... Beginner Quilt Series - Cut the Blocks; NEXT POST - Assemble: Beginner Quilt Series - Assemble the Blocks; Now that you have a perfectly straight edge with a perfect 90 degree angle, we are going to cut a 4 1/2 inch strip of fabric. The second one is the June Tailor Shape Cut Pro.. We use both rulers in our quilting room. That gorgeous quilt pattern you’re ready to start is made up of thousands of little pieces that will take HOURS to cut. There are multiple ways to do this and each quilter has their favorite. Cut out each freezer paper section into separate pieces and lay them on the corresponding fabric with the right side of the fabric facing up. You will find a 2-1/2″, a 6-1/2″ and a 12-1/2″ square ruler very helpful in this mystery. This is probably obvious, but the way you cut your fabric is the way it will be when you quilt it together. Crisp fabrics are always easier to cut so you may want to start by lightly starching your fabric, especially if you have pre-washed it. Using your rotary cutter, cut the fabric running along the side of the ruler to create a perfect straight edge. Yes, I know many quilters have been told starch is evil and will doom your quilt … Also, I make a test block to be sure it will work out before I cut into my beautiful prints, With the seams, if they won’t stay flat, I use a tailors clapper to help set them. I chose the bird fabric for the border first, then chose the tonals (my tonal #1 and tonal #2 are the same fabric) and other fabric. Always close your rotary cutter when you are finished making a cut. After your fabric has been washed, it’s going to feel very soft. Cut out your paper pattern pieces accurately before pinning them to your fabric. A rotary cutter and ruler trimming off the remaining two edges of the fabric square after it has been rotated. Laura Roberts teaches you how to cut novelty fabric into little squares and make it into a block. If the fabric is not perfectly aligned with the ruler at the corner, then move the ruler inwards from the raw edge of the fabric by about 0.5 in (1.3 cm), while keeping the bottom edge of the ruler aligned with the folded fabric. Most come with a non-slip backing which prevents the ruler from moving when cutting. After cutting the strip, hold it up to make sure it is straight. We will then sub-cut this strip into 4 1/2 inch squares. Estimate as best you can if your rotary ruler isn't marked in 16th-inch increments—it's better to cut a little wider than to cut a little smaller. The next step is to apply starch and press the fabric to return it to a stiff, flat shape. Or counter corner. I love this quilt! It’s easy to use a rotary cutter to quickly and accurately cut the fabric pieces for your quilt top. How to Use a Stripology Ruler to Cut Strips and Squares Article by QUILTsocial. Simply put: sharp rotary blades cut more accurately. So the folded piece now measures 22½” x 54″. If you learn how to properly cut fabric, your sewing will be improved before you even turn on your machine. Step 2 - Starch and Square Your Fabric - You can't cut fabric accurately if unstable and out of square. Acrylic rulers are designed for the blade to ride against the edge making this the safest way to cut fabric when using a rotary cutter. Turn the piece right side out through the slit. How to cut elastic from stretch knit fabric super FAST for face masks! It's important to cut accurately sized squares so that they will fit together correctly. Cutting. How to die cut appliqué. Jan 22, 2019 - Explore Denise Farquhar's board "Cutting Quilt Fabric and Shapes" on Pinterest. Cut Strip . The bolt fold should be straight, with no pull lines. Square Up the Fabric . Using a die cutter is a great way to quickly and accurately cut identical appliqués for a project and is a very similar process to die cutting fabric for piecing. This is how to cut patchwork squares. See more ideas about quilting tips, quilting tutorials, quilt tutorials. Press lightly with a hot iron to get the freezer paper to stick. The 45 angle cut is called the true bias. Quilting rulers will be clear and have markings that allow you to line up accurately … Cut salvages like you said, Then match both salvages together and fold up the middle fold and press one of these folds. Furthermore, if the pieces are cut to length, I find myself taking more care when sewing them together. Fold the fabric along its length, selvages together. After squaring up, the leading edge should be at a 90-degree angle to the fold. Pull the back fabric away from the fussy cut fabric. Measure and cut 50″ in length. 7. The straight grain of a fabric runs parallel to the selvage. Fold the fabric in half widthwise, selvedges together. Even A Beginner Can Cut Strips Accurately Using A Rotary Cutter. The rotary cutter would tilt inwards towards the ruler, then suddenly bounce off and cut a wonky line into the next piece of fabric. Here’s what you need to know. Cut off about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of fabric to square the corner, if needed. No more slipping! 5. This made it easier to manage the bulk of the fabric while I was cutting. What is power cutting? Prep Your Fabric. Power cutting is a collection of clever methods of folding fabric and using a rotary cutter, developed by Debbie Caffrey. Before you begin cutting fabric for your projects, it’s always important to press the fabric to remove wrinkles and fold lines so that you can cut accurately. But by accurately cutting curves, you’ll be already be ahead of the game when it comes to curved piecing. However, using starched fabric with my edge stitching foot and the adjustable needle position is my dream combination. She recommends using fabric with motifs that are easy to cut out to make a block, but also shows you how to use stripes, a bias cut strip, a border stripe and templates you may have made. Using a rotary cutter to cut quilt fabric is fast and easier than cutting freehand. ... A see-through ruler will help you to cut fabric accurately. No more eyeballing! Checkout the best way to cut and sew fabric on the bias The best use of diagonal cut of fabric is to make bias … Even as a more experienced quilter, I find myself constantly coming back to the simple and classic patchwork quilt. Never fear, Power-Cutting will save you!!! 3. 1. It's extra work, I agree. She also stressed the old adage: “Measure twice, cut once.” Organization is … So, cut off the line of selvage in a straight line….and you have your straight edge of fabric to work from. For accurate quick-cutting fabric, we recommend that you begin by purchasing the following: • a large self-healing rotary mat (at least 18″ on … Using a cutting mat, rotary cutter and clear ruler will help you cut accurately. How to Cut Fabric for Quilting Blocks. Thanks so much for the helpful tips! I found the easiest way to fussy cut these squares was to loosely cut between the squares on the fabric to get the seven images that I wanted, then I accurately cut them with my rotary cutter and ruler. The diagonal grain of the fabric produces the maximum stretch of the fabric. I’ve wrecked many a piece of fabric when I first started out. Leave a generous space all the way around each section. Cutting your fabric to the correct measurements is important. See how much easier to cut accurate pieces by adding Grip Strips & Fabric Guides included in the Quilt Ruler Upgrade Kit to your existing acrylic rulers. But if you don't start out with fabric that is cut straight and accurately, no matter how straight your seams are you will not be successful in achieving a perfectly pieced quilt. Much too soft to set a ruler on top and be able to cut it accurately. Cut a small slit in the backing fabric. I want those ends to meet! 4. Place your ruler and cut through both layers with your rotary cutter. Guidelines4Quilting 949-837-1494 Office: 24201 Hollyoak, Unit L Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 Business Hours 9am to 5pm PST Look at the end of this post for links to purchase these supplies. Yep! Start by pre-washing your fabric according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. My gold is the gray print. This post and video tutorial are meant to give you all of my best practices with the tools, tips and techniques you will need to be a pro in no time. Press the fabric well. For quilting, use a mat board, rotary cutter, and rulers for cutting the fabric. Repeat this process to cut all the fabric you need for your next quilt project. But she is a pro and I’m sticking to 4 layers. my mom admits she sometimes breaks that rule and cuts up to 6 layers with a sharp blade. They both work in the same basic way: you lay your fabric on your cutting mat and align the ruler on top, then put your rotary cutter blade in the measured slots in the ruler to cut strips or squares, quickly and precisely. Sewing Tools Sewing Projects Rotary Cutter Bed Runner Fabric Squares Quilting Tips How To Make Bed Ruler Free Pattern. This means, if you’re using fabric with images or a pattern, cut it to frame (also known as fussy cutting) the images the way you want them! Before you rotary cut the long strips required for a quilt pattern, it's important to square up one end of the fabric. Cut away the excess fabric ⅛” to ¼” from the stitching line. Then, use the Super Easy Seam Guide Setter to sew consistently accurate … If you are left-handed, see our post on Rotary Cutting for Lefties. This is used to cut for fitted garments. Starch quilt fabric. Iron your fabric (if allowed) to make sure it’s flat, wrinkle-free and the selvage is pressed smooth. I starch the fabric first. You could either measure down 50″ from the top or up 4″ from the bottom. Ensure you have the grain running in the right direction according to your pattern pieces. Starch and press the fabric to create a stiff, stable surface and reduce the stretch of the fabric so it's easier to cut precisely. Continue cutting strips, checking frequently that the strips are straight. NOTE: Check out our tutorials if you need help regarding how best to clip into corners and curves to maintain the shape of the motif. Cut a strip of fabric 11/16" wider than the finished length of the long triangle's shortest side. Always iron your fabric before cutting so your cuts are accurate. The rule of thumb is you can cut up to 4 layers of fabric accurately…. Now you can use that pressed line to cut fabric This makes it so you don’t have one awkward seam in the middle, rather a nice panel in the middle and two small panels about 22” on either side of the middle panel. Use 2 rulers to rotary cut more accurately quilt fabric pieces. STEP 5: Squaring up a Corner (90 degree angle) My favorite method for creating a nice 90 degree cut on my fabric, is to match it up with a perfectly square table corner. I’ve noticed while teaching that a lot of cutting errors students make are caused b ecause they are using dull blades. Watch Now >> Always start by squaring the edges of your fabric. The further you move ‘off grain’ the more the fabric can stretch and distort. Use a sharp rotary blade for cutting your fabrics. If it is angled, refold the fabric and trim it again. 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