Quick Tips for Cutting Fabric with a Rotary Cutter

Keep your cuts straight by squaring up your fabric before you make the first cut, and checking periodically to be sure the cuts are still straight

Remember to cut the selvedges off the ends of your fabric at some point, so they don’t end up in your quilt.  I usually do that after I have cut the strips from the larger piece.

For speed, you can cut through up to 4 layers of light to medium weight fabric at the same time.  Check periodically to be sure that the bottom layers are accurately cut.  Sometimes they slide around and end up either too wide or too narrow.

If you are cutting a strip from across a width of fabric (from selvedge to selvedge), fold the fabric two times, so you will cut through 4 layers.  First line up the two selvedges.  You may end up with the raw edges of the fabric not lined up at all – you will cut these off.  Once the two selvedge edges are lined up and your piece of fabric is folded, match the fold with the selvedge edges, and smooth out any folds or puckers.

If you are cutting squares or triangles from strips you have cut, keep the strips folded; you will be able to cut 4 squares or triangles at once.

Try using spray sizing or spray starch to stabilize the fabric

Before cutting, press the fabric layers together to temporarily hold them in place

If you need to cut fabric that is wider than your ruler, you can slide the ruler along the edge of the fabric and cut.  To do that: make your first cut, then slide the ruler along the fabric to the next section; line up the ruler with the edge of the fabric you have just cut, making sure that you also line the ruler up with the grid lines on the mat, and then make the next cut.  Continue sliding and cutting until the strip is complete.

If you are cutting long pieces of fabric (or even trimming the edge of a quilt before you sew on the binding), consider borrowing a mat from a friend.  You can tape the backsides of the mats together, then cut across both mats.

Always place your ruler past the end of the fabric where you will begin to cut.  That way when you start cutting fabric, you will be pressing against a something solid, and not the square end of the ruler.  This will save not only the corner of your ruler, but make it more likely that you will get a square edge on the fabric.

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren
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