If your making HST's then take a look at Rhonda's tutorial on HST's. I never could get mine to line up until I started doing it the way she does and now I don't have a problem with them anymore.

Please don't take offense (but you can laugh if you want!) How's your vision?? I ask only because a DF has horrific cutting issues & she keeps changing her glassesRX --- then takes them off to cut & sew! She has a really bad time w/errors, both sewing & cutting, but doesn't see (pardon the pun;) the connection between her errors & her vision problems.

Just a suggestion...
please laugh, but don't throw your mouse at me!

Maybe part of your problem is that you are looking at the pieces from different angles. Be sure to cut all pieces from the same angle, same place on your cutting mat, you in the same place your rulers in the same place. In what direction do you try to cut? For me it is easier to cut at a 90 degree angle from me. I always goof if I try cutting parellel to my body.

I hope something someone has said helps you. It is so frustrating to try and try and not get it. If these ideas don't help, ask more questions!

I've noticed that sometimes I cut sideways a little and not straight up, which resulted in uneven sides, could that be the problem with you? When i say "sideways"...i mean i lean over the mat some with cutter...

I agree with Donna, I thought it could be your seams, but then I went back and re-read your original post. If I understand correctly, you are discovering problems when you put 2 pieces together to sew them, right? If that's where you're noticing the problem, there are fixes.

First, are you holding your cutter so the blade is straight up and down? You do not want to "angle-in" toward your ruler, as this will give you an "off" cut. If one cut is angled and the next one straight, your block is going to be "off".

Secondly, why are you only cutting one layer at a time? A 45mm blade can easily cut 4 layers without difficulty. If you've got your fabrics laid out nicely, you can certainly get accurate cuts easier (I believe) with more than 1 layer of fabric. (Please don't take this as a "snippy" comment, I'm just trying to understand...)

When you cut, how are you holding the ruler? Many people put a lot of downward pressure on the ruler, which can actually move it during the cutting process. Obviously, you don't want that "shift" to happen, so use a lighter touch. Also, one of the things I hit upon when I first started rotary cutting is to keep the heel of my hand and my little finger just off the edge of the ruler. This gives me a little more security in "feeling" if the ruler is drifting.

Don't apply too much pressure from the blade up against the ruler. This can also cause shifting of the ruler and therefore, a "wonky" cut piece.

A sharp blade is very important.

Also, if your pieces are off by a thread or two, it should be okay. Lay them together so they are as centered as they can be, and sew with a 1/4" seam just as you normally would. If you are seeing a thread or two of the underneath fabric, it's okay - just use that edge to line up on your machine/foot/line for your 1/4". If the two pieces are more than a couple threads off (like perhaps 1/8" or more), you should re-cut.

Finally, if these tips don't help you, I'd recommend that you go to your LQS, if you have one nearby, and ask someone there for some help. I wouldn't recommend a big chain store, because sometimes they're just too busy. But a LQS is there to provide SERVICE TO THE CUSTOMER. They WANT you to be happy and successful, because that is what will keep you coming back and their doors open! Ask if you can bring in some fabrics and your tools and have someone watch you cut. They may be able to pick up on something that we can't necessarily "see" from this board and the help will be invaluable to you.

I hope that this will help you to have a better cutting experience. Good luck and let us know how you make out!

Odessa

I, too, was having similar issues, then read "be sure to hold your rotary cutter handle straight up, so that you don't PUSH the fabric as you cut". I tired it, and it does seem to cause less slipping and a more true cut. Good luck.

Odessa, you are not being a bit "snippy", this is exactly what I'm looking for! Everyone's responses are great and I'm sure will be big help!

You are correct in saying its not really my sewing the seams right. My problem is when I go to put the pieces together to sew them, they aren't the same size.

I'm going to carefully go over everything you guys have said, and see if I can't figure it out.

Or maybe I should just give it up and use my Cricut, LOL!

I have been holding my cutter at an angle! I was trying to get it as "close" to the ruler as I could, kwim?

Hm...That may be the problem.

The reason I am only cutting one layer is I'm afraid! LOL! I was thinking if I was messing up one layer, I didn't want to mess them all up! LOL!

I had a teacher tell me to make sure I don't use the lines on the cutting mat. That many times they are off.

As someone else suggested it might be your seams. Did you measure them? She also told us that not all 1/4" feet are the same. you have to measure from your needle and put a piece of electrical tape on the machine throat where the true 1/4" is.

Hope this helps

Are you using the measuring lines on the cutting mat or the measurement lines on the ruler? or both?

I had been using the lines on the mat for all cutting --- it was causing problems for me. Now I just use the measuring lines on the ruler and my cutting has improved.