Packets

John

Artisan
I post here because I am not sure where the better place to post it is.

A question posted to my fellow packer chuckers.

Have any of you come up with a better way to cut the material to size for packets?

Thus far I have used scissors and a paper cutter with mild success but it is painfully slow. I play an archer and can and have thrown a couple hundred packets at an event. With a return rate of about 50%,I am often either making or buying packets. I have a new idea but wanted to put this out here to learn from others success and failures.

Post your attempts. Pass or Fail. We can all learn form one another.

Thanks
John
 
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I second the quilters supplies. I'm sure Raine, our resident bullet packet maker, would third them.
 
I take the lazy method and buy fat quarters, and use a rotary cutter to cut them. Then I turn on Netflix and settle in with a teacup, tablespoon, and millet.
 
I take the lazy method and buy fat quarters, and use a rotary cutter to cut them. Then I turn on Netflix and settle in with a teacup, tablespoon, and millet.

Fat quarters are rarely cheaper than shopping the remnant bin... >.>
 
Ditto the fabric cutter. Barring that, I've actually had good success with a cork backed metal ruler and an x-acto knife (use a fresh blade) on certain fabrics, as long as you have a cutting surface with a bit of yield to it (obviously the self-healing cutting mats are ideal for this).
 
Cool. I already have a cutter. I think I am gonna got a sheet of plywood and cut groves into it.

What size do you cut your patches?
 
I like mine about 5.5 to 6 inches, square. You should figure out how *you* like them, since you're the one aiming and throwing. After a few prototypes, make certain the one you like most passes the film canister test, then take it apart to measure, and make all the rest of them identical. Measure the seed amount with a measuring spoon set, if necessary. That way you get a relatively consistent projectile with every throw.
 
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I make mine the same way when I do. I use 6x6. I just wanted to see how everyone else did theirs.
 
Where we are up in Canada, Wal Mart sells packs of fabric that're folded into 4x4 squares. When I need a new set of packets I just grab one of those and cut along the creases, I also use a 'perfect spoon' from David's Tea for the seed, and I usually bang out about 60 packets in an hour all told.
 
Rotary cutter, millet, and a long list of movies. I have found that it is best if I take a day and prep a ludicrous amount of fabric. Whenever I am at home watching a movie I just grab my bucket and start making packets. You will have a pile of extra packets soon enough.
 
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