Ok...so I just watched the first 2 segments of the new Quilty show on QNN TV. It features Mary Ann Fons daughter, Mary. Quick little show for newbies. In the second episode she teaches a friend how to use a rotary cutter, teaching her to line up the ruler with the grid lines on the cutting mat.

SO...now I am wondering if I have been doing it wrong (or harder, or less precise) all along? I was taught to use my ruler for this. However, she was cutting 2" squares by placing the bottom straightened edge of the fabric on the left/right (horizontal) line of the mat and then lining up the ruler with the correct north/south (vertical) line on the mat and then using the ruler as the straight edge, cutting.

Do any of you do it this way? Is it more or less precise? Inquiring minds want to know....

Sometimes I will use the lines on the mat and sometimes I'll use only the lines on the ruler. If it is a measurement wider than my ruler that's the only way it can be done! For the ones that are within the ruler's width I usually don't bother with also lining it up with the lines on the mat.

I kind of do, but I also use the vertical lines on my ruler and match them up with the vertical lines on the mat, haven't had a problem yet! I have learned to take more time cutting, the more precise it is, the better the work turns out and matches up correctly. I think that is a key to all of quilting is to not rush, sometimes hard for me because I can't wait to see the finale!

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.

Close enough for me. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. My quilting instructor says not to but I didn't listen to everything my mom told me either. Maybe should have.

I always use my lines on my mat. This is the only way I can be sure my fabric is cut accurately.

I use to use the lines on my mat until I read on this board that they are not always accurate, so now I use my ruler.

I do it that way. but you have to make sure you have a good and accurate mat.

Hmmm...maybe I will have to give it a try...

I use the lines on the mat, but the lines on my ruler do match it. I line the fabric up on the mat, place the ruler on the fabric and match ruler lines to mat lines.