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

Now rotate the mat and do the same on

the other sides of the fabric. Neatly trim

off any selvedges.

Ready, steady, cut!

Get started by learning how to cut strips

and squares. Fabric pieces or strips can

be cut at right angles to the selvedge

(crosswise) or parallel to the selvedge

(lengthwise). Fabric cut lengthwise is the

most stable. Fabric can also be cut in the

bias direction if you want it to have some

stretch, such as when making bias binding

to go around curved shapes.

You can use the markings on your

cutting mat to decide where to cut but a

quilter’s ruler usually has more detailed

markings. The width of a quilter’s ruler

can often be used to mark strips of fabric,

or you can measure them with the length

of the ruler and mark the measurement

you need with a pencil. When you have to

make a second cut on a piece of fabric it’s

best to rotate the mat if you can, rather

than picking up and moving the fabric.

Cutting a narrow strip

Many patchwork blocks are created from

strips of fabric, often less than 6in (15cm)

wide. To cut a strip, check your fabric is

square, then fold it in half with the

selvedges (or straight edges) aligned,

right sides out. Place the fabric on your

mat with the fold against a horizontal

mark on the mat. Be sure the left-hand

edge is straight. Now place a quilter’s

ruler against the left edge, positioning it

to the width you require (a 3in width is

shown below) and cut a strip.

Save time by swiftly cutting through

three or four fabric layers in one go

with a sharp rotary cutter

CUTTING A NARROW STRIPS CUTTING A SQUARE/RECTANGLE FROM A STRIP

Keep your shape right-

angled by using

the ruler markings

FOLD

A NARROW STRIP (FOR EXAMPLE 3IN)

When one square has been

cut, move to the right to

cut the second

Place ruler on straight
edge of fabric

Fold fabric in half, along

horizontal line on mat