My Mother and I used to cut every quilt piece with scissors.
She made templates from heavy sandpaper. You sure had to be accurate with your cutting, and my Mom wanted her quilts perfect. She wouldn't tolerate more than a quarter inch difference in sides or ends when the top was complete.
We also had a frame swung from the ceiling. It worked on a pulley so it could be raised when not in use. Such wonderful times we had at that quilt frame.