New to Sewing/Quilting and have a Rotary Cutter Question

There is a tutorial on YouTube: "How to Cut Fabric with a Rotary Cutter" by Leah Day. See if that helps. JCY

:D First, I want to thank all of you for your suggestions. I am hoping it isn't a dull blade since the rotary cutters never worked for me straight out of the package! I will check to see if the blades came two in the package stuck together. I just began using them straight out of the package, so didn't know I was supposed to load a blade into it or that an extra blade was even offered in the package. I will have to go back and look at this tonight when I get home. Also, thanks for the suggestions on the holding the ruler straight. I think patience is my biggest gag with the ruler issue-wanting to cut and just get it over with. My rotary will cut through in some spots and not in others. Moving the cutting mat/board/ruler in order to shift it closer to me so I can have the same "even" pressure across the cut ( I am cutting MULTIPLE strips of 11-1/2" x 38" long fabric to make cases for an ongoing project at work) and I lose patience with myself when I adjust and the ruler moves! I think I will have to try the ruler stabilizing suggestions as well!
I will look the cutters over tonight and then get back on here and post. I may just stop by the fabric store and purchase some new blades, just in case they came out of the package dull!
Thanks again all for the suggestions! I so appreciate it and look forward to asking more questions in the future! ha!

Another suggestion, don't try to cut more than about 4 layers of quilting type cotton at once. It will be much more likely to shift if it is more layers.

One more suggestion for your Olfa cutter: When changing the blade, make sure that you put the metal washer on correctly before you put on the black tightening screw. The washer should bow upwards and there's only one correct side for the screw, even though it looks like either side would work. If you put your cutter back together incorrectly, either the blade won't move or the safety feature won't work.

Check out a video to see what I mean. Anytime my cutter doesn't work right, it's usually because I didn't put it back together right.
http://www.olfa.com/index.asp?pageid=7

Just thought about this.......there is a demo video on the Olfa website showing how to change the blades. Another thought, is your mat new or does it have cut marks in it? The cut marks can affect how well the rotary cutter will work.

When you cut long strips, cut only as far as you can fully support the ruler. Stabilize only a hand-width at a time, then stop cutting and walk your hand up the ruler to support the next area. Cut that and move your hand until done.

I agree with everyone else that when you have to whack at the fabric, your blade is dull. I generally cut 4 layers but no more. You also need to keep the ruler upright against the ruler - not angled. When I cut mine, I generally stand above the ruler and apply even pressure.

If you are using a cutter straight from the package, Here are my suggestions:
1) make sure your cutting mat is on a flat hard surface - on a table or counter top, no padding or carpet underneath. I tried to use a regular mat on the end of my ironing board and it gave me fits until I remembered the ironing board had a layer of padding in it. When I moved back to the cutting table, it was fine. So much for saving a few steps...
2) make sure you loosen the nut on the rotary cutter blade just about 1/4 a turn so the blade rotates freely when extended.
3) Press your fabric flat at the iron and fold in half from selvage to selvage (the woven part on the edges) and place the fold on the mat towards you lined up along one crosswise line.
4) make your first cut at the very raw edge of the fabric so you have straight edge using the ruler and mat as your guide.
5) line up the fabric edge with the cutting mark (like 2 1/2") on your ruler, apply pressure to the ruler with one hand and slowly travel along the outside edge of the ruler from the fold to the selvage with the rotary cutter with the blade extended. You shouldn't have to press down really hard on the handle of the cutter, just a firm even pressure. Stop about half way along the ruler lift your ruler-holding hand, move it up the ruler press down and continue cutting the rest of the piece. Try not to move the ruler. Moving the ruler around or moving the fabric around might be causing the problem

I'm sure there's a tutorial or two on how to cut fabric on YouTube. I just can't think of one right off the top of my head. Good luck.

If any of that doesn't help, go to your local quilt shop and ask them to show you. I know mine would be happy to help anyone who needed such instruction. People learn differently - some can see words and understand, some need pictures, some need hands on...

Okay, I apologize that I haven't gotten on here sooner and thanked all of you again for your suggestions. I have been searching for this goofy post of mine for 10 minutes now! I AM THE WORST at technology. Anyway, I wanted to give you an "update" on the rotary tool issue.
I went to buy new blades and saw the pretty, shiny Gingher, which is what my favorite scissors are. So I thought, "Ok...I will use my 60% off coupon and buy them." and I did. Painfully, shelling out the money, I brought them home and sure enough, they worked. For about 20 cuts of fabric! Then the blade started skipping. I am cutting strips that are 11.5" wide and 38" long of cotton and muslin fabrics, not at the same time, but non-stop for a repeat pattern I make. Anyway...I digress... At least I know that the things work though! So I went back to buy a new blade last night and purchased new blades for my Olfa. I made sure it was a single blade pack. I am going to install that blade and see if it works in the Olfa I have and then I will be set. At LEAST I know it wasn't so much operator error anymore, thanks to you ladies! But surely the blade should last a fairly decent length of time? Maybe I nicked it like several of you suggested, but I will at least be able to use a rotary cutter now. My biggest issue was that I have to cut these long strips out for an item I make for our business and I can't seem to figure out a faster way to do it, so the rotary cutter helps a great deal in getting the sides to line up straight!
Thank you again, ladies! You saved the day! You are awesome and I am I so blessed to have found this board!

I you do not need to be totally precise you can buy a motorized rotary cutter. The one made buy Chickadee [I think} is great. It is quite expensive but if you are doing this for a business you should be able to get it wholesale. it will cut through many layers of heavy fabric like butter. Chickadee? | Eastman Machine Co.

It will not make precise enough cuts for piecing quilts but will make pretty good cuts on a drawn line.