It has a magnet which holds the paper in place and keeps it from wiggling while cutting. My friends make fun of me; I never go to a crop without Carl, he is my best buddy!

12" Carl is a little hard to find, but I bought him in Hobby Lobby. I think they do sell him (or a cousin) at the office supply stores.

 

[PigletsPal]

I also have the 12" Fiskars, but always had a problem with cutting straight so I bought the new cutterbee's which I love. But I'm sorry to say the mailman came to my house an gave me a new LOVE....................PERFECT LAYERS. Oh, what a dream. I used it for the first time today and I'm HOOKED. I waited since March to get this (it was on back order) and have to say it was worth the wait.

 

[Lainy67]

I use two products - the 12 inch Carl cutter (I also got it at Hobby Lobby) and the CM Paper Trimmer.

I cut my photo, then adhere it to a piece of 10 x 12 or 12 x 12 photo mounting paper. I use the Carl to cut the length or width, and I cut it a tad bigger than it needs to be. Then I use the CM Paper trimmer to get the mat to the correct size. I repeat for a double mat, adhering the smaller one first. I usually have no problems.

 

[BevS97]

I hate my fiskars trimmer, it doesn't cut straight at all.
For matting, I use a CM personal trimmer, it's only small so no good for 12x12 cutting, but it works great for matting photos. I like quite a thin mat, so I stick my photo to the background mat paper, then line up the photo against the plastic guard and use that to measure my cut - I get the same size mat every time. if I try and use my fiskars, then I just make a huge mess trimming and retrimming trying to get it straight.
I am very tempted by the Perfect Layers though...

bev

 

[pattievers]

I tried the Carl Paper trimmer while on vacation, and have to agree it is great! I am definitely planning on adding it to my collection.

QVC has one, but smaller...like the Fiskars. It was about $25 which is $15 less that the LSS wanted on vacation.

There are larger sizes, on the Staples website. About $40 I think. Of course, you would save on shipping so that might be worth it. I think I like the little larger one.

What do you ladies who own them think about the sizes?

Patti

 

[mcnuss]

You guys have been so helpful, thank you!

I went on QVC and bought the Perfect Layers. It was $19.95 on special, which, LOL, was LESS than the lowest bid on one on eBay. Just goes to show you should not bid unless you know what something really costs. I'll let you know how it works.

 

[DiznyMagic]

RRB:

I have the Perfect Layers from QVC and tried it for the first time this weekend but I seem to have trouble feeling some of the "lips" on the ruler and ended up cutting the paper a bit off. Any suggestions? Am I not pressing down hard enough?

 

[BlessedMomOfTwo]

I usually use my large paper cutter. It is an office type one. I love it because it has a measuring line grid covering the surface where you place your paper which makes it very easy to line up the edges of your paper to ensure your mats are straight. I use this for all my straight edge mats. Much faster for me than my Fiskars 12" cutter is.

For mats with rounded edges, I use my Coluzzle.

Carol