Cutting with a short ruler
04-29-2015, 10:56 AM
#11
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 739
Bends are caused by not having your ruler positioned ***exactly*** 90 degrees from each fold. Since you are double folding, you have to make sure that the ruler is hitting *both* folds at 90 degrees.
Basically, before cutting, you need to measure from one fold to the other fold all across the fabric, making sure that the distance between the two folds remains the same. If it does, and if you get your ruler lined up at 90 degrees from one fold, it will also be lined up at 90 degrees from the other fold.
Incidentally, holding the selvedge edges together and sliding them until the fabric hangs straight has nothing to do with whether or not you get bends in your cuts. It's a nice thing to do to make sure that your fabric lies flat on the table, and may help slightly with keeping the cuts on-grain. That's it.
If you want to test out the 90-degree angle thing, take a few sheets of paper. Fold them (with edges matching or any which way). Be careful to position your ruler on the fold for the 90-degree angle. (This simply means that the cross lines on your ruler match up perfectly with the fold.) Cut. Now do another one with the ruler just slightly tilted off that 90-degree angle. When you unfold the two pieces, the 90-degree cut will not have a bend; the other will. The farther away your ruler is from 90-degrees to the fold, the bigger the bend will be at the fold.
You can double-fold some paper and test again. With one sheet, make sure that the folds are equi-distant from each other; with the other sheet, make sure the folds measure closer at one side and farther away from each other on the other. Cut both with the ruler positioned at 90 degrees from one fold. You will see how having the folds equidistant from each other are the key to not having bends in the cut strips.
Basically, before cutting, you need to measure from one fold to the other fold all across the fabric, making sure that the distance between the two folds remains the same. If it does, and if you get your ruler lined up at 90 degrees from one fold, it will also be lined up at 90 degrees from the other fold.
Incidentally, holding the selvedge edges together and sliding them until the fabric hangs straight has nothing to do with whether or not you get bends in your cuts. It's a nice thing to do to make sure that your fabric lies flat on the table, and may help slightly with keeping the cuts on-grain. That's it.
If you want to test out the 90-degree angle thing, take a few sheets of paper. Fold them (with edges matching or any which way). Be careful to position your ruler on the fold for the 90-degree angle. (This simply means that the cross lines on your ruler match up perfectly with the fold.) Cut. Now do another one with the ruler just slightly tilted off that 90-degree angle. When you unfold the two pieces, the 90-degree cut will not have a bend; the other will. The farther away your ruler is from 90-degrees to the fold, the bigger the bend will be at the fold.
You can double-fold some paper and test again. With one sheet, make sure that the folds are equi-distant from each other; with the other sheet, make sure the folds measure closer at one side and farther away from each other on the other. Cut both with the ruler positioned at 90 degrees from one fold. You will see how having the folds equidistant from each other are the key to not having bends in the cut strips.
04-29-2015, 12:02 PM
#12
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
Posts: 8,562
This the way I cut as well. But I also square up after 2-3 cut strips.
Use one of the lengthwise lines on the horizontal ruler to line up on the edge of the fold.
Jan in VA
Use one of the lengthwise lines on the horizontal ruler to line up on the edge of the fold.
Jan in VA
04-29-2015, 02:48 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: East TN
Posts: 2,863
Prism99 -
Thank you so much for your quick, detailed answer. I'm a bit red-faced now that I didn't think of it. I'm a math nerd, an ACCOUNTANT for crying out loud, and that solution never crossed my mind. But as soon as I started reading your post, I knew you were exactly right. I cut a few HYs up when I got home from work, and every strip was perfect!
To everyone else who responded, thank you also. i love that everyone is so willing to share their expertise with people they don't even "know" on this board.
I now have about 80 fabrics cut, so I have about 50 to go. Then we can assemble them into kits and start making the many baby quilts that we are behind on!
Darren
Thank you so much for your quick, detailed answer. I'm a bit red-faced now that I didn't think of it. I'm a math nerd, an ACCOUNTANT for crying out loud, and that solution never crossed my mind. But as soon as I started reading your post, I knew you were exactly right. I cut a few HYs up when I got home from work, and every strip was perfect!
To everyone else who responded, thank you also. i love that everyone is so willing to share their expertise with people they don't even "know" on this board.
I now have about 80 fabrics cut, so I have about 50 to go. Then we can assemble them into kits and start making the many baby quilts that we are behind on!
Darren
04-29-2015, 02:53 PM
#14
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: East TN
Posts: 2,863
One more thought on this. I, and the other people who have been fighting the bends, would have been able to make straight strips from my method if the selvedges were perfectly straight and parallel to one another. Apparently that is not the case on a lot of fabrics. That's a good thing to know, so I don't rely on that faulty assumption for any other situations I might find myself in.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
04-30-2015, 07:28 AM
#15
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
Wesing, I'm so glad you asked your question, because I often have the same problem. I was taught to cut this same way and still ,even though I thought I was being very careful, I would still get bends.
Prism99, thank you so much for the wonderful explanation on how to cut fabric correctly. I so appreciate it. Gina
Prism99, thank you so much for the wonderful explanation on how to cut fabric correctly. I so appreciate it. Gina
05-02-2015, 06:38 AM
#16
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 17,889
I have been watched many times by cutting pros (who folded the fabric for me) and even they are surprised that I get a V in some of my strips when cutting. I bought the Alto Quilt 2 and still got the V. I love my die cut machine!
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