Don't be crushed! I've been quilting for 6 years and still can't get all my seams to match!
If the blocks are off by 1/2", it's possible that the blocks are cut wrong. That can happen if the ruler doesn't 'grip' the fabric and it slides out of place while you are cutting. There are all kinds of aids to get the ruler to grip the fabric.
The method I use is to spray the back of the ruler with a small blast of basting spray, use a soft cloth to wipe a lot of the basting spray off so that the sprayed side of the ruler is slightly tacky. I've only had to do that once with each ruler, and have been using this method for at least 3 years.
Other things that improved my cutting accuracy:
1) The fold of the fabric - when you cut over the fold, the cut is curved, kind of like an elbow. I read somewhere that pressing the fold into a sharp crease in the fabric reduces the size of the elbow. It works for me!
2) I have no luck at all with cutting multiple layers of fabric. Since I know it is a problem for me, I don't do it.
3) In the last year, i learned that my cutting is much more accurate if I use a piece of painters tape to mark the cut line on the ruler. It's hard for me to see the ruler lines, so the painters tape makes the 'cut line' stand out for me.
4) Not sure how to explain this, but I'll try anyway. If, for example, you want to cut a strip that is 3" wide by the width of the fabric,
a) Make sure your fabric is evenly folded and straighten the edge of the fabric where you will begin cutting.
b) Assuming your ruler is 6" wide x 24" long,
* align the ruler so that 3 inches of the ruler are over the width of the fabric and 3 inches are off the fabric. In other words, 3" of the ruler will cover the strip of fabric you want to cut, and 3" will rest on the cutting board.
* Since our hypothetical strip -to-cut is 3", make sure the edge of the fabric aligns with the 3" line of your ruler before you cut!
Then cut the fabric 3" in from the edge.
c) I only recently learned that it is necessary to straighten the edge of the fabric after every third strip. It seems like we shouldn't need to do that, but we do. Apparently the fabric shifts a little bit with each cut.
4) Many people starch their fabric before cutting. It's not something I usually do because of allergies. Starch turns into dust as you handle the fabric.
Having said that, I learned the hard way that starching is extremely helpful when cutting on the bias or when you have a fabric that wants to shred itself back to threads.
Good luck to you on your quilting journey!
Last edited by cathyvv; 12-05-2013 at 10:05 PM.