How to Square Fabric before Cutting Strips for a Quilt?

Question

I am making my first quilt ever! I decided on the Rail Fence pattern because it seems the easiest.

Before I get started however I have heard that I need to square the fabric before I cut. Is this true and how do I do it? I have already straightened the grain of the fabric but I am under the impression that this isn't the same thing as Squaring.

I have a rotary cutter, a rotary mat, and one long clear quilter's ruler to use as a straightedge.

Please help!

Answer 1

I always line up the selvage edges set my ruler with a straight line measurement on the fold which will make sure that  you will create a 90 deg angle and rotary cut along the length of the ruler.

Answer 2

Once you have your fabric ready to cut, you will need to make sure that you have a perfect 90 degree angle between the selvedge edge and the cut end of the fabric. Fold your fabric in half (like the way it was on the bolt at the store) with the selvedge edges matching. then, lay your ruler across the cut end, and trim with your rotary cutter to make a straight edge at a perfect angle to the selvedge edges.

Answer 3

If you have already straightened the grain of the fabric, that is all that you need to do.

First cut should be the width of your rail pllus about 1/4 inch. then go back after you have determined that it is straight and trim off the quarter inch so it is just the width you need.

Quilting should be fun, not a chore!! But if you get the strips going in a V or W shape it is not fun any more, so fold very carefully.

Rail Fence is a very good pattern to start with and so is Court House Steps, Log Cabin and several more on the same strip theme!! Do not think you have to do the turkey red centers in Log Cabin!!! I did one with fussy cut flowers!!

Answer 4

Congratulations, and welcome to the craft!

This is a topic where you can find strong differences of opinion among quilters. A few years ago, I took a class from Marianne Fons, of Fons&Porter (nationally-known quilting authors and teachers), and this is the technique she demonstrated.

First, don't worry about straightening the grain unless the pattern is skewed - if the pattern is square leave it alone. If a design that's clearly supposed to be square clearly isn't, you need to straighten it up or choose different fabric.

Second, fold the fabric properly (if it's longer than your armspan, you may need help). Unfold the fabric to make sure it doesn't stick together. Take hold of the fabric at each end of the piece near the fold line and stretch it taut. Now, manipulate the fabric so the selvedge (woven) edges are even along the whole length (the cut ends WON'T be even). Lay your fabric on your mat with the folded edge near you, keeping the selvedges even. Line up your ruler perpendicular to the FOLDED edge, and cut (this is the key to avoiding 'bowed' strips).

The website 'about.com' has great beginners' info and step-by-step instructions - check them out, too.

Good luck with this project, and enjoy your new addiction!

http://quilting.about.com/

Answer 5

The Rail Fence is a very good choice for a first quilt and you've gotten a good start by straightening your fabric on the grain. Since you'll be most likely strip piecing the blocks, you don't need to worry about cutting off the selvage (border of the fabric) at this point. Sew your Rail Fence strips together and then (after you pressed all of the seams to one side) cut the selvages off together from your finished strip set when you're ready to cut / square up your blocks.

I gathered a few more links for you below, that you might want to bookmark.

You'll find a quilt glossary in the following link that has a lot of information:

http://www.quiltuniversity.com/quilt_ter...

Since pictures are worth more than a thousand words, you should also check out quilt videos on youtube. Here's one that covers basic rulers and you can click on other related videos from there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdW4kn38q...

I'll put some more links for you below for beginning quilting instructions:

http://quiltingpassion.com/tutorials/Qui...

http://planetpatchwork.com/beginners.htm

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_quilting/0,1...

http://www.quilterscornerclub.com/howtos...

http://www.scrapquilts.com/top_quilting_...

http://www.quiltuniversity.com/squaring_...

Have fun!