cutting strips
 

Does anybody know how to cut strips quickly? The only way I know how to cut them straight is to pull threads. I could make a top in the time it takes to cut the strips. :mad:
Thanks

I use a "T" ruler, it has a lip on it to keep it straight, and cut with rotary cutter. You can put the thread once to get your straight edge and then use the ruler and cutter.

I rip to get the straight of grain then line up the fabric using top and bottom lines of the mat. Do note that often the manufactures fold is not on the straight of grain and needs to be pressed and refolded ..salvedge to salvedge. The use the ruler and rotary cutter.

I did not know that you need to open and press your fabric and then refold it and press it. I never would have thought of that. I've just lined my ruler up at the top of the fold and cut the left edge and then started cutting my strips. I never thought about it not being folded correctly.

Use a June Tailor Shape Cut Plus ruler. Here is a link to one on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/June-Tailor-12...dp/B0001DUMTA/

All you need to do is line up the fold of the fabric with a line on the ruler. The smaller Shape Cut is not as good because you need to fold the fabric twice and line up both folds. With this ruler, you can stack fabrics as long as the folds are lined up an equal distance from each other and at least one of the folds lines up with a line on the ruler.

The slots really help with keeping the cuts straight. What determines whether or not you get the dreaded "V" in a strip is how accurate you are cutting 90 degrees from the fold. It actually has nothing to do with pulling threads or cutting on the straight grain of a fabric. You can cut straight bias strips from fabric -- which is about as far from on-grain as you can get!

Edit: I should add that cutting exactly on the grain is not actually that important for quilting. The only reason to be concerned about grain is if your strips are going to distort while you are sewing and ironing. If I heavily starch fabric before cutting, I find that even totally bias cut strips do not distort on me while I work with them. Grainlines are much more important when sewing clothing, as it affects the drape of the clothing.

The June Taylor Shape Cut Ruler that Prism99 recommended is a really useful tool to own

DITTO on the June Tyalor Shape Cut Ruler, use mine all the time... also ahs directions for diamonds and hexagons.

I think I am the only person that doesn't like the June Taylor Rulers. I just use a 24" ruler and don't have any problems.

For most strips I use my 24" ruler. I line a square ruler up to the fold onmy right and the long ruler up against the side of the square one and make my first cut to get it straight. Then I cut the strips I want and even up again every two or three cuts, this keeps them straight.

The instructor in the class I took earlier this year said today's fabrics are straight enough to not worry about it, but I've found differently. Out of a hundred or so pieces of fabric I've bought in the past six months, only ONE of them was cut on the grain!

I've found that even the very best quilt shop fabrics are not cut on the straight of the grain, so EVERY piece I buy goes directly into the washer and dryer before I do anything else. EVERY piece! Some are off as much as a couple of inches, while others are off by fractions, but still...they are ALL off.

AND, what IF you don't wash and dry them and they shrink after your quilt is all beautifully done if you haven't heavily quilted it? I shudder to think of what the outcome would be and I don't want my quilts to look puckered up after all that work.