Rotary Cutting Tips

A successful quilt requires careful and precise rotary cutting techniques so your machine piecing can become a beautiful quilt.

When you cut patches with the rotary cutter, even a beginner quilter can assemble the quilt pieces without much difficulty.

The rotary cutting techniques are time saving tools that provide us with a lot of accuracy for our quilting projects.
A rotary cutter is a handy tool that is made for cutting through multiple layers of fabric. It has a comforatable handle with a long lasting razor sharp round blade that helps with the accurate fabric cutting that is required for a quilter. It also saves a lot of time too. They come in big and small sizes.
A self healing mat was made for use with the rotary cutter. You can use one for years because of the self healing surface. They come in several different sizes. Some that are easy to take to quilt class, not too big, but not too small and then the large self healing mat to use at home in your quilting studio.
An acrylic ruler is a must have to complete the rotary cutting set. The acryllic ruller is clear with the grids and measurements marked on it for accurate fabric cutting. There are many different sizes and shapes available that include for example: 1"x6", 4"x8" and 6"x 12" rulers. Be sure to get a ruler with the 45 degree angle so you can cut the half square trangles that I like to use so much.

You can find all the tools you need to make quick and straight cuts for your easy machine piecing. and quilting projects at JoAnn.com.

The rotary cutter is a round, sharp blade mounted on a plastic handle that can cut through four to six layers of fabric. It looks like a pizza cutter.

It is necessary to have a self healing cutting mat which is placed under your fabric to keep from cutting anything that is under the fabric like a table. The mat is made of forgiving plastic that you cannot cut through with the rotary cutter. The standard size is 18” x 24” but the mats come in many different sizes.

The rotary cutting ruler is made of 1/8” thick plastic that is marked off in 1/8” measurements. When you purchase a ruler, be sure that you can clearly see the different measurements and that there are crosswise lines as well as lengthwise lines.

Many quilt shops or fabric stores will have the three products in a package together.

When the blade wears out, you can purchase a new one and save the old blade for cutting paper.

When using the rotary cutter, strips of fabric are cut, sewn together, then re-cut into squares, triangles and rectangles.

When you are using a mat, rotary cutter and ruler, always place your cutting board on a table and stand over it while you cut. It will be more comfortable and you will be able to apply more consistent pressure on the rotary cutter.

When you are cutting fabric, keep an even pressure on the rotary cutter.

Remember, the less you move the fabric when you are cutting, the more accurate your cuts will be.

To begin your rotary cutting:

1. Iron the fabric before you begin.

2. Lay the fabric on the mat, right side down and the selvage away from you.

3. Fold the fabric with the wrong sides facing, so the selvage edges meet.

4. Fold the fabric in half again lining up the fold with the selvage edges. You will have four layers of fabric.

5. Trim the raw edge of the fabric with the rotary cutting technique.

To make sure you have straight cuts, align the 1” mark at the bottom of the ruler with the bottom fold of the fabric. Move the ruler as far as you can to the right and still have four layers of fabric under it.

Depress the safety latch on the rotary cutter. Hold the ruler firmly in place. Make a cut starting at the bottom and moving the rotary cutter away from you along the ruler edge through the selvages.

Press the cutter firmly but not too heavily as you cut the fabric. Put the safety back on the blade after each cut.

You now have a straight edge to begin your strip cutting. You will need to follow this procedure on each piece of new fabric that you cut.

6. Lift up the four layers of the fabric and turn them so they are on the left hand side of your board (or walk around the table if you can). The new strip you are cutting needs to be on the left hand side of the mat.

7. Cut the fabric into strips.

Suppose that you need a strip that is 2 ½” as in the nine patch pattern. (¼” seam - 2” patch - ¼” seam)

Align the 2 ½” mark on the ruler at the left edge of the fabric and the 1” mark at the bottom of the ruler aligned with the bottom fold of the fabric. Make a cut by placing the rotary cutter at the bottom of the fabric and moving up to the top edge.

8. Continue with your rotary cutter until you have cut enough pieces for your quilt patterns.

If you haven’t cut through all the layers of fabric, check to see if you have a dull blade, or a nick in the blade. Also make sure that you have applied enough pressure on the rotary cutter.

Are you ready for some strip piecing and chain piecing for quick and easy quilting projects?

Go to Easy Machine Piecing from Rotary Cutting Tips
Go To Ideas-for-Quilting Home Page from Rotary Cutting Tips