City Line QAL - Week 1

It’s time!  The City Line QAL kicks off today.  For the next six weeks we’ll be sewing the City Line quilt.  I’ll break the pattern into six easy parts, one per week, to set an easy pace.  I’ll share tips and tutorials along the way here on the blog.

If you’re already registered and have your pattern, you’re all set.  You can skip ahead to the next paragraph.  If you still need to purchase the pattern, you can find the PDF download version here.  Registering gives you access to the bonus quilt sizes not included in the pattern and adds you to the email list to receive the links to the blog posts and tutorials so you don’t have to look for them every week.  You can register for free here.

QAL Week 1 - Cut fabric

This week, skip over page 1 to the cutting instructions on page 2.  The pairing and numbering of fabrics can wait until next week (unless you have already done that, in which case, yay you!).  The labelling of fabrics won’t affect how many strips of each fabric you need, as you cut the same number from each fabric.  In adition to the instructions in the pattern, read on for extra guidance, tips, and links to helpful tutorials.

Cutting Non-Background Fabric

When cutting the strips of non-background fabrics, pay particular attention to two things.

1. Make sure the strips are straight.

Cut the strips to avoid an angle or bend in the middle.  You need all the strips to fit together smoothly. A bend in any of them would interfere with that.

For guidance on how to avoid the bend, refer to my new tutorial on cutting strips.

2. Cut all the strips to the same length. 

I know it’s tempting to sew strips together willy nilly, then trim the sewn unit to size, but that could introduce some bowing in the strip set. We won’t be sub-cutting these sets into smaller units, so there will not be any opportunity to mitigate bowing in the strip sets at that step, as there often is when cutting strip sets into smaller units. Starting with strips exactly the same length is key to keeping things straight now so you have have straight units to make your center panel later.   Also, the strip sets will become columns, and you need them all the same length unless you plan to redo all the math for the background pieces.

I prefer to cut the strips to length right after cutting them, before I unfold them.  Refer to my new tutorial about cutting strips longer than your ruler for guidance on measuring long strips.

Cutting Background Fabric

Cut Wide borders (B and C)

The top and bottom borders may be wider than your ruler, especially if you are making one of the larger bonus sizes of the quilt.  This tutorial shares how I tackle those wide cuts.

These come up first in the cutting chart, even though they get used last when assembling the quilt,  because I like to cut the largest parts first.  If I goof there, I can cut smaller parts from the large oops parts, and hopefully be able to recut the miscut part from the remaining fabric. 

Cut setting pieces (D to J)

As much as possible, I cut pieces in decreasing size order, but there are exceptions.  To make most efficient use of fabric, I cut as many large pieces as possible from a strip, then find smaller pieces that can be cut from the remaining strip length.  Sometimes that means skipping a few in-between sizes, or cutting lots of smaller pieces individually here and there instead of all at once from one strip. To save you the trouble of figuring this out, I have added a cutting diagram to the cutting instructions in the pattern showing which pieces D to J can be cut from each background strip.

You’ll notice that it ends up skipping from D directly to F in one strip, and from E to H in another, and that not all H are cut at once.  It’s not a problem.  The important part is to end up with the correct number of each piece in the end.  

Also note that my cutting charts and diagrams are based on 40" width of fabric.  If your fabric is wider, you might be able to squeeze additional parts from some strips and reduce the total number of strips you need to cut.

I recommend labelling the different size setting pieces for quick identification when you need them later. You can use fancy alphabet clips.  You can grab a sharpie and label some wonderclips.  You can do what I do and just cut up squares of scrap paper, write the part labels on them, and pin them to the top of each stack of parts. (Now that I've thought of the sharpie/wonderclip combo, I might do that next time.  It's not like I can't use the clips for binding just because they have letters on them!)

That’s all for this week.  Go forth and cut fabric!  We’ll reconvene next Monday to start sewing.

Cutting wide strips with a narrow ruler

If you piece quilts with wide borders or large areas of negative space in the background, you have probably encountered the need to cut a width-of-fabric strip that is wider than your widest ruler.  Cutting large squares to cut setting triangles when setting blocks on point also often requires wider cutting.  What's a quilter with narrow rulers to do?

I have two methods to share with you.  For either method you'll need to start with a straight edge.  

Note:  I'm right handed so these instructons are right-handed.  If you are left-handed you'll need to reverse left/right directions.

Straighten the cut edge of the fabric

Fold the fabric in half along the length, selvedge to selvedge. 

Position the fabric with the edge to straighten on the right.

Lay your ruler over the fabric to extend across the entire width of fabric, from fold to selvedges, lining up a horizontal measurement line with the fold (highlighted as a red line in picture below).  The precise measurement doesn't matter.  You just want a straight line aligned with the fold.  That will give you the 90 degree angle at the corner where the fold and the ruler's side meet.

Trim along the right side of the ruler.  You should now have a cut straight edge that is perfectly square with the folded edge.

Turn the fabric or rotate the cutting mat 180° to position the straightened edge on the left.

METHOD 1

In this example, I'm cutting a 11"-wide strip.  The 6" width of my 6" x 24" ruler is clearly not wide enough.  I can turn the ruler 90° and use the 11"  measurement.  (You may notice I swapped my 12" ruler for the 24", because it's less cumbersome but still long enough.  If I needed to cut a strip wider than 12", I'd stick with the longer ruler.)

As always when measuring strips, I make sure a horizontal marking aligns up with the folded edge, and the measurement I'm cutting (11" in this case) lines up with the straightened cut edge.

The ruler doesn't span the distance from fold to selvedge.  That's OK.  I cut along the right edge of the ruler, stop before I run out of ruler, move the ruler up, again measuring 11", and cut again.  I repeat that until I've cut all the way up to the selvedge.

I now have a 11" strip, ready to use for borders, or subcutting, or whatever the pattern calls for. 

What if you don't have a ruler long enough for the width?  See Method 2 below.

METHOD 2

This method pairs multiple ruler to add up to the required measurement.  In this example I'm cutting an 8.5" strip.  I could have cut this using Method 1, but I wanted to demonstrate Method 2. The smaller scale is easier to photograph to show detail, so I'm demonstrating with a 8.5" strip width.  This method would be most useful when you don't have a long enough ruler to use Method 1.

There's a tiny bit of math next, but it's simple arithmetic so even if you're not fond of math, don't panic.

Subtract the width of one ruler (let's call this Ruler #1) from the required strip width.  In this case I'm using my 6" x 24" ruler to span from fold to selvedge, so the width is 6".

8.5" - 6" = 2.5"

The resuting number, 2.5" in this example, is the measurement to use with Ruler #2.  I position my Ruler #2 to measure 2.5" from the cut edge.

Next, I tuck Ruler #1 up against this one, on the right, over the fabric.. The measured 2.5" on Ruler #2 plus the width of Ruler #1 on the right add up to the required 8.5".

When using a longer ruler on the right, I have the option of sliding the left ruler up along the right ruler before I cut, making sure to not move the right ruler, to double check that the edge is square and the width measurement will be accurate all the way up to the selvedge.

Uusing a 24" long ruler on the right I can cut along the right edge and be done.

If my ruler was shorter I could cut, move both rulers up, and cut again, as in Method 1.

Which method do your prefer for cutting wide strips?  Please share your tips and suggestions in the comments!

Happy quilting,

Joanne

PS: This fabric used in this tutorial is "Smoke" from the Codici collection, one of White Owl Textiles' Funadamentals collections, their colour basics.   I love the Codici dots!

Cutting strips longer than your ruler

What do you do when you need to cut a piece that is longer than your ruler?  You fold the fabric and do a little math.  It's a tiny little bit of math, easy peasy, I promise.

Any ruler can be used to cut a piece that is up to twice as long as the ruler.

·         A 24” inch ruler will allow you to cut lengths up to 48” long.

·         A 12” ruler will allow you to cut lengths 24” or shorter.

As an example, let's cut a 2.5" x 18" strip with a 12" ruler.  I'm demonstrating using a 12" ruler to demonstrate the technique because it's easier to photograph and show details when using the smaller ruler, but this applies to any length up to twice as long as the ruler you have available.

Preliminary Steps

Step 1: Calculate half the required length.  Let’s call this H.

For my example:  half of 18" is 9", so H=9".

Step 2: Cut a strip to the required width. (Refer to this tutorial if you need guidance on measuring and cutting straight strips.)

Make a Decision

At this point you need to decide if you prefer two smaller scraps leftover, or need one longer scrap. 

For example, if I'm cutting 38" strip from a 40" strip, I can end up with two 1" scraps or one 2" scrap.  Do I need that 2" piece or can I live with two 1" pieces to discard?  I'll probably live with the 1" bits.

In a different scenario, suppose I'm cutting a 28" piece from a 40" strip.  I might need the full 12" leftover to cut one 8" piece and one 4" piece as well.  Two 6" scraps won't let me cut both those extra pieces.

I know that looks like math.  The easiest thing to do is buy extra fabric so you deal with the two extra scraps, save them for another project, and cut the extra pieces from extra fabric.  However, that costs extra fabric, and only you know if that's in your budget so I'm giving you options!

I'll show you what to do in each cae.  Remember that in the examples below, I'm cutting 18" strips using a 12" ruler.

OPTION 1 - Two Shorter Scraps

Step 1: Fold the strip in half. (If you cut the strip from a piece of fabric folded selvedge to selvedge, just don’t unfold the strip.)

Step 2: Position your ruler square with the fold, with measurement H on the fold.

Step 3:  Trim away the ends of the strip extending past the end of the ruler

When you open up that fold you should have a piece the length you needed, plus two extra scraps trimmed from the ends.

OPTION 2 - One Longer Scrap

Step 1:  Fold the strip so the length of the top layer is just a little longer than H.  You could try to make that top layer exactly H, but that's a little fussy to do.  Going a smidge over H gives you wiggle room.  I like wiggle room. In the photo below the wiggle room is extra generous because there's unusable selvedge at the end of that top piece, so I'm extending it past H so that bit will be trimmed away too.  

Step 2: Position your ruler square with the fold, with measurement H on the fold.

Step 3:  Trim away the ends of the strip extending past the end of the ruler.  (I just noticed I swept the little trimmed bit of selvedge off before I took the picture below.  It was trimmed, trust me!)

When you open up the fold you should have a piece the length you needed, plus one scrap trimmed from the end.

That's all there is to it!  

As always, please drop your questions or anything you'd like to add in the comments below.

Happy quilting,

Joanne

PS:  Thank you to White Owl Textiles for the fabrics used in this tutorial. Both are from their "Codici" Fundamentals collection.

• Option 1:  Denim (W165-001-555)
• Option 2:  Navy (W165-001-585)