Lesson Number 2: Rotary Cutting Fabric
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Rotary Cutting Fabric
Fold the fabric in half, selvage to selvage, making sure the selvages are even and the folded edge is smooth. Fold the fabric in half again, bringing the fold and the selvages almost together just slightly above the fold, again making sure everything is smooth and flat.
Position the folded fabric on a cutting mat so that the fabric extends to the left for those who are right-handed, or to the right for those who are left-handed. With a ruler resting on the fabric, line up the folded edge of the fabric with a horizontal line (shown in red) on the ruler. Trim the uneven edge with a rotary cutter. Make a clean cut through the fabric, beginning in front of the folds and cutting through to the opposite edge with one clean stroke. Always cut away from yourself–never toward yourself!
Turn the mat 180˚. Move the ruler to the proper width for cutting the first strip and continue cutting until you have the required number of strips. To keep the cut edges even, always move the ruler, not the fabric.
Open up one fabric strip and check the spots where there were folds. If the fabric was not evely lined up or the ruler was incorrectly positioned, there will be a bend at each of the folds in the fabric as illustrated by the second strip. When cutting many strips, check after every three or four strips to make sure the strips are straight.
Tags: General Directions, Quilt Lesson
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