Paper Trimming for Beginners, How to Cut Cards, Windows, Small Paper Pieces etc. Crafting For Almost Everyone

I was asked by a viewer, Jennie, if I would show her how to use her paper trimmer to cut small pieces of paper and had questions about using her paper trimmer in general. I have tried to simplify paper trimming so this video is more for the beginning paper trimmer and not the more advanced crafter.

The first thing I recommend, is making marks on your cut bar at 4 1/4", 5 1/2", 7" and 10" as these are the most common card cuts.

I show how to make a template for a 5 x 7" card by taking a 12 x 12" piece of paper and trimming off the weird edge by laying your paper to the 12" mark and trimming off anything beyond the perforation on the paper.

To make a 5 x 7" card, you cut your paper at 10" and then turn it one turn and cut it at 7" and then fold the 10" side at 5" so the card then becomes a 5 x 7" card.

To trim paper that has a pattern on it, make a template of the size card you want to use with copy paper or junk mail and keep it to lay on your design. Once you decide which direction you want you paper cut, you can lay your template over the paper and line the paper up to the trim line then cut it. Turn it and put the template where you want it, then put it to the cut line and hold your paper in place and remove the template and cut. Turn again, and repeat the same process on the fourth side.

Cutting smaller pieces of paper can be difficult. Jenni wanted me to show her how to cut a 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" piece of paper. To do that, take a long piece of paper and using the marks on your paper trimmer, line up the paper at 1 1/2" and trim a long piece of paper. Then turn it sideways and moving the paper to the 2 1/2" mark on your paper trimmer, cut the paper. Then move the paper again to the 2 1/2" mark and cut. Do this until your paper isn't long enough to trim.

To make a standard card that's called an A2 size card, take a full size piece of card stock that is 8 1/2" x 11" and line the paper on the 11" side and trim it at the 5 1/2" mark and cut your paper in half. Then you will score it at 4 1/4" so it folds in half to create a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card.

You can also cut your paper on the 8 1/2" side and cut it in half at 4 1/4". Then score it on the 11" length at 5 1/2" to create a top fold card.

To cut a box out of your card, it's easiest to draw your box on your card and know the measurements for your box (on the paper). You'll need to know the left and right vertical line measurements from the card fold as well as the top and bottom line measurements from the bottom of the card.. The slits that you cut from top to bottom are simple. You'll line your paper up to the line you drew (and measurement you wrote) and cut the paper to the top and bottom of your box. On the top and bottom, you'll turn your paper sideways and trim the top and bottom to meet the other cut lines.

I recommend the 12" paper trimmer from Cricut that retails for $15 without a coupon and is available at all big craft stores. It has been a better trimmer for me as I had a lot of trouble with the wire in the bigger Fiskars trimmer that I previously recommended and found it to be too big of a hassle for me to use. Fiskars replaced the cut bar and ultimately the trimmer, and I continued to have issues with it even though I kept changing the blade on the 12" trimmer. Renate, another subscriber, suggested you check MayMay's YouTube channel for discount codes for it. I bought mine at Joanns' with a coupon and spent $7.50 for it.

I hope this helps the newer crafter in trimming paper. More experienced paper trimmers will find easiers ways to produce these cuts, but I wanted to simplify for the beginner.

Here is my contact information:

Email: saundralparker@yahoo.com
Blog: craftingforalmosteveryone.com
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Paper Trimming for Beginners, How to Cut Cards, Windows, Small Paper Pieces etc.
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How-to & Style	Upload TimePublished on 24 Mar 2017