How to Cut Many 1" Fabric Squares

Cutting fabric into 1-inch squares can be the first task in quilting.

The hobby of quilting involves choosing several fabrics in complementary colors and patterns, cutting the fabrics into small pieces and sewing them back together again in a special pattern. The task of cutting fabric is important in quilting because inaccurate cutting will affect the entire quilt. If you need fabric squares for a quilt pattern, streamline the job, and cut many 1-inch fabric squares at the same time.

Things You'll Need

• Iron
• Fabric
• Cutting mat
• Acrylic quilting ruler
• Rotary cutter

Instructions

1. Set the iron to a heat that is safe for the fabric. For ironing cotton, set the iron to medium-high. Iron the fabric thoroughly to remove every wrinkle and make the fabric impeccably smooth.

2. Spread the fabric out flat and examine it. You should see two cut edges opposite each other and two uncut edges opposite each other -- likely with a strip of printing along the very edge. These uncut edges are the selvage edges.

3. Fold the fabric in half with right sides facing out, aligning the two selvage edges. Press the fabric flat with the iron after folding it. Bring the folded edge up and align it with the two selvage edges. Press the fabric flat again with the iron. You should now have fabric folded into four thicknesses and pressed neatly. This prepares the fabric for accurate cutting.

4. Lay the folded fabric onto the cutting mat with the selvage edges at the top and the folded edge at the bottom. Position the fabric so the right raw edge is at the right edge of the cutting mat.

5. Position the acrylic quilting ruler onto the folded fabric approximately 1 inch to the left of the right edge. Use the folded edge at the bottom of the fabric and the lines on the ruler to align the ruler to make it straight on the fabric.

6. Hold the ruler down very tightly with one hand, and cut the fabric to the right of the ruler with the rotary cutter, moving the blade of the rotary cutter along the right edge of the ruler. Cut slowly, making sure the ruler does not shift.

7. Set the ruler and rotary cutter aside and lift the fabric. Flip the fabric on the cutting mat so the fabric edge you just cut is now on the left edge of the cutting mat. Keep the fabric folds perfectly straight and neat as you move the fabric.

8. Position the ruler at the left edge of the fabric at the 1-inch mark on the ruler. Use the folded edge of the fabric and the lines on the ruler to ensure the ruler stays straight. Cut along the edge of the ruler with the rotary cutter. Set this 1-inch-wide strip aside.

9. Move the ruler over 1 inch, and cut another strip of fabric. Continue shifting the ruler over in 1-inch increments and cutting strips with the rotary cutter.

10. Keep the four fabric layers of each strip intact, and place a strip horizontally onto the cutting mat with the left edge of the strip aligned at the left edge of the mat.

11. Position the ruler at the left edge of the strip at the 1-inch mark on the ruler. Use the bottom of the strip and the lines on the ruler to ensure the ruler stays straight. Cut along the edge of the ruler with the rotary cutter to cut 1-inch squares. Move the ruler along the strip in 1-inch increments to cut the entire strip into 1-inch squares.

12. Repeat the same process with each strip to cut many 1-inch fabric squares.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the rotary cutter carefully -- the blade is very sharp.

References

• Quilt.com: Basic Rotary Cutting
• Ideas for Quilting: Rotary Cutting Tips