How To Quickly Cut Fabric Strips
A frequently asked question here in the quilting room is how to cut lots of fabric strips. Quilters are either looking to skip buying pre-cut fabrics or they need a different a different size of strips. There are lots of options on the market today for quickly cutting fabric strips. This is just one one of the methods. Paul bought me this a few years ago for Christmas because I saw Eleanor Burns using it on an older Quilt in A Day on YouTube.
cut fabric strips quickly
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Depending on your budget you can purchase many tools to help you cut your fabric. Accuquilt has dies for cutting strips and so does Sizzix. Creative Grids makes a template very similar to the one that I am using. I am using June Tailor’s Shape Cutter from JoAnn’s. Why? It’s the one El was using in the video. They are also easy to find and a cheaper option than the others. When buying quilting tools I always suggest the one that fits the best with your budget. All the suggestions above will work for you, pick the one you can afford when you need it. If things change down the road you can always upgrade and pass the other along to another quilter.
It truly is that simple to use. You just slide your rotary cutter along the groove for the size you need. Mine is in half inch increments and I was cutting 2 1/2″ strips for a future project. I cut a fat quarter up in just a couple of minutes. You can do yardage with it as well, you have to fold it in quarters instead of in half. It honestly takes me longer to get the fabric folded and straight then it does for me to cut my fabric strips.
Now there are a few cons to all of these tools. If you are using a die cut there will be fabric waste. The templates can slip on you so make sure you hold it down tightly. Also keep your fingers away! It can be difficult to see the slots when it is on your fabric and a rotary cutter will cut you as well. If you are kind of a klutz Fons and Porter actually make Klutz Gloves to help protect the hand that holds the ruler. You’ll also need to make sure that your blade is sharp when you use one of the templates.
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cutting fabric strips quickly
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