Jingle

I fold my fabric down the center and don't worry about how the selvages look and even up the left side and start cutting it up and evening after so many cuts. I read to do this in some quilt book, somewhere along the way. If you fold selvages even you will notice your center fold will not look right.

BellaBoo

Every quilt class I have taken each instructor has showed a different way to fold and cut fabric. Some used two rulers to line up the fold, some said only one fold, some said selvages had to be even, some said re straighted after two cuts, some said rip for a straight line, some say pull a thread. I tune out that part of a class now, I've seen every possible way to cut.

Candela59

I'm curious about that machine. How do you like it? It seems that no matter how careful I am I can't get all my cuts to come out accurately.

I have looked at the machine online and in stores...it is soooooo expensive! Do you feel that it is worth it?

Thanks!

MistyMarie

Obviously, many of those who cut the fabric at the store are not worried about getting a perfectly straight cut that will make the fabric line up on the cutting table. I have had fabric that, lined up selvage to selvage be off by more than six inches, straight from the store. So, I always buy more than I need because I hate getting a project started, only to find out that I am a couple inches shy of what I needed and have to make a trip back to the store, or worse yet, not find the fabric again to continue.

JanJan

How do you like the fabric die cut machine? Is it an Accuquilt?

gmcsewer

I fold the fabric in half lengthwise and press lightly. Then I lay a larger square plastic ruler like 12 1/2 square along the selvedge and that gives you a perfect 90 degree angle. if you continue this line across, you should get a perfect 90 degree angle in the center and thus not have a bow in it. If I am cutting smaller lengths, I start at the selvedge and cut my pieces toward the center. Then all that is wasted because of the bow is the small part you cannot use.

jeammezera

try cutting the folded side first instead of last, it might help.

jeammezera

I have an Accuquilt Go. I love it. I think I have all the dies also. This is how I managed to get all my scraps cut into workable pieces.

MadQuilter

After I iron my fabric, I fold it selvage to selvage and let it hang freely. You can see by whether it hangs straight or is pulled toward one direction. If it is pulled, then I carefully shuffle it until it hangs straight.

I then lay it on the cutting mat and smooth it out with my hands, but I do not iron it.

It sounds like you might not have had the two halves aligned and the ironing emphasized that distortion.

Tiffany

If you wash your fabric before you use it, you will find that the selvage edge rarely matches up perfectly. The selvage is usually of a much tighter weave then the rest of the fabric, which is why we're supposed to cut it off instead of adding it into a quilt. If you put your selvages together and then grab the folded top on either end and hold your fabric up (someone already suggested this), match the seamlines up as closely as possible but don't worry about it matching perfectly. It shouldn't 99% of the time. Then when cutting, line up the ruler along the top of the fold line and make your cuts from there down and not from the selvage lines up. This should remove any bowing problems.


My girlfriend bought the Accucut and she absolutely loves it! She will allow others to use it and when she takes it to a class or retreat, she "rents" it out for use. I haven't rented it yet but from everyone else who has used it, they all rave about how wonderful it is.