Choosing fabrics for your cutter and project
You can cut all types of fabrics including cotton, batik, flannel, fleece, wool, and denim although the number of layers of each fabric you can cut is determined by its thickness and type. Always start with fewer layers and build up.
On the GO! fabric cutters, you can cut up to six layers of 100% cotton fabric at a time.
On the Studio 2 Fabric Cutter, you can cut up to ten layers of 100% cotton fabric at a time.
The number of layers you are able to cut with other types of fabric depends on the thickness and density of the fabric, plus the intricacy of the die design.
We recommend trying some test cuts to determine how many layers work best with each type of fabric and die combination. Check out our fabric table below!
For example:
When using a rag die we recommend only cutting 1 layer of fabric at a time.
Always begin with fewer layers and slowly build up. The chart below is the recommended number of fabric layers.
***CUT ONLY ONE LAYER WITH RAG DIES***
| Fabric Types | Number of layers |
| Batiks | 6 |
| Cotton | 6 |
| Cotton with fusible web | 4 |
| Denim | 1 |
| Felt | 1 to 2 |
| Flannel | 1 to 2 |
| Fleece | 1 to 2 |
| Leather | 1 |
| Satin | 6 |
| Silk | 6 |
| Wool | 2 |
| Batting | 1 to 2 |
Test Cutting Fabric
- First thing that we find helpful is to test cut your fabric. If you’re cutting several layers, be sure to test cut each number of layers to ensure the integrity of the cuts are maintained before cutting entire quilts or many pieces.
- All fabrics have residual shrinkage. When cutting on the lengthwise grain you may still experience some shrinkage or stretch because of the characteristic of the fabric. If you still experience cutting inconsistencies, we recommend trying the following tip:
- Sandwich a piece of clean white paper on top of the fabric but before the cutting mat and roll the die through the cutter. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly fine to cut some paper with your fabric cutter. However, frequent paper cutting is not recommended since it will affect the performance of your die.
Still have questions?
- Please contact the Customer Experience team by creating a Help Center Support Ticket at: Create a Customer Support Ticket describing your question. You can also contact us directly via online Live Chat, Monday - Friday between the hours of 8am - 5pm CT.