Cutting long strips of fabric
 

I have a quilt that requires me to cut long strips of fabric (about 90"), parallel to the salveges. I don't know how to do this. Anyone out there who could help me?

Most people will rip when cutting long strips along the lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvedges). How wide are the strips? Rips along the lengthwise grain turn out much better than rips across the fabric (from selvedge to selvedge).

I had to do this in a class I took. We refolded the fabric end to end and taped two long rulers together. The teacher held onto the rulers and I used the rotary cutter. Gotta tell you - it wasn't the most fun thing I've ever done and I can't believe the teacher held those rulers while I was moving that blade towards her. I think I would have done it the other way. I now have a pattern that has me cutting two 6 1/2" strips the length of fabric and I'm a little nervous.

I'm one that won't rip. I don't trust that it's always straight, it ripples the edges and you will still have to cut that edge to get it straight (not rippled).

I fold it as many times as necessary that I'm comfortable with, then make one generous cut (ie if I need 5" I'll cut 5.25"). When you fold it you need to make sure that it folds on the straight of grain or you'll get that dreaded V in the fold. With 90" of fabric ... that may be difficult hence the generous 5.25". Once I have the 90" cut, I'll then use a pair of rulers to make sure that any V's are removed and the whole 90" is straight.

Or ... depending on the fabric you can always piece it. If it's a solid (or tonal, or small print) then it's a cinch to piece. If it's a larger print you'll have to cut extra to match the seams. I've also found that when piecing borders or long sashing a diagonal seam where pieced helps hide piecing more than a horizontal seam.

Another option if it's sashing that you are doing is to employ corner blocks instead of a solid piece of sashing. This way, it looks like you planned it that way!

The LAST option, which is what I did the first time I had to cut a long piece of sashing ... I went to my husband's shop and laid the fabric on the floor (which is always clean), then I used a 12' length of aluminum (4" wide by 1/4" thick) to cut the fabric. My husband and his buddy stood on each end of the aluminum while I moved along the floor cutting! Yes ... it worked, but it was not fun and it's not always easy to find a 12' length of something that is dead straight (don't trust wood 2x4's - those are not straight!).

i was taught to rip fabric when i wanted it straight, it is in fact, the way to straighten it.... i do it all the time, and when ripping 3 or 4 strips, i clip them all at their perfect width and then rip a yard or so at a time one after another, which is faster than ripping one all the way and then doing the whole thing over... just support each strip evenly before you pull....

I lay my fabric open with the cutting edge on the mat. Then I align the ruler with the selvage and cut until I dang near run out of mat. I slide the fabric down, realign the ruler on the cut (overlapping a little) and keep cutting. I have never had trouble doing it that way. I cut the first piece about 1/2" larger because I need to trim the selvage.

Rip it. Most accurate way. Press the ripply edge. No muss no fuss - and fast!

This is the way I do it too. I don't care to rip, for I find the edges stretch.

I cut like Martina does. The first time I had to cut long strips for my borders I used a fine pencil and ruler then cut. Worked great.

I do this too....I only rip when I am roughly dividing up large pieces into project sized bits. Maybe its my ripping technique but it stretches too much and I feel I waste more fabric.

I rip if I need length of fabric strips. Crosswise will stretch but if you cup the with you need a few inches and rip fast I find good fabric won't stretch length. If I need several lenghts I cut the number of withs and rip a bit on each one till all of the strips are done. Just press before you sew and no ripples.

I made 75 custom fitted square dancing dresses of white eyelet and miles of red ruffles. I bought the fabric in 10 yard pieces, clipped the cut end at the required widths (some dresses had 5" ruffles, some 6" some 8") to best use the fabric. My friend and I each grabbed every other cut and walked away from each other! The endes were "slightly" stretched, but they were hemmed with a rolled edge on one side and ruffled on the other. No complaints! LInda

I cut WOF but I always rip lenth of fabric, never have any trouble with ripping. I always rip off my selvages and then my lenths.

rip it! then steam press...wavy edges disappear!

Thanks everyone for the good ideas. I have quilt class tommorrow, so I will see what the teacher says. I would much rather just cut the usual way and piece it together, but it's for shashing, not for borders, so I am afraid the strips sewn together with a mitered edge would show, any how, I'll let you know what happens.

I always rip on the straight of the grain. I measure a little wider than called for so that after I have ripped the strip, I can fold it as many times as needed to get a managable length that I have a ruler long enough for, remeasure and then cut on each side to get rid of the ravellies. I hate them and want a nice straight clean edge. Ripping always seems to come out straight and is a good way to make sure the edges of the fabric are straight too! This may go against the grain for some folks since it does 'waste' a little bit, but I don't mind 'wasting' some to get what I want.

I cut lengths that long by folding the fabric into four layers, using a 48" metal yardstick from the hardware store and having someone at the other end holding the ruler while I cut.

That's my method, also.

Quite simple, don't over think it. Instead of cutting across the fabric the 42-45" side, cut up and down the side. Of course you need fabric cut to the length of 2 1/2 yards.

Why did your teacher complicate the matter? She could have folded the fabric end to end, and again end to end and then rotary cut.

I rip just a little wider than the strip I need, iron well, fold, and then cut to size.

I have never had a problem cutting four pieces of fabric with a new rotary blade. I open up the fabric. Fold the length of the fabric and SEW the selvages together on one side. Fold again and sew the selvages together (same side) again. Press the fabric. You now have a piece of fabric that's straight on one side, folded and pressed. Start cutting on the side that's unsewn and work your way across the fabric. Unless you have something larger than a king-size (104 inch length), you only have about 3 yards of fabric (9 feet) folded into a four thickness piece of fabric that's less than 30 inches long.

So interesting to see this question. It is the same question that I Googled and that lead me to this board! The answers were very similar to the ones posted here. Have enjoyed reading this board almost daily since then. I had to cut 10 inch wide by 80 inch strips for the border from such pretty fabric. It really slowed the progress of the quilt because I was so afraid to do it. I ended up using the marks on my cutting mat for the 10 inches, which I don't normally do, and then just kept sliding the fabric up as I cut. I lined my 24 inch ruler up with the 10 inch markings. Turned out just fine.

To cut a long length like that I measure and move the ruler along as I go. I don't cut right to the end of the ruler so I then have the same line to line it up, then I remove the selvedge. The next strip I will have measured at the same time as I measured the first as well as any subsequent strips. May take longer but I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist.

Eleanor Burns started out ripping fabric and I remember doing it also many years ago. Not too long ago, I wanted some very long borders without cutting them or piecing them so I ripped them. My husband helped me and I went really slow and it was okay. They were perfectly straight and even, but they did have loose threads. I cut the loose threads and ironed the edges and am very happy with what I ended up with. I remember learning in 7th grade home economics how to rip to get an even edge.

I agree. Rip and press. You may want to use a little starch. It will be straight.

I agree -- rip it. I cut the cross-wise grain (selvage to selvage) and rip the lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvage). Ripping is the best way to be sure the long strips are truly on the straight of grain. I also rip the crosswise grain to get a good edge before I start my cutting. The fabric on the bolts is so far off grain I ...... no I should not get started. :(

Charlotte the selvege is the side that has the colors dots you can match to the fabric or the side where the streth doesn't stretch. Clear as mud, huh. I was wondering, my name is Charlotte also and my website is Charlotte-quilts.com
I couldn't help but notice your name.