Question about cutting boarders paralell to the selvage.
 

I'm not sure this belongs here, but here goes. I have a pattern for a 10 minute block quilt. I have made my blocks, sewn them together and have put the first border on. My second border instructions say to cut these borders parallel to the selvage so that they are not pieced. The side pieces will be 78 1/2" long. So, how do I do this? I've only got a 24" long ruler, and 5 1/4 yds of material (that includes material for the binding) Help! I don't want to mess things up! Thanks, Sue :confused:

78 1/2 inches is 2 yards 6 inches. So you have enough fabric to cut the border lengthwise. When I do this, I lay out the length of fabric on my floor. I then measure the width needed every foot or so and make a chalk mark. Then I use a yardstick to make a continuous chalk line to the required length. Then I cut it. Of couse, all of this is while I'm sitting on the floor! Be careful not to include the selvage in your width measurements.

you can fold very carefully in half, then in half again and keep half folding it till its a manageable size for you to cut.. OR
if it were me id piece them- cutting selvage to selvage.. ....

I agree! It doesn't bother me to piece my borders. I always use an angled seam as I think it hides better than a straight seam.

Do you, yourself, have a reason not to use WOF for a border? If you don't mind pieced borders, there is no reason for you to do otherwise.

Piece it or you may get a wavy result.
Good luck.
Annie

Your other alternative here is to tear your fabric. If you do a rough estimate of say 80 inches from your 5 1/4 yards of fabric - chop that off (roughly 2 1/4 yards). Then make a small snip near your selvege and rip that. THEN measure the width of your border, add maybe an inch, make another small snip and rip. Repeat for each border. Reason for adding a bit of width is tearing does have a tendency to make the edges a bit wavy and you might need to clean that up a bit and the extra inch will give you that wiggle room. Any yardage you have left over from that exercise could then be used for your binding as well before cutting into your leftover yardage. Or, as others have said, piece your borders. Unless there are specific design considerations with the direction of the design in the fabric, etc.

I agree to cut the fabric done to the length you need plus a couple of extra inches. I then would fold the fabric in half, you've only got a little over a yard to work with so I would not fold it again. Line the folded edge of the fabric on your cutting mat making sure both layers are even and on a straight line. Using your long ruler cut the selvages off being sure to cut on a straight horizontal line. Now measure down from your cut edge the width you need for your border, mark and make 3 or 4 measurements. Move the marks on the fabric to a straight horizontal line (being sure not to distort the cut edge) and using your long ruler cut your borders.

I lay the fabric out on a table, use my 24" ruler to measure ½"-¾" from the edge and cut along that line, sliding the ruler (and mat) down the edge, to trim off the selvage. Then I repeat the process measuring the border width from the edge I just cut. Works every time. I hate pieced single fabric borders...LOF borders are less stretchy, less wonky and just plain look better, imo.

I do it the same way as you.