Rotary cutting is an important stage in quilting. Since the way fabric strip are cut determines the overall feel and look of your quilt, it makes sense for you to rotary cut your fabric strips with as much precision, care and caution as possible.

The process:

Before settling down for rotary cutting, ensure that you have all the materials are at. First of all, handle your fabric the right way. Usually, the one end of fabric requires to be squared up, with the edges making a 90-degree angle to the fold. Next, the fabric should be folded along its length. Now you need to press your fabric perfectly. The amount of folds you make while pressing depends upon the level of your expertise and surprisingly even on the type of mat you are using. Beginners are normally recommended to make only one fold, while experts working on a smaller rotary mat may have to make the fabric as much as four layers deep. Now you are ready to place your fabric on the rotary mat. The fold of the fabric should be on the bottom edge of the mat, while the squared side should be placed near the left edge of the fabric. Align your rotary ruler properly along with a long ruler to ensure that the horizontal lines seen on both the rulers are parallel to the fold. The ruler should be then removed from the right side. Take care to immediately secure the left ruler. Your fabric is now ready to be cut. The finished stripes can be cut, by rolling the rotary ruler from bottom to top along the right edge of the ruler.

Additional tips:

Rotary cutting depends primarily on your preferred hand. If you are left-handed, you need to work from the other side of the fabric. Similarly the process differs a bit depending upon the size of the strips and also the texture of the fabric in use.

However, you can master this art, by following a few guidelines and engaging in fruitful practice.