Beginner's Guide to Quilting - UK (2020-02)

Open out the cut strip and check that it is
straight, and not kinked at the centre. If
it’s kinked then check your folded fabric is
straight and right-angled. Move the ruler
to the right and cut a second strip, and
carry on to the right for further strips. If
the strip you need is wider than your
ruler, then mark the width required with
two pencil dots and align the ruler
between the dots to make the cut.

Cutting a square or
rectangle from a Strip
Cutting a long strip down into smaller
squares or rectangles is an everyday
technique in patchwork. First cut a strip
to the width needed for your square or
rectangle. Position the ruler to cut a
square (or rectangle) of the size you need
(a 3in square is shown below). Cut the
shape. Move the ruler to the right and
position it to cut another square.

Cutting a small square
Sometimes you only want one square or
rectangle, or you may be cutting what
you need from a small off-cut. You’ll find
a small square quilter’s ruler, such as a 6in
square, is useful for this. Trim the
left-hand side and the bottom edge of
the fabric and then use the width of the
ruler to make the right-hand cut (a 6in

width is shown on the ‘Cutting A Small

Square’ diagram, below). Rotate the mat,

or the fabric and ruler, and make the final

cut on the right-hand side to create a

finished 6in square.

Cutting a large square

If you need a single square (or rectangle)

that’s larger than the width of your ruler,

use the following technique. Put your

pressed fabric piece on the mat and cut it

to the height you want (14in is shown on

the ‘Cutting A Large Square’ diagram,

below). Use your ruler to measure the

width at 14in and mark the spot with a

pencil dot. Then repeat at the top of the

fabric. Now rotate the ruler to line up with

the two dots and then make the cut. If

you also align a horizontal line on the

ruler with the fabric edge this will ensure

that the fabric stays right-angled. If your

ruler isn’t long enough to make a cut in

one movement, take care when you slide

it along the fabric, making sure its edge

stays in line with the cut edge.

Cutting multiple strips

Rotary cutting equipment will allow you

to cut many layers of fabric at the same

time, which will greatly speed up your

quiltmaking. For the most accurate

cutting it’s best to limit the layers to

about three or four, because they can

shift a little as you cut. This layered

technique is sometimes called ‘stack and

whack’. Press your fabrics first, pressing

them one at a time and layering one on

top of the other, aligning the bases as

well as you can by eye. Keeping the

pressed fabrics together, use your ruler

to trim the left-hand edge and the

bottom edge, making sure these edges

are straight and right-angled. Keeping

the fabric layers still, cut your strip or

strips. The uneven top edges of the strips

can be cut at this stage, if required.

CUTTING A SMALL SQUARE CUTTING MULTIPLE STRIPS CUTTING A NARROW STRIPS

Trim the left-hand

and bottom edges,

then cut the

right-hand edge

Rotate the mat,

or the fabric and

ruler, to make the

final cut

Place the layered

fabrics on the mat

and trim the layers

level at the left &

bottom edge

Keeping the

fabric layers

still, cut

your strip

Cut a piece

to measure

the width of

your square

Measure along the

edge and mark

a dot. Repeat at

the top

Line up the

two dots

Line up a

horizontal

line on the

ruler with the

fabric edge