I have three forms of templates for fussy cutting:

1) Purchased rulers that I have added 1/4 inch tape around the edge to represent the seam allowances

2) Plexiglass squares that I had cut at the hardware store. I added 1/4 inch tape to represent the seam allowances.

3) Template plastic that I cut into squares and added the tape.

The tape frames what you will see and helps with keep the templates in place. I have also added sandpaper dots to help keep the templates in place on the fabric.

One could also draw the seam line on the templates and use that.

Some prints work better in different sized squares. I cut some of my leftovers from cutting squares into rectangles and a couple of very neat quilts have been made using the rectangles.

I have used a chalk type pencil to draw around the templates to check for optimal placement. Or that darker pencil that also washed out (forget the name of it) Sometimes I get a better idea of where to cut after some preliminary placements.

I have some swiss-cheese fabric going right now and I plan to use the leftovers in some other project. It doesn't really get wasted.

If you haven't already purchased all your fabric, check out Missouri Sewing Machine Co for their 10" bundle of I Spy fabrics--prints are such that you really don't need to fussy cut and you can get 4 5" squares from each.

I participate with two groups for I Spy swaps. One on QB and one on Yahoo. The squares are 5" for QB and 6 1/2" for Yahoo.

The reason I bought the fabric if I didn't want to fussy cut it is that I didn't know any better. They had some nice graphics and things I thought kids would like, so I bought them. I did not realize that fussy cutting would be required nor did I know how much time it would take to do it. Doing it well is harder than it looks.

As you said, Swiss cheese is better than the trashcan any day.

Thanks again for all your info.

bkay

Sometimes one can cut smaller squares that can be accumulated for another project from the "leftovers"

Picture Play Quilts book by Ami Simms has a lot of ideas for I Spy type quilts.

You can look for scraps of fabric at Quilt Shows. Several I have been to offer a Scrap Tub....filled with all shapes and sizes of scraps. You are to fill a gallon zip lock bag for $1. This is a great way to acquire I-spy fabric.

I make a see-thru plastic template before fussy cutting. I buy the cutting mats you get at the dollar store & use them. If you're having trouble make square templates, use a small woodworkers square you can get at Harbor Freight or even your local hardware store. It'll help immensely! ;-) I had trouble when I first started too. Good luck!

lost of good advice listed above but don't ever throw good fabric away, please. If it is something you can't use, drop it off at a resale store, church or senior center. There is someone who can use it in a charity quilt.

I am wondering if you are talking about what I call 'conversation prints'. Fabric that has lots of individual pictures, or has so much going on that I just go for broke and cut it up for charity quilts. One I bought was covered in cats, where you could not cut out even 1 whole cat. I just color matched it to other fabric, and 'went for broke' as I said cutting it into squares. Some kid is going to have lots of cats to pet on their quilt.