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Tips for Essential Quilting Tools

Hi! This week I want to cover tips for these essential quilting tools: rulers, cutting mats and rotary cutters. These tools are used daily in all our sewing rooms so I thought I’d share some facts about these tools, tips on caring for them, and tips on using them. Maybe you know some of these things or maybe you’ll learn something new. Either way, I hope you enjoy this week’s blog post!

Rulers

Your ruler is not only used to measure and cut fabric for your project, but also used throughout the entire process of making a quilt. You use them to measure and trim units and to square up quilt blocks, to name two.

Basic Use, Cleaning, and Storage: The acrylic quilting rulers that are everywhere today became a quilting staple in the late 70s around the time the modern rotary cutter was introduced. Here’s a photo showing my standard rulers I rely on daily:

I use the two rulers on the left, the 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ and the 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″,  the most when I am squaring, measuring, and cutting yardage. When squaring, measuring and cutting pre-cuts like fat quarters and fat eighths, I rely on the 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″ ruler and the 6 1/2″ square. The 4 1/2″ square ruler is usually kept by my machine to measure the accuracy of units as I go. I also have several square rulers that range from 9 1/2″ to 16 1/2″ for squaring blocks.

Bonus Tip: It’s a good idea that all your rulers are they same brand. This assures that measurements will match from ruler to ruler.

Acrylic rulers are not unbreakable or resistant to damage, so caring for these rulers should be part of your quilting routine. Here are some tips on storage and care:

  • Clean your rulers periodically by dusting with a soft cloth. Do not use anything abrasive like paper towels that can scratch the ruler surface and make the markings harder to read. Also don’t use any cleaning solution with bleach or ammonia. If you need to use a cleaning solution, use those that are meant for plexiglass.
  • Store your rulers, like your cutting mat, away from direct sunlight and not in areas of your home with extreme temperature changes.
  • Finally, make sure to store your rulers securely. If you drop them or they fall from a storage area, they will chip or break. In a previous post, I showed the pegboard on my sewing room wall where I hang my rulers. If you don’t have wall space, you can also store them with a ruler rack like this:

Reading and More Usage Tips: My favorite brand of ruler are Creative Grid. I like the clear acrylic with no color tint and the clear markings. They also have gripper dots on the back to limit slipping (photo on right).

Here’s a closer look of my ruler that shows another reason I like Creative Grids. The markings go in both directions so no matter which way you have the ruler turned you can measure accurately. Notice the white numbers and the black numbers:

I also like how the 1/8″, 1/4″ and 1/2″ lines are different lengths, the 1/2″ being the longest, for quick reference. As a beginning quilter, I did not pay too much attention to something like this but I now see how it helps with quick ruler placement.

If you are cutting a lot of strips the same width, consider using a piece of painter’s tape placed at that measurement line on the ruler to guarantee all strips are cut the same. This also helps you to quickly locate the measurement line when you have to re-position the ruler.

Finally, secure your ruler properly while you are cutting, even if you have a Creative Grids ruler or other brand that has the anti-slippage dots on the back. Here’s how to place your hand as you are cutting:

Tent your hand, as shown above, instead of placing your hand flat on the ruler. If you place your hand flat on the ruler, you may inadvertently push the ruler forward. Tenting your hand makes the pressure you are exerting go down instead of forward so there’s less chance of your ruler moving. If you need to you can use some of the tools out there that help you to hold and press down the ruler, like this Little Gypsy Gripper:

Cutting Mats and Rotary Cutters

Cutting Mats: First, cutting mats need to be cared for to keep them useful. You should clean your mat periodically by putting 1/4 cup of white vinegar per gallon of cool water in a tub and soaking the mat for about 15 minutes. Use a very soft toothbrush to remove the fiber bits. You can also add in a few drops of mild dish soap. Rinse with cool water, gently towel dry or lay it flat on a towel for drying. In between a cleaning like this, you can clean bits of lint and threads off your mat by running a artist’s eraser, a piece of packing tape or a lint roller across the board:

These mats are self healing but try to avoid cutting in the same place every time you cut fabric to allow the mat to heal properly. Mats do wear out eventually, that’s why it’s a good idea to buy a double sided mat and flip it periodically so you are not always using the same side. If you have a deep cut that does not heal, then you know it’s probably time to replace the mat.

Do not store your mat where it will get distorted, like in direct sunlight or extreme heat. If your mat does warp, it has been suggested a way to fix it is to carefully heat it up and place a heavy item on it to flatten it out again. I have never tried this so I can not vouch for this approach. However if you want to try it, Google the instructions. There are a lot of quilters who have tried it and claim it works.

As a rule, I don’t rely on the lines on my cutting mat for cutting fabric strips or pieces for a project. But they can be used to measure out the yardage amount you need for a project and to assist you when  squaring your fabric. For example, if the fold of your fabric lays flat along a horizontal line on your mat, you know you’ve prepared your piece of fabric correctly for the squaring up process (photo below).

Rotary Cutters: Rotary cutters have been around since the late 70s and began being widely used for quilting in the mid to late 80s. The four sizes most often used in quilting range from cutters with a smaller 18mm blade up to one with a larger 60mm blade. The one I use the most, as do most quilters, is the 45mm size cutter:

It’s the perfect size for cutting strips of fabric and then the pieces needed for your quilt. This cutter will cut through up to four layers of fabric. Quilters will use (and should use) the 60mm cutter if they need to cut through more than four layers of fabric. 

I keep an 18mm cutter by my machine with my small ruler and mat to measure and trim up units as I stitch. This small cutter is the perfect size for that and also for curved cuts. There is also a cutter with a 20mm blade that can be used for this task.

I’ve talked about rotary cutters in previous posts so I’ll just briefly go over some safety tips here:

Tip #1: Make sure the blade is always sharp. If your cutter skips or frays fabric as you cut, it’s time to change the blade. If you feel like you have to push down hard to make a cut in one pass, it’s time to change the blade. A dull blade can lead to accidents. If you have a blade sharpener, you can try that first, then if that fails, change it.

Tip #2: Always cut away from your body when using a rotary cutter. This is another tip to help avoid accidents.

Tip#3 : Always close and lock your rotary cutter whenever you put it down. Even if it’s just to move your ruler to measure for the next cut. 

Tip #4: Make sure your rotary cutter is straight and hugging the edge of your ruler all the way through the cut you are making. You want your rotary cutter straight like in the photo on the left, not slanted like the photo on the right.

Slanting the cutter may cause you to move your ruler from the pressure being applied. 

So that’s all I have for this week. I hope you learned something new or learned something you may have forgotten! Let me know what you think in the comments.

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Handy & Time Saving Tips for Beginners and Experience Quilters

Whether you are an experienced quilter or just beginning, there are things that you should do before you start a quilting project to make your experience more enjoyable. At least these are the things I like to do. There is nothing worse than starting on a project and then having to stop to fix things! If you have some routine things you do before starting a project that you would like to share, feel free in the comments below. Let’s get started.

Tip #1

A good place to start is the pattern. This seems like something that everyone would know, but reading the pattern through prior to starting a project is the best advice I can give a beginner. We experienced quilters often skip this step, but we should not either. Here’s an example of one of my patterns:

I like to put all my cutting instructions for all the fabrics right up front. Including for the binding. This way, you know you have enough fabric before beginning or, if you run out, you can get more before it sells out. Now all patterns are not like this, that’s why it’s a good idea to read it through. This leads to tip #2.

Tip #2

When you are buying fabric, I recommend adding at least 1/8 yard to what is stated in the pattern, especially if you are a pre-washer. I already add extra in my fabric requirements on my patterns but not every designer does. This also saves you if you make a cutting error or if you lose some fabric in squaring it up. That extra 1/8 yard can be cut into strips and stashed if you end up not needing it for the current project. We all like to build a stash, right?

Tip #3

Make sure your machine is ready. After every project completed, I will clean out the bobbin area and under the throat-plate. That handy little brush that came with your machine works great! Also, oil the parts of your machine that your owner’s manual dictates. Trust me.. your machine will love you for that! 

Cleaning will keep your stitches smooth and even. And you won’t get clumps of lint interfering. Finally, definitely take your machine into your local service shop or the shop you bought it from for a yearly maintenance check and deep cleaning. It’s worth the money spent for the headaches it will save.

Tip #4

Check the accuracy of your 1/4″ seam before beginning the project, even if you have a 1/4″ quilting foot. There are things such as needle position or thickness of thread used that can effect the 1/4″ seam that most patterns require. Before you start sewing the pieces for your project, sew a seam on a scrap piece of fabric and measure it.

If you don’t have a 1/4″ quilting foot, you can use markings on your throat plate and some painter’s tape and give yourself a guide. Here’s the mark on my throat plate and how you can line up your fabric:

If this mark is too difficult for you to see as you are chain-piecing, add a piece of tape to extend this guide using a tape measure and masking or painter’s tape. Start by laying the measuring tape under your needle at the “0” line. This will also help you to measure if the marking on your throat plate is accurate if you have one. (See my little white arrow in the photo above.) Lower the needle by hand to make sure the needle matches up with the “0” line. Then, find the 1/4″ line on the measuring tape. Use this as a guide to place a piece of tape (or determine the accuracy of the mark) on your throat plate.

Now the left edge of the tape (photo on the right) is an extended guide for the edge of the pieces you are stitching. Test this on scrap fabric before you start sewing your project.

Tip #5

This applies to your cutting tools. You can’t cut your project’s pieces if your cutting tools aren’t in tip top shape. And one of those tools is the cutting mat. You should keep your cutting mat clean to avoid cutting mistakes. If your mat has debris on it from precious projects, it can cause your rotary blade to skip and cut your piece wrong. Here’s some easy cleaning tips:

You can remove bits of fabric fiber that get caught in cuts in your mat by rubbing a gum eraser (artist’s eraser) over sections you have just used to cut. You can also use a soft toothbrush. Another way to remove bits of fiber or lint from the surface is by wrapping your hand in packing tape and lightly running it over the mat. Or use a lint roller that you usually use to remove pet hair from clothing.

Finally, when you are using your mat, try not to continuously cut in the same place when you are cutting fabric. Yes, these mats are self-healing but they do wear out. To get your mat to last as long as possible rotate your mat often to avoid cutting in the same place. Some mats are even double sided so if yours is, flip it occasionally and use the other side. Taking care of your self-healing mat will make it last for years longer than expected. Try to keep your mat from direct sunlight or extreme temperature changes and definitely never iron on your cutting mat.

Tip #6

Finally, organization helps to create a relaxing quilting experience. I like to label my stacks of pattern pieces with a small piece of tape with the letter shown in the pattern so I know which piece I need instantly. I also like to stack individual pieces or block units to make chain piecing quicker and easier.

Well, I think these six tips are a good start for making sure you are ready to sit and sew an afternoon away! Comment below with some of your favorite tips. Also, if there is a subject you’d like me to blog about in the future, perhaps a tip or technique, let me know as well.

I will draw a name from commenters below and you will win a copy of my newest pattern, Strips & Stars!

The drawing will be on Monday, November 28th. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Joan!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Fabric Cutting Tools and Tips for Quilters

The last few weeks we talked about squaring up fabric and cutting strips to make strip sets. This week, I want to cover fabric cutting in general,  specifically cutting mat, rotary cutter and ruler tips. Some of these tips you may already know but some may be new to you. Keeping your cutting supplies in good working order is important to making your cutting experience a good one. Let get started on this week’s tips.

Cutting Mats

Lines on the Cutting Mat: I have heard this advice and I am sure you have too. “Never use the lines on your cutting mat to cut fabric”. I don’t like absolute statements like that. There are times when it’s perfectly fine to use the lines on the mat, especially if you know they are accurate according to the ruler you use.

As you can see, my Creative Grids ruler lines line up with the 1/2″ and 1″ lines on my cutting mat. So, I can use my cutting mat with confidence as a measurement guide if something I am cutting exceeds the length of my 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ ruler. I generally use my mat if I have a long strip to measure or when measuring a length of fabric. I also use the line on the bottom to line up my fabric when I am squaring it up (this is before I place the rulers for squaring).

As you can see in the photo above, I can tell that I matched up my selvages well in the first step of squaring fabric because the fold of my fabric lays smoothly and evenly along this bottom line.

Mat Maintenance: The caution for above falls under maintenance of your mat. The reason most say not to use the lines for cutting, especially over and over in the same place, is it can create a worn area even on your self-healing mat. Yes, even they can wear out! Rotate your mat often and avoid cutting in the same place. Some mats are even double sided so if yours is, flip it occasionally and use the other side. If you take care of your self-healing mat, it will last years. Here are more tips for cleaning and maintaining your mat:

  • You can remove bits of fabric fiber that get caught in cuts in your mat by rubbing a gum eraser (artist’s eraser) over sections you have just used to cut. You can also use a soft toothbrush. Make sure it’s soft so you don’t damage your mat.
  • You can also remove bits of fiber or lint from the surface by wrapping your hand in packing tape and lightly running it over the mat

You can see in the photo on the right all the lint I picked up!

  • Always store your mat flat. Now, you have no problem with that if you have a dedicated sewing space, but if you do not, be sure not to store your mat leaning against a wall or anywhere on end. This will cause your mat to bend out of shape and warp, possibly beyond repair. If you don’t have an area where you can lie it flat when not in use, consider hanging it in a closet using a skirt hanger:

I put a little piece of scrap batting over the top edge of the mat to protect it from the clips on the hanger.

  • Keep the mat away from extreme temperature changes, especially out of direct sunlight. Never iron on your mat.
  • Finally, you can moisturize your mat to keep it supple and healthy. Put 1/4 cut of white vinegar per gallon of cool water in a tub and soak the mat for about 15 minutes. Use a very soft toothbrush to remove the fiber bits. You can also add in a few drops of mild dish soap. Rinse with cool water, gently towel dry or lay it flat on a towel for drying.

Rotary Cutter

Safety first! The rotary cutter has a very sharp blade, as we know (I know from personal experience and a trip to the ER!). The first safety tip is to make sure you have a fresh blade. The blade might look good to the naked eye, but if you feel like you have to press down hard to cut through all the layers of fabric, it’s time to change the blade. Also, if you notice “skips” in the cutting, that’s another sign that your blade is dulling. Once you change the blade, store the used one in an empty rotary blade container marked “used blades”. Once it’s full, you can safely toss it away.

Also, a dull blade can also damage your cutting mat!

To make my cutting experience even safer, I never leave the blade open. Use the lock button as well so no one can accidentally open the cutter.

I also use a klutz glove and ruler safety shields on my rulers for added safety:

The safety shields come only in a 24″ long size for the long ruler, but I bought extra and had them cut to size to fit my smaller rulers.

Finally, anchoring the ruler correctly while cutting will keep your rotary cutter mistakes to a minimum. Tent your hand instead of laying it flat on the ruler. If you hand is flat on the ruler, there’s more of a chance of you pushing the ruler out of place. The tenting of your hand focuses your pressure down to keep the ruler in place.

There are tools like this Little Gripper that helps you get a better grip on your ruler if you are unable to tent your hand with enough pressure.

Rulers

Using the Ruler: When it comes to cutting, most of us know about the straight lines and a basic reading of a ruler. But there are other markings on the ruler that can come in handy. I’m using my favorite rulers, Creative Grid, for these examples. Here’s a few of these markings:

  • You can use the ruler to find the center of a piece of fabric or block by using the markings on the ruler. Those intersecting white lines and the circle where they meet is the exact center of this ruler shown below. This comes in handy when squaring up blocks or when you are fussy cutting a piece of fabric.
  • The 45 degree line comes in handy when you are trimming a half-square or quarter-square triangle squares. Place the 45 degree ruler line on the diagonal seam of your square to guarantee that you are trimming the square evenly on all sides. The 45 degree line also comes in handy when cutting bias strips to make bias binding or for making stems for appliqué motifs.
  • Use the extra lines between the 1″ lines to quickly identify where to place your ruler. On the Creative Grids ruler, notice the lines between the inches are different lengths. The 1/8″ lines are slightly shorter than the 1/4″ lines and the 1/2″ line is longer than both of those (see photo below). This helps you find measurements like 2 3/8″ and 3 3/4″ quickly on the ruler.

Caring for Your Rulers:

  • Clean your rulers periodically by dusting with a soft cloth. Do not use anything abrasive like paper towels that can scratch the ruler surface and make the markings harder to read. Also don’t use any cleaning solution with bleach or ammonia. If you need to use a cleaning solution, use those that are meant for plexiglass.
  • Store your rulers, like your cutting mat, away from direct sunlight or in areas of your home with extreme temperature changes.
  • Finally, make sure to store your rulers securely. If you drop them or they fall from a storage area, they will chip or break. I hang my rulers on a peg board that you can find at any hardware store. Mine was meant for a garage, but it works in my sewing room.

If you don’t have a dedicated sewing space where you can mount something to the wall, you can store your rulers hanging from a hanger:

So that’s it for this week. With all this information on cutting mats, rotary cutters and rulers, you should be ready to get cutting! Leave me a comment or ask any questions below and be entered into a drawing for a 6 1/2″ square Creative Grids ruler! 

Also share some of your cutting mat, rotary cutter and ruler tips. You never know where you can pick up a great tip!

The drawing will be on Monday, August 30th. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Karen!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne