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

(Antfer) #1

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
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