No.3   ROTARY CUTTING

Hints on Rotary Cutting

The rotary cutter is extremely sharp so get into good habits when using it.

Always cover the cutter blade when not in use by closing the protective cover:

Blade Covered/Closed

Blade Uncovered/Open

Make sure the rotary cutter is not left where children can reach it

Always cut away from yourself, don’t use a saw action.

When not in use keep it in a protective container (an old glasses case if big enough can be used)

Use the recommended self-healing mat, this will save the blade of your cutter from wearing out too quickly and protect table tops.

Don’t cut fabric which has pins in it. More blades have to be replaced because of pins than because they wear out! If you roll over a pin you will soon know as you will have a niche in the blade which will leave a few threads uncut at regular intervals along the cut edge, this is very annoying.

Make sure your cutting mat is completely free from other fabrics especially in the direction you are cutting.

When first starting out I recommend the 6" x 24" ruler as it is the most versatile. It is advisable to buy one that is in inches with clear accurate markings you can see. Some rulers also have anti-slip backs. The ruler can be used to cut strips across the width of fabric. This strip can then be sub-cut using our templates.

Ready to Cut Tips

Make sure your fabric is ironed well before cutting out.

When cutting stand over your ruler and mat so you are looking directly down onto the ruler and not at an angle.

Keep the rotary cutter blade vertical against the ruler, not tilted left or right otherwise the strip width will not be accurate.

Correct Blade held vertical

Incorrect Blade tilted to Right

Incorrect Blade tilted to Left

Place hand on the ruler so that there is enough pressure for the ruler not to move as you run the cutter along the edge. For long cuts position your supporting hand in the first third of the ruler while you cut along the edge but only 2 or 3" beyond your supporting hand. Leave the cutter in the fabric while you move your supporting hand up the ruler then continue the cut as before. Repeat if needed to make a complete cut. Make sure your fingers are not over the edge of the ruler where the cut is to be made.

FIRST CUT – STRAIGHTENING THE CUT FABRIC EDGE
(fabric folded selvege to selvege)

Place the folded edge of the fabric closest to you, align the ruler guidelines with the folded edge NOT the selvage or raw edges. Make a cut from the folded edge to the selvage edges. (This first cut straightens the edge of your fabric – if you have not lined up the ruler with the fold you will have a ‘V’ in the fabric when unfolded)This cut should always be a right angles to the fold.

TIP
I actually put my little finger over the side of the ruler NOT being cut, I think this helps to stabilise the ruler and keep it from slipping.

Supporting hand placed at bottom of Ruler. Cutting away from yourself, cut 2 to 3 inches past the supporting hand and stop with cutter in fabric.

Walk your fingers up the ruler and reposition to support.

Continue the cut to the end of the fabric.

Discard waste fabric. You should now have a straight edge.

CUTTING STRIPS
To cut strips the straightened edge should be to the left for RH users and to the right for LH users. (it is sometimes easier to turn the mat around with the fabric on it than to move the fabric) Align the correct ruler mark on the straightened edge making sure you still have a ruler guideline on the fold edge otherwise your cut strips will have a ‘v’ in the centre where the fold was, support the ruler with your non-cutting hand then make the cut.

CUTTING WIDE STRIPS (more than 6" wide)
Straighten up the cut edge as before then with this edge to the left measure in with your ruler the width of the desired strip, mark with a pencil or chalk marker, repeat the procedure and make several marks along the width of the fabric. Align the ruler along the marks and cut straight across.
REMEMBER some markers add width so always cut as accurately as possible and keep the point of your marker sharp.

Align the desired width on the ruler with the straightened edge and the long edge of the ruler exactly on the fold as indicated by the bold black lines.	Mark off the desired width on the fabric.
Move the ruler keeping the desired width correct and marking off along the fabric width	Align the ruler with the marks and make the cut across the width of the fabric.

Most designs can be cut and subcut from strips so learning to cut these accurately is definitely worthwhile.

DO regularly check and straighten your cut edge (I usually do this about every 4 cuts) even when you think you have been really accuract its amazing how much you can be out of line and that telltale little ‘v’ rears its ugly head – you may only need to shave off a fraction of an inch to line up again to the fold – just do it, don’t waste time thinking about it or you will wish you had done so later!!

Sub-Cutting Strips using the Laced Star (A4/1-4) as an example:

 

TIP
After measuring the templates to determine the strip widths I always cut the widest strips first and cut out the correct number of shapes required then any leftover fabric from that strip can be used up for the smaller templates that use the same colour – this way I may not need to cut the smaller strips at all.

Cut the widest strip first that is the strip for template No.1
Open up the strip so that it is single (no reverses required in this pattern) subcut the units placing the straight grain edge of the template onto the straight grain of the fabric – 2 cuts are necessary:

Template No. 1 - 2 cuts required for the first shape.

Turn the template round NOT OVER and place on the previously cut edge (it should fit) one cut is required this time

Continue along the strip until you have the required number of shapes. Remember for multiples of a shape for a large quilt you can layer strips all face up and cut out 4 at a time.

The remaining 2 template shapes (Nos. 3 and 4) can be cut from scraps but it is always a good idea to have at least one of your edges on the straight grain, I would suggest:

Again these can be cut from strips and subcut turning the shape round not over as
There are no reverses required. Once all the pieces are cut out transfer the sewing line onto the reverse of the fabric and set out the design on your mat, a piece of flannel, polystyrene or a towel. You are now ready to sew.

© Templates 2005 … Note: these instructions are copyrighted.
It is illegal to copy them, distribute or sell them without permission.