sherriequilts

I have a Big Board (they are fantastic! and no I don't have any connection with them!) which I place next to a wall.

To cut strips:
First , I put my fabric on the board with the center folded to the selvedges taking care to make sure all is parallel to avoid the dreaded V-cut.
Next, I square up my 24" ruler narrow end against the wall.
Then, I move the Big Board mat until the fabric is absolutely parallel to the wall using the ruler pushed against the wall. I move the ruler sideways to make sure all the fabric is parallel.
Finally, as I cut I hold the ruler down with my hand and keeping the ruler in contact with the wall.

Works great until I forget how to measure and cut a strip 1/2" to narrow!! What's that about measure twice and cut once!

Even small pieces can be cut the same way, by adjusting the mat to keep the ruler perpendicular to the wall. I DO NOT use the marks on the mat as my guide, only the ruler. AND I do use TWO rulers placed side by sid: one for measuring and the other for cutting against, just moving the measuring ruler to the side after setting my hand on the other ruler when ready to cut.

Let me know how it works for you.

Cyn

Great info- Thanks!

Rachel

uuummmm... does this technique work if you're walls aren't exactly straight??? I have an old house. tee hee

gale

sounds like a good idea, but like the pp our walls are terribly crooked. I also don't think I have a big area next to a wall...OH in the hallway I do! I actually used a similar method when I was marking the legs on my table to be cut to the right height, now that I think of it.

BellaBoo

It'a amazing how many quilters have trouble cutting straight strips. Me included. All cutting methods are great to hear about, everyone has a favorite. Your set up will work great for my way of cutting strips and I have a Big Board. I cut strips from a single layer of fabric no V at all. I cut the fabric in half down the length and cut strip after strip across the width. No fussing about being line up at the fold. But it makes shorter strips which is okay by me as I use them shorter 99% of the time anyway. I prefer to use the Go die cut but it's not always the size I want.

sherriequilts

that would be a problem!

Terryl

what's the big board?

sherriequilts

go to bigboardenterprises.com and you can see one; also google bigboard for quilting and ironing and you will see several sites that talk about the board.
I got mine when I went to Road2CAlifornia several years ago and it is the best quilting accessory I have. Wouldn't, couldn't, be without it. 21 x almost 60 inches. The cutting mat goes on top, take it off for ironing on the rectangular surface (think it came with the ironing pad), and fits on top of a regular ironing board. My ironing board was old, so I got a new one with four legs for better stability.
Just don't put anything hot on the mat! I had the mat on my kitchen table and put a paper plate with hot food on it. It grew a bubble immediately. Fortunately I grabbed several large phone books to put on top of the mound and weighted them down. Thank goodness the bubble went away. Close call, that.

I also have one of those small (12 x 18?) cutting mat and ironing pad combinations which I put at one end of the bigboard so I can press a block or whatever in stead of taking the mat off. The combo thing is thick enough that the heat doesn't go through to mess up the big mat.

Mine is in NM right now and I am in CA, but my friend has one too so I can use hers while I am here. We sew together all the time anyway!