Ok, when you are ready to start your rough cut for the OBW's and you've measured the repeat, do you cut with the fabric folded in half like it comes off the bolt? Do you need to worry about the other side of the folded piece?

Also, when you start pinning your repeats, and doing the little shaky thing to get your layers together, do you work with the whole 44" or do you cut at the half mark and work with smaller pieces? The book shows a much smaller piece to work with. I'm just not getting the cutting instructions.

The book instructs to tear the fabric length wise in half. It is easier to handle that way. If you have enough blocks with the 1/2, you can use the rest for borders.

I want to know also.

I cut my fabric in 1/2 lengthwise and then cut my repeats.
It makes handling the fabric a whole lot easier :D:D:D

I always tear my repeats at the same spot. I tear because that way I am sure the repeat is the same all the way across and I haven't accidently cut off a match point! But there will be some loss when you cut your strips no matter how you do it. Since you are pinning exact points before cutting, it should be ok. I open up the width of fabric and use the whole 44". Some might cut on the fold and I am sure that is fine, I just never do.

And I didn't get the cutting instructions either until I took a class on OBWs. I just stared and stared at the book! LOL! I need someone to tell me and show me.

I think the stack and whack book might have mentioned that, but I didn't remember seeing that in the OBW book and wasn't sure if it pertained to OBW's.

Thanks for the info. I always know who to ask.

that is great info i am going to try one of those

The OBW book doesn't tell you to cut your fabric in half, so maybe it's the Stack & Wack Book that does. I don't care for the S&W, so I don't have that book. I don't cut the fabric in half, but some do, so it is entirely a matter of personal preference. Just remember that the design that is on one side of the selvedge is probably not the same at the exact opposite point.

Thanks for starting this topic, I am getting ready to start my first OBW and was trying to figure out how in the world am I going to be able to cut the stack at the whole width without a fold, I don't have a big enough cutting mat!! So I guess I will be cutting my fabric in half at the fold? Is this is correct?