Welcome to week two of our Giant Granny Panties quilt along!
Kick-off postWeek one
This week we are cutting our fabric. This step used to cause me major anxiety as a new quilter; so much that I used to have Steve do it for me. So I'll do my best to help ease any stress with some tips along the way... A lot of this will be the basics so feel free to scroll down to the cutting instructions after you read the *important* notes.
Getting started:
- Start with a new rotary blade. I always put this off and once it's changed I always wonder why I waited to long.
- Iron your fabric well. I don't pre-wash my fabric but that's just my preference.
- Make some small labels {A-G} to pin to your fabric stacks. This will help you keep the cutting requirements straight.
- Once you cut your strips, stack them in the same groups with their labels. I'll be referring to the fabrics like this {A-G} from here on out.
- Because a cut of fabric always measures yardage x 44" or width of fabric, think through how you are going to make your cuts before you start cutting. The last thing you want to have happen is to have purchased the correct yardage but then cut it the wrong way. Measure twice, cut once! ;)
*these next instructions are important! You will run out of fabric if you make your cuts the wrong way* Cutting Basics:
*thanks to an alert reader who caught my labels being reversed. This diagram is correct now*
A typical cut of fabric will measure 44" selvage to selvage. The selvage is the tightly woven edge that usually has the fabric name, designer, etc printed on it.
The raw edge will be what is cut when the fabric it cut from the bolt. When you have a yard of fabric, this side will measure 36".
Lay your fabric A out as shown and then fold it raw edge to raw edge. Smooth it out and you are ready to start cutting.
Line up the edge of your folded fabric on 0" and then take your ruler and place it at 7.5" on your cutting mat. With your ruler held in place, use your rotary cutter to cut along the edge of the ruler. *if your ruler slips, you can spray a tiny bit of basting spray on the back of the ruler*
Cut six 7.5" strips. Open up your folded 7.5" strip and cut it into two 15" strips. Repeat this until you have twelve 7.5"x15" strips.
Repeat these steps with fabric B, cutting five 7.5" strips. Open up the folded strips and cut them into two 15" strips. Repeat until you have ten 7.5"x15" strips.
Repeat again with fabric C, but only cut four 7.5" strips and once again, cut those strips into eight 7.5"x15" strips.
*this next instruction is important too!*
Take your fabric D and this time , fold it selvage to selvage. Cut three 7.5" strips and then open them to cut six 7.5"x15" strips.
Repeat with fabric E, but only cut two 7.5" strips. Open them to cut four 7.5"x15" strips.
Repeat with fabric F, but only cut one 7.5" strip. Open your folded 7.5" strip and cut it into two 7.5"x15" strips.
With fabric G, cut it into one 7.5"x 7.5" square.
*You will have leftover fabric but don't worry, we won't be letting it go to waste!*
Cutting instructions:
-Fabric A - cut 12 7.5"x15" strips
-Fabric B - cut 10 7.5"x15" strips
-Fabric C - cut 8 7.5"x15" strips
-Fabric D - cut 6 7.5"x15" strips
-Fabric E - cut 4 7.5"x15" strips
-Fabric F - cut 2 7.5"x15" strips
-Fabric G - cut 1 7.5"x7.5" square
If you have any questions please let me know! Have a wonderful weekend. It's a long weekend for me that is hopefully full of some good sewing time!