Getting Started
Once you get the hang of rotary cutting, you’ll love being able to speedily and easily produce a whole stack of pieces at once so you can start sewing right away. You can cut strips, squares, triangles, and diamonds in a fraction of the time it would take to cut pieces individually.
When cutting, hold the rotary cutter at a 45-degree angle to the cutting surface. Keep an even pressure on the rotary cutter and make sure the blade is touching the edge of the ruler. The less you move your fabric when cutting, the more accurate you’ll be.
As convenient as rotary cutters are, they can be dangerous if you don’t watch what you’re doing. Retract the super-sharp blade whenever you’re not cutting. Keep your cutter out of the reach of children.
Most quilt project instructions list pieces in the order in which they should be cut to make the best use of your fabrics. Always consider the fabric grain before cutting. One or more straight sides of the pattern piece or template should follow the fabric’s lengthwise or crosswise grain.
The lengthwise grain, parallel to the selvage (the tightly finished edge), has the least amount of stretch. (Do not use the selvage of a woven fabric in a quilt. When washed, it may shrink more than the rest of the fabric.) Crosswise grain, perpendicular to the selvage, has a little more give. The edge of any pattern piece that will be on the outside of a block or quilt should always be cut on the lengthwise grain. Be sure to press the fabric before cutting to remove any wrinkles or folds.
Continued on Page 2: Squaring Up the Fabric
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