How to Cut Out Perfect Letters

Do you find yourself wondering how people cut out the most perfectly made letters?  Don't have time to waste stenciling out and cutting up words?  Don't have the right size stencils?  Let me blow your mind.

Before I do, I have to give all the credit to my friend and mentor Nicki.  She taught me how to do this and I'm waiting on her to start a blog... but until she does, let me help you transform your life.  Okay, maybe it's not that serious... but you will be snipping away and creating letters in no time.

First, you need to find the color paper you want.  Then, cut your paper into equally sized rectangles... this is the key to making your letters all the same size.

Now, almost every letter is either vertically or horizontally symmetrical.  You will fold your rectangle appropriately, and then cut away the negative space.

To make round letters look even, fold them in half and cut round corners.

This method will work for every letter except F, G, J, L, N, P, Q, R, S, Z.  Ok, so that's a lot... but most of those are pretty easy to do... 

• Make your F like an E and then cut off the bottom.
• Make your G like a C... but add in the middle part.
• Round off your J at the bottom by folding it hotdog style and then cut away the rest.
• An L is easy.  You can figure it out ;-)
• For P & R just fold the top half in half and pretend you're making the top of a B
• Z & N are a little tougher, but just cut away the negative space without folding it.
• Fold S in half and round off your corners, so they look even.  Then cut away the negative space without it being folded.

Here are some step-by-step visuals:

Cutting out letters like an A, an E, and an I are pretty basic.

Cutting out letters like P is a little trickier, but it's still follows the symmetry principle.  Just fold the top half in half and do your thang.  :)

Some letters don't really follow the symmetry principle... Like an "N."  Don't sweat it though, just cut away the negative space without folding it in half.

Some letters require you to use the symmetry principle to round the corners first, and then cut away the negative space without folding.  Check out the G and the S.

  

Now, get to practicing!  You know you want to! :)  Can't wait to see what you do!

PS.  I joined in with Hope Studios' link party!  Check it out!