Accurate cutting
 

I was doing some piecing tonight and realizing how inaccurate my cutting is - ugh.
Any tips for cutting accuracy?

Use a cutting ruler that has fine lines -- much more accurate for me than thick lines.

I found I get the most accurate cutting when I starch my fabrics prior to cutting. It helps them to lay flat and not move as much when cutting. Give it a try on a piece ... it washes out so its not a permanent treatment. I was amazed how much my cutting improved when I starched prior to cutting.

Use a ruler with thin lines.

Place the ruler consistenyly As you go.

What makes you think your cutting isn't accurate? What is wrong? Too large? Too small? Not even? Can you post picture to show us?
I agree, starching does make the fabric behave better.

Is your ruler slipping? If so, you need to apply something to it. There are several things, such as sandpaper dots, clear dots specifically for preventing slipping, Omnigrid Invisigrip (clear film), and even clear nail polish, but I haven't tried that one myself. Personally I like the Omnigrid Invisigrip. I have many rulers and used it on nearly all of them from just one roll. I even cut thin strips and put it on the back of my June Tailor Shape Cut ruler.

Buy a Quilter's Slidelock ruler and Sally Collins book on Precision Machine Piecing. In it she recommends keeping the thin black line on the Omnigrid/Omnigrip rulers ontop of the fabric prior to cutting, because then it gives you the space needed for the thread and turning thickness, and you don't need to try to sew a scant quarter inch seam. She also recommends starching, which has already been mentioned.

Great recommendation.....I did this and my quilting improved immensly!!!!!

along with the other tips, take your time, don't try to cut past your hand, stop and move your hand before you go up any more

This is what a friend of mine told me to do. Sort of complicated in writing, so much easier to show in person.

Make sure your pressure on both the ruler and rotary cutter goes straight down into the fabric rather than sideways. If I am working with a long ruler I hold it down with both my hand and the elbow of the same arm to keep it from moving.

Go slowly!

Use the thinnest lines you can and check for each ruler type where the cut should be, if the line is on the inside or outside of the mark.

I don't cut with a ruler and rotary without the SlideLock for safety. I haven't found a fool proof way to use get perfect cuts one after the other with a ruler and cutter. I bought the Go and every cut is the same.

..this sometimes is the root of all evil!

Do you know why you're off? If you know what your specific issue is, let us know and we can offer specific suggestions.

If you're not sure how/when/why you're going wonky, it's time to get a friend to watch you cut OR slow way down, look at everything you're doing, and measure after every single cut and try to figure out where exactly you're going wrong. If your cuts come out perfectly doing that, it could be just that you're going too fast and missing it when you're a little off. (Been there, done that!)

I can see where starch would help if you are cutting, but my problem is I can't see the edge of the fabric under the ruler!

I've had to resort to taping fabric down on a line on the mat so I could line it up. I have a Martelli mat on the yellow side and still can't see. Not using Omnigrids but the other brand with no color marking. Also have the Quilters Slidelock.

Fixing lighting. Have to find a gooseneck that fits the track over the cutting table.

I have tried and it works for me. Non skid shelf liner a narrow strip (1/2"x6") helps. Lightly starching of the fabric works also.

There are so many reasons why cutting can be inaccurate enough to make a noticeable difference in finished quilts. The very best way to track down the cause is to have someone else watch how you cut using your own cutter, rulers, and mat. Chances are it will be a very simple solution that needs no new 'equipment' or drastic changes to your method.

You could ask for help from a friend who also quilts or from someone at a local quilt shop, but there's really no way to be sure of what's causing the problem without watching you in person. In the long run, it would be faster, cheaper, and more beneficial.

Many shops now have classes that include how to cut accurately. That might be a good option, too. Best of luck to you.

A lot of it starts with the fabric prep. Cutting from fresh new smooth fabric seems like a no brainer. But new fresh fabric may both shrink and grow when you get around to ironing your blocks.

The other is knowing the perfect spot for the 1/4" seam allowance on the machine you are using. I probably have at least 50 9 patch blocks in the scrap bin, from working out that seam over the years, not much scrap value, but experience value, priceless.

the wider lines on some of the rulers is just why i love the laser cut lines on my fluorescent rulers... wish i could find more of them... i recently googled and they don't seem to be made anymore. :(

I had the same trouble of not being able to distinguish the fabric under the lines on my ruler. Now I place the ruler so that the tiniest sliver, maybe 2 threads, are showing under the opposite side of the measuring line. My pieces are a bit oversized, so I had to add another click to my needle when sewing, but my patchwork comes out the right size.

Always use the same ruler to cut all the pieces of a quilt. Each ruler has slight differences in the spacing of the lines. Using multiple rulers adds to the cutting differences.

I'm a little short, and my cutting surface is a little high. I found that my visual perspective was off when just going at it under these circumstances, which made my cuts a little off. When I got a stool, which puts me well above the cutting surface, I am looking directly down on my object and that helps me get a straighter cut. Lastly, my DH, who use to be a draftsman/engineer, sometimes helps me. His ability to see what is going on with the ruler has been a big help. Also, I starch, starch, starch and sometimes tape down a piece to insure no slippage, and when using my June Tailor strip cutter, I always cut off about 1/16 inch at the beginning so I am certain I am starting with a perfectly straight edge.

Alice

Alice

I believe in this as well. Another suggestion is to put a piece of tape or a sticky note exactly where you want to measure for cutting. Particularly if you tend to get distracted in that process. We might THINK we are using the same spot on the ruler, but are we?? I know frequently I am not.

Thank you for the great feedback. I am not sure what I am doing wrong but some of my pieces are a little too long and then I'll find one too short. I am not really sure where I should be placing the measuring line. I too am short and my table is too tall and lighting not good so I really have a lot of work to do. I think I will go to the quilt shop and see if I can get some help.

I just returned from a Bonnie Hunter workshop. One suggestion that she told us is the same as many who posted, and that is to have the line of the ruler ON the fabric, not off of the edge. This gives you the cut that allows for sewing and pressing because both take up a few threads when sewn and pressed. Also, take your rulers one by one and place them standing up on edge on a flat surface. If you can run a piece of paper under the ruler with no problem, your ruler is warped. Try this with all sides of your rulers to ensure they are not warped or that you haven't 'sliced' off a bit of the ruler over time.

All the tips so far have been very good. A quilt teacher told me one day to never use the lines on the cutting mat as a cutting guide. Solution, I use 2 rulers butted up together if I need them to get a wider cut.

Second thing was - always place the ruler on top of the piece of fabric you are cutting so that the good part stays under the ruler while cutting. The second tip has made all the difference in the world for me. It has almost totally stopped the slippage and bad cuts. I, also, cut, then walk my fingers, then cut again if the need arises.

I am right handed. I square my fabric up with the bulk of it to my left. Remember, ruler on the good piece. Then I either go to the other side of the table or turn the fabric so that the bulk of it is to my right so that my ruler is on the good fabric and the bulk of the fabric is to my right to make piece cuts. That way any bad cuts go into the left over fabric and you just have to trim off the edge of the piece you need. FYI...it's a lot easier than it sounds.

I like to use two rulers. I am right handed and I first line up the ruler to square off the fabric. I then put a ruler on top of the fabric measuring 3" (for example) I butt the ruler I am going to cut with against the first ruler If the first ruler is a short one, I slide it up to the top of the fabric and then to the bottom of the fabric checking to make sure the 3" is consistent. Then I cut my fabric. The bulk of my fabric is to the left side as I cut the pieces I need. I walk my hand up the ruler to hold it in place.

If you are short you might look into a portable table sold at Wally world. They are adjustable and a cutting mat would fit on this. Another thing you might try is using your ironing board at the adjusted height.

Every thing that has been said is very good and will help a lot. The other thing I found was if I cut late at night or after hours and hours of sewing, my cuts would start to be off also. So I have put off cutting in the middle of the night (have a hard time sleeping), as well as after long hours of sewing (your eyes can be tired and you don't realize it). Good luck

I am confused -

Do you have the ruler on top of the fabric that will be cut off?

I am right hand dominant -
How I cut:
If I need to fold the fabric, I do that first
I have the measured amount under my ruler - and cut on the right-hand side of the ruler. The bulk/rest of the fabric is to the right of the ruler.

My current favorite rulers are the Olfa frosted ones - they have nice thin lines - I lay the ruler so that I can barely see the edge of the fabric to the left of the line of my desired dimension.

My cut pieces are actually a tiny bit larger than the designated size - maybe 1/64th of an inch.

I have been meaning to measure the width of strips cut using a June Tailor shape thing - but have not done so yet.

For my first cut - I just cut "big" and turn it around and trim it on the other side.

Sometimes the selvages shrink/pucker on washed fabrics -I clip them every few inches so the fabric is laying flat all the way to the edge.
I like to keep the selvages on as long as possible for two reasons:
1) It minimizes raveling/fraying
2) It might give me a clue as to what the fabric source/pattern is

thanks for the tip

Couple things to remember when using your rotary cutter...does not cost anything... You cut only as far as your outstretched hand can reach & if using a thin (6" or less wide), put your pinkie off the opposite side from where you are cutting...this will stabilize the ruler.

One other tip I've found useful when cutting 4 layers or less... get a thin piece of quilter's tape (I use painters tape I've trimmed down...straight edge to the inside of the ruler) and put it along the 1/4" line on the ruler where it will be on the bottom/underside of the ruler, near the opposite/outer edge of the ruler...you can butt this up to the edge of the fabric and it will also help keep the cuts straight.

One thing that may be happening, and have nothing to do with your cutting...drifting when sewing...measure your stitched seams...do they seem to get a couple threads smaller as you get to the end of the piece you are stitching. If you notice that you are drifting...mark the very end of the pieces 1/4" in ...just a dot...it will let you know if you are drifting at all.

OK... is the too short/long happening mostly with longer pieces (6" or more)? If so, try a walking foot...You may be getting feed dog pull issues. Also try measuring the two sections before sewing, if they measure the same & one still seems longer...it's the pull of the machine. Try pinning the pieces at the end that will stitch last...lining up the start...and easing so that any possible fullness is distributed as you stitch.

That is why I bought my GO cutter. It doesn't cut perfectly every time, but it always cuts more perfect than I ever did.

The best idea I got to help with cutting is to put some kind of skid-grip on the bottom of my rulers. I bought little dots for mine, and even used the piece that framed the dots on one ruler. That keeps them from "creeping" while I am trying to cut. Also start with one or two layers until you can do that accurately, then work up to more layers. I will cut a maximum of four layers myself, anymore than that and my accuracy suffers. Others cut up to eight layers, but that just makes me waste fabric.

I think you probably nailed the key issue with your observation that you're short and your table is too high. I've observed that people have trouble with good cuts when they are not above their work. See if you do better on a kitchen counter height, or a dining table. You don't want to have to bend over your work-- that's hard on your back, but you also want to be above it and using pressure from above, not laterally.

I usually only cut two layers - at the most - at a time.

Two reasons:

1) If I goof up, there is less waste
2) It is easier for me to be more accurate with only one or two layers.

True, it does take a bit longer to cut - but I enjoy cutting.

If you are short - some office/drafting tables have a height adjustment feature. I like my sewing machine surfaces to be a lot lower than a standard table.

It was after reading about starch on this board last year or so ago that I tried starch and have never looked back, what a difference it makes to all my quilting but cutting is fab.

I saw on one of the quilting PBS programs to turn the rotary mat over and not rely on any inch marked lines. I have always used the lines. I have not had an opportunity to see if this is a good tip.

I also use both left and right hands to cut. I have read recently that this can cause inaccuracy.

I agree I have never EVER used the lines on the mat for guides they are nowhere near accurate enough so I only my rulers. I use Creative Grids make that have built in them non slip sections and I think this helps a lot as well. I think the size of ruler and how you stand or sit makes a lot of difference as well. Due to healthy problems I have taught myself to cut whilst sitting down. I have a really good office type chair with adjustable height, and very importantly good back support, I have a good Ott-lite daylight light and I press my fabrics with starch. I only use rulers up to 12.5" as the longer ones don't work when with sitting down. I have got used to cutting short lengths and quite often fold or cut through many layers but I can do so as I never try to save pennies by using a dull blade because it is a false saving when it doesn't cut right. (I keep my duller blades for cutting wadding etc.)

Milly35, there are a lot of useful tips from the wonderful quilters on this board just read through them and find what works for you, happy quilting.

Sort of like the difference between reading the book or watching the movie........