Have you cut strips the modern way - free form cutting? It's not about using a ruler but rather cutting without one. Sound daunting? Well, it really isn't that hard. I use it often in quilts and have created a short video to show you how easy it actually is.
There are a few points I'd like to mention first...
- 1: Always start by pressing your fabric just like you would when using a ruler
- 2: Use your mat to roughly align the size strip you want.
Use the lines on the mat to align your fabric.
Use your eye to draw an imaginary line between the start and stop points - 3: Eyeball the line. Place the rotary cutter at the starting mark and look at the finishing mark, then roll the blade toward where your eye is looking.
- 4: The fabric will move slightly as you push the rotary cutter into is so after starting you will need to hold the fabric to the side or behind the rotary cutter. NEVER put your hand near the cutting line.... NEVER, NEVER cut toward your fingers or hands!
- 5: The shorter the cutting distant, the straighter your strips will be
- 6: You can cut two or more layers at once
Here is the video to show you me cutting 3" strips:
Modern Rotary Cutting - free form without ruler
It is so fast to cut strips like this. They are uneven which creates interest and movement in your quilt. This is the technique I used to create this adorable fox quilt called Woodland Foxes. It really does create a more realistic background don't you think?
Of course, you can also create the same quilt using your ruler with your rotary cutter if you wish.
