How to Cut Circles in Scrapbooking

Circles can be a fun accessory in scrapbooking. You can use them alone, for beach balls or bubbles, or you can use them as a mat for your pictures. Many people enjoy using circle cutters and templates to resize their photographs, whether they're using circle mats or not. Since circles are so widely used in scrapbooking, it's important to know how to cut them properly. Whether using a specialty tool or a pencil and scissors, keep in mind the most attractive circles are those with nice, clean edges.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Scissors
• Paper or photograph
• Circle cutter (recommended)
• Pencil

Use a Circle Cutter to Cut Circles in Scrapbooking

1. Open the circle cutter and place the photo or paper directly inside.
2. Close the circle cutter and look into the viewer to make sure the entire image is being preserved properly. This will help you avoid any irreparable mistakes, which is especially important when working with photographs.
3. Grab the handle of the circle cutter and rotate clockwise. In most cases, you will only need to turn the circle cutter one full turn. However, depending on the thickness of the photograph or paper, you may need to turn the handle several times to get a clean cut.
4. Open the circle cutter and gently lift out the paper. The excess material should break away evenly, leaving a perfectly cut circle behind.

More Ways to Make Circles for Scrapbooking

5. Use pre-cut circle punchies. This will save you time, and it doesn't require investing in more expensive scrapbooking tools.
6. Get a circle template. Ideally, you should choose one with several different size circles. This way, you can reuse the template as many times as you need to for other projects.
7. Trace the circle size you want on a piece of paper. It may be a good idea to trace lightly with a sharp pencil so you can easily erase any marks left over when you're done.
8. Cut out the circle, taking care to follow the line you created. Work slowly so your edges come out as smooth as possible. Rushing through the job could leave you with jagged edges or a lopsided circle.

Tips & Warnings

• Change the blade on your circle cutter frequently to prevent it from becoming dull. Not only will a dull knife be difficult to use, it can also increase your chances of having a serious accident and being injured by your cutter.
• Keep in mind that although circle cutters are relatively safe tools, they still contain sharp blades. Proper care should be taken when using them to avoid serious cuts.