Square Up Fabric
Adding techniques to my sewing toolbox is priceless. Squaring up fabric is one of the first techniques I learned when I jumped into quilting. It’s a great tool to have due to the way fabric is printed and placed on a bolt, it can come stretched and folded leaving you with an uneven cut. Following the steps below will help your project start in the right direction. I square up fabric when making whole cloth baby quilts; however, I do the first few steps every time I need to cut fabric for a quilt. Let’s jump in!
A video demonstration is a part of this blog, scroll below to find the link.
Supplies Needed:
Fabric (any cut with selvage)
Quilt Ruler (ideally 2)
Iron
I recommend watching the video for detailed instructions. Short on time? I love watching YouTube videos at increased playback speed (under settings) to save time.
1. Fold fabric selvage to selvage while lightly pinching between your fingers. Slide fabric back and forth until it falls flat.
2. Place on cutting mat with the fold closest to you and the selvage further away.
3. Fold fabric once more to help with space restrictions. Take the folded edge and line it up with the selvage. (reference image in step 2)
The final look is represented in the step 3 image. Fabric will have 4 layers.
4. Starting with the right edge, align your ruler to make a 90-degree angle using the folded edge (identified in step 3 image). Once aligned cut along the ruler.
TIP: Take a peek at where all 4 layers of fabric end to ensure you are cutting at the right spot. This also helps ensure less fabric waste.
5. Repeat step 4 on the left edge.
TIP: If you cut with your right hand, use the second ruler trick. You can watch the video at minute x:xx for a demonstration.
6. Cut off the selvage.
I move the mat to ensure the bulk of the fabric is on your left while the selvage is on your right (if you cut with the right hand). Using 2 rulers again I stack them on top of each other to ensure one straight cut.
Tip!
If your cutting mat or ruler is not big enough to complete step 6, I recommend watching the video at minute x:xx to learn an optional way to cut off the selvage.
Click on the image to make it bigger >>
7. Tada! Now you have a piece of fabric with all 4 edges straight and squared.
Learn More with Katie
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Hello! I’m Katie the maker behind Zahm Co. Thank you for being here, I hope you find this blog helpful.
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