Even though it may seem unnecessary to have zillions of them, including a 12.5” square, a 4.5” square, a small rectangular, a 6” X 24”, etc, it really can aid in accurate cutting and a more relaxing experience when you can grab the right sized ruler for the job, instead of strain your eyes to make sure you’re cutting on the right line on a ruler that’s too small or too large. You are able to cut multiple layers at a rate that is 90% faster than traditional cutting devices, while also getting a consistent, accurate, and stable cut every time. I take your test a square one step further and make a test square out of coordinating scraps, at the end of the year, I have a sampler quilt to donate. Individual patchwork shapes can be sub-cut from strips as needed. Cut accurate strips and squares: Turn your stash into pre-cut sizes in minutes! Thankfully technology has improved and we can now cut fabric with a rotary cutter, a sharp, pizza cutter like blade that can cut through four layers of fabric at a time. The mistakes remind me of how far I’ve traveled and serve to motivate me to keep learning. The seams will be more accurate which means your blocks will finish the right size for the quilt pattern. You can expect new quilting cottons to shrink by up to 5% so many modern quilters like … I’m hoping this post will help you build your rotary cutting skills, and cut madly accurate strips and squares! Cut quilt pieces faster and more accurately! It’s large enough so that I can cut yardage easily and also is portable so I can throw it on the floor to trim a quilt. There are 2 Videos. Heather Thomas teaches you how to effectively add excitement to your quilts through beading. This is my standard go-to cutting mat for quilting. The seams will be more accurate which means your blocks will finish the right size for the quilt pattern. When cutting fabric using our rulers and mats, we often are taught to lay out our fabric and make our cuts by using the guides on the mat along with the measurements provided. click here Decorate for Easter with classic pastels, eggs, & more! Then, use the Super Easy Seam Guide Setter to sew consistently accurate scant 1/4" seams. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. To keep your valuable quilting time as productive as you can, and to eliminate frustrating inaccuracies, follow our above steps. Using your rotary cutter, cut the fabric running along the side of the ruler to create a perfect straight edge. Using a flat hand has a higher tendency for the ruler to slip leading to an inaccurate cut. Learn More. Read More. Measure the quilt from top to bottom through its vertical midpoint. This workshop will provide you with tips and techniques for more accurate patchwork and in the end, you’ll have over 50 quilt patterns to experiment with! When all the seams are flat, you no longer have to fuss and fiddle with which direction they should be pointing in (always a headache). Took me years to figure it out, but it makes a real difference. Introducing the Halloween Haberdashery Quilt Pattern . Decorate for Easter with classic pastels, eggs, & more! I would add one additional tip, accurate cutting. Understand the value of thread and add element to your quilts. To accurately cut quilt pieces that go into your blocks, ensure that your strips of fabric are straight. 2.8K shares. See examples of fun fillers as well as learn many of the terms for specific stitching fillers. 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. Thankyou! Line up the 2-1/2″ mark on your ruler exactly on the edge of your fabric, using the grid on your cutting mat to make sure everything is straight and even. Practice makes perfect, so use those fabric and batting scraps to make some practice quilt “sandwiches”. Unless the change is minimal, widening just the border can make the quilt look out of proportion. Sometimes even a small fold or wrinkle can make a big difference in the size of the block. First, cut your fabric to get a straight edge that you will use to cut your required measurement from. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. I hope you’ve enjoyed these quilt piecing tips & tricks today. Measure the quilt from top to bottom through its vertical midpoint. When using a cupped hand you can also move your fingers more and use your pinky finger to help hold the ruler in place. How to Cut Quilt Pieces Accurately. Most quilt patterns require this seam allowance (unless specified otherwise). 3 Tips for Beginning Quilters. The machines should also be portable and safe to use. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. I believe that if I've cut the individual pieces accurately, sewn with just the right seam allowance and pressed religiously, then my blocks should come out exact. New to free motion quilting? The trick is using your ruler and cutting mat the right way. If the margin the block is off is minimal (1⁄8" to 1⁄16"), you may trim it. I’m really bad at reading the pattern all the way through before I start!! Left-handed quilters might need to reverse their fabric and ruler positions when they cut. When it comes to cutting fabric for quilting, one of the most important things to have is consistently straight lines. Heather Thomas show you how to achieve this whether you measure your fabric using ruler gridlines or cutting mat gridlines. 1. Having the right tools makes any quilting job easier. However, there’s a plethora of cutting mats on You need to be very accurate when measuring and cutting your quilt pieces, or your blocks and quilt top will be all wonky and not squared up. She then cuts a strip measured at two inches based on the mat gridlines and one cut at the same width based on the ruler gridlines to compare the two. Using 1 Guidelines Ruler To cut strips from the full width of fabric using 1 Ruler, it will need to be folded twice to four layers (about 11" long). Carefully reading the pattern instructions from beginning to end before starting to cut or sew can prevent a lot of problems. So here are some tips to help you when working with your rotary cutter. But for making just a few or making several out of a variety of fabrics sizing and trimming is the way to go. Decipher Your Quilt - Accurate Cutting and Seam Allowances We are going to start the Decipher Your Quilt series today by discussing Accurate Cutting and Seam Allowances. See many examples of quilts that contain accent beading and find out the appropriate time to add beads to your quilt. There are lots of helpful suggestions here. I almost always size up and trim down three different types of block units: half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, and now flying geese. The best fabric cutting machines for quilting should be easy to use, compatible with various software and must work with speed. Quilt blocks are square and owning square rulers means perfectly square squares. The lessons, blocks and detailed photo tutorials have been removed from this site and are now available for sale as a complete booklet. First of all, you want to make sure you are sewing with an accurate 1/4″ seam allowance. Includes buying fabric yardage, tools, and basics you need to know. This way, your block is eased into the accurate sashing strip. Here's a little quilting technique for accurate piecing I learned in a Sally Collins lecture. Hi Sherri! And I also love a new product that helps keep your seam allowance in check. If your quilt center is made of 4" blocks, try a 4"-wide border. Don't you hate it when your strips have "elbows"? Then I draw a line 1/4″ from the center line- these will be my sewing lines. Printing a Rotary Cutting Chart for a block is done from the Design Quilt tab.. 1. Connectable with Guidelines Ruler Connector. 5. We break down the best cutting tools to use on fabric during your next quilting project. Learn how quick and easy it is to make quilts using pre-cut strips and squares. More Quilting Tips: Tips & Tricks for Picking Fabric for A Quilt. I love being able to produce quilt blocks that are accurate and quilts that are easy to put together because all of the puzzle pieces fit! This economical four-pack of rulers comes with a 2.5″, 4.5″, 6.5″, and 9.5″ square and will handle most of your square-cutting. Want to be a better strip cutter? Perfect for quilters of all levels making cutting fabric with a rotary cutter stable, easy, and accurate. These are some of my tried and true methods for making sure my blocks turn out just the way I want them to. The more we cut, the more we sew. That said, here are a few things you should know: Whenever possible cut with the grain of the fabric. Heather demonstrates how to do this. Cutting Tips. I hope you enjoyed last week’s video where we learned all about fabric. The second Video is a great Getting Started Video for Beginners. I have two posts on this topic, a video, and a favorite iron I can’t say enough about! Here is a compilation of the top 10 best fabric cutting machines for quilting reviews: 10. Now that we have a strip of 4 1/2 inch fabric, we need to square the ends. You can have a perfect 1/4″ seam, but if your pieces are a thread or two too small, your block will be small as well. Just a Tuesday TIP, I hope you find this information useful! One of my favorite quilts has tons of mistakes. Thank you for the tips on holding the ruler down and keeping the cutter straight. Nancy. I use several quilting techniques to get accurate piecing results. Learn how to add different styles of beading to your quilts as well as how to hide your beading knots…, Heather Thomas teaches you all about thread while providing helpful tips and techniques for working with thread. I'm Sherri, and I love all things fabric, quilts, and sewing. Pressing fabrics before cutting your quilt block pieces also makes a big difference in your piecing accuracy. Your piecing is amazing, so accurate! Find out all you need to know about thread and…, Heather Thomas teaches you how to hand bead so you can add even more extravagance to your quilt. Cut multiple layers; Maximize fabric; Eliminate body strain Welcome! If you want to change the size of a quilt, avoid adjusting the border only. (Although if you have to use a seam ripper, this one is my favorite)! Laura Roberts teaches you how to cut novelty fabric into little squares and make it into a block. I will be renewing my measuring practices. Read on for more tips on organizing your own collection! Read More. As I mentioned above, an iron really can make all of the difference in your piecing accuracy. Share; Pin ; Email; More Projects You'll Love! The more we cut and sew, the more scraps we have. OMG, that iron is going on my Christmas list for 2020! The Importance of Using the Right Tools. If you do your best to cut the fabric as closely to the template as possible, you’re doing it right. Cutting remains more accurate with only one cutter blade. Heather explains that it is more important to use what is comfortable for you and what gives you consistent results. This workshop will provide you with tips and techniques for more accurate patchwork and in the end, you’ll have over 50 quilt patterns to experiment with! Today I’m sharing 10 Quilt Piecing Tips & Tricks to Improve Piecing Accuracy. A quality cutting machine guaranteed to give amazing results. If I’m making a lot of half-square triangles from one fabric I’ll use Triangle Paper which doesn’t require sizing up. Rotary Cutt… And of course, accurate cuts are crucial to make your project exactly how you want it to be. Thanks for the tips and reminders. Quilt fabric cutting should stay a creative and straightforward part of the process of making a quilt. Most quilters find it easier to cut straight strips this way. Place the long edges between horizontal measurement lines on your rotary cutting mat. Using proper pressing techniques is another step that really makes a difference in quilting. The more we cut and sew, the more scraps we have. The second Video is a great Getting Started Video for Beginners. Mats: In working with different mats, I have found that the finish texture is very important. Work on a hard flat solid surface using a cutting mat made for a rotary cutter. Once upon a time, we cut out the pieces of our quilts with cardboard templates and scissors. Practice makes perfect, so use those fabric and batting scraps to make some practice quilt “sandwiches”. When it comes to cutting fabric for quilting, one of the most important things to have is consistently straight lines. I quilt, write quilt books and patterns, and design fabric with my daughter for Moda fabrics. Another I’m doing is that I’m always measuring my blocks at the end and see if they are indeed the correct size. Making a test block is another great way to ensure accuracy in your finished blocks. Peg Spradlin introduces several unique techniques for adding background fillers and stitches to your quilts. Silhouette CAMEO Wireless Fabric Cutting Machine . 7. Compact cutting with incredible precision. New to free motion quilting? Find an APQS retailer in your area or learn more about our longarm quilting machines today or join us at our next Road Show or at the next Quilt Show. Cut multiple layers; Maximize fabric; Eliminate body strain The different types you will learn is the bugle stitch that uses bugle beads, the stack stitch using multiple fancy beads, a…. 45+ Beginner Quilt Patterns and Tutorials. Many of these ideas are really simple steps that make a big difference in the end. I hope you find a few good tips in the following list so you can experience that, too. Find out more about it here: Aiming for Accuracy Booklet. Learn the many types of thread available as well as the many brands and weights of thread. Continue cutting as you did above until you have the correct number of strips for your project. For this quilt, when we’re attaching the sashing strips, if your seam allowance is accurate for the block/unit you’ve stitched, you’ll be sewing with the block in the bottom and your accurately-cut sashing strip on top, pinning as needed. Have never thought of Quilt Piecing Accuracy and you have helped me a lot. Mistake-proof and slip-proof 12" and 24" acrylic quilt rulers you already have with the Quilt Ruler Upgrade Kit by Guidelines4Quilting. Probably out of all the steps and techniques of quiltmaking, cutting fabric is the most important to be picky, picky, picky about!!! Make sure the surface is large enough to hold the full size of the cutting …