Some people are natural circle cutters but for those of you (like me) who don’t have it in your DNA, here are four of the simplest ways to cut out very happy-looking felt circles.
I know that there are lots of circle cutting gadgets around. I’ve only tried a few and the ones I tried didn’t really work so well, at least not with felt, so generally, I don’t tend to recommend them.
Here’s a Youtube video showing you four different methods you can use to cut out circles.
And don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel for lots more helpful sewing with kids videos.
Here’s a quick run down on how I cut out my circles from felt
1. Draw and Cut
Simply draw a circle on your felt and cut it out.
Ordinary soft graphite pencils work well, just don’t make the point too sharp or it will tend to damage your felt. And if your felt is dark, then a wax pencil is a lifesaver. It makes a lovely soft white line that rubs off without any trouble.
To draw a decent circle, that is, a circle without any wobbles and bumps, you’ll need to use a circle stencil or something that comes in a circle shape. Luckily, there are all sorts of household items you can use: coins, cups, bowls, jar lids and many more.
Also, it’s important to make sure you have a good quality pair of scissors. Kiddy scissors and cheap scissors just won’t do the trick. I think that good quality scissors are a must for adults as well as for kids.
Lastly, you really should keep one pair of scissors for fabric and another for paper. Paper tends to blunt your scissors which means, you won’t get a clean cut if you use them on fabric. And in cases where I am cutting paper and fabric at the same time, as in the paper and tape and the freezer paper methods below, I will have a separate pair of scissors that I use just for these methods.
2. Paper and Tape
Draw a circle on paper. Cut around the circle staying about 1/8″ from the edge of the circle. Use ordinary cellophane tape to stick the circle onto your felt. The tape will give the felt a little more stiffness, making it easier to cut out your circle.
3. Freezer paper
What an amazing find freezer paper is!
It’s great for accurately cutting out circles and, of course, more complicated shapes too. It’s definitely my go-to method when I need my shapes to be cut out with a high degree of precision. And it’s easy to use: simply draw or print out your circle on the matt side of the freezer paper, iron it on with a hot iron, and lo and behold, it sticks! Now all you have to do is cut out your shape and peel off the paper.
4. Hollow punch
Who would have thought that you’d find a perfect tool for punching out felt circles in an auto shop.
Hollow punches range in circle cutting size from about 1/4″ to 3/4″ and that makes them perfect for creating eyes and pupils.
My zenkis never stop telling me that I should set up a Hollow Punch Foundation, or something like that, because those hollow punches have created all their eyes that allow them to see and marvel at the wonders of our world.
(Some products in this post are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy the product.)
And here’s Betty Bat proud of all the circles I’ve cut for her.
Betty is also super proud to be one of the projects in my book, The Zenki Way: A Guide to Designing & Enjoying Your Own Creative Softies
And here’s a fun post on how I design my softies faces and personalities.
And if you’re sewing with kids and want to know everything…well, almost everything, there is to know about sewing with kids my SEWING WITH KIDS GUIDE will help.
Happy circle cutting, Trixi,