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Quote:

Originally Posted by crashnquilt

The key here is just be consistent! If you cut using the lines on you mat then continue the whole project using the mats lines. If you use the ruler, use the same ruler throughout the whole project to insure better accuracy.

All rulers do not match. And usually they do not match the lines on your mat. My Fiskars ruler lines do not match exactly to the lines on my Omnigrid rulers. Albeit the difference is minute, when working on a project that bit of minute will rear it's ugly head.

I agree!

I always use the lines on the mat as well as the lines on the ruler.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachelcb80

Quote:

Originally Posted by peacebypiece

OK. We are not building rockets here. The "smidge" of difference between the ruler and mat are so small I doubt if it will ruin a quilt. The difference between the ruler and mat cannot be that bad or you would have noticed it before you cut. If you cut the whole quilt the same way, they will all be the same "variance" so won't matter anyway.
Sometimes we seem to be making MOUNTAINS out of little bitty molehills. If you get this hung up on a quilt, you need to relax a bit. Really sloppy cutting is the stuff that makes the pattern pieces not fit right.

I carefully and precisely fold the fabric so it's never too long to cut with my longest rulers.

Couldn't agree more!

For those that say they never use the mat lines, how do you measure and cut pieces bigger than your ruler? And can you explain why you don't use your mat to measure? Out of curiousity I put a tape ruler on my mat and it measured correctly with the ruler. Isn't that about as good as you could ask for?

I carefully and precisely fold the fabric so it's never too long to cut with my longest rulers.

I don't trust mat measurements and only use them as a general guide.

I use the ruler linned up with the lines on the mat , other wise
I would never get the right cut..

Like this ,sometimes I count more than once beffore cutting

I never ever use the lines on the mat! I really think I am a creature of habit and I do it the way I first learned.

Rulers rule (so my quilting teacher says and she's my inspiration).

I only use the lines when accuracy is not as important. Other wise I use the ruler for more accurate cuts.

I mostly use the mats to line up and use ruler for straight edge - I have never had problems with this method. I think as long as you are consistent it should work out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lacelady

I have always done it this way - lining up my fabric on the mat, then putting my ruler over all of the fabric except the part I want to cut away, aligning it with the markings on the mat.

I read all the reasons why I should put my ruler on the piece I wanted to cut off, and it never made any sense to me, especially if I wanted to only cut off a small piece.

I think you put the ruler over the piece you want so that it's protected. If your cutter goes off course, you don't ruin the piece under the ruler. Also, if you do go off course it will result in a larger cut than you intended, allowing you to recut it.