Table runner class 3

Cutting fabric with a rotary cutter and mat
1. Equipment
Cutting Mat made to be used with a Rotary cutter
Rotary cutter with a sharp blade
Appropriate ruler for the cutting job
2. BLADES ARE SHARP ! BE CAREFUL!
Re tract or close blade when not in use. ALWAYS!
If small childern are likely to be in your work area
make sure the cutter is put away, out of reach.
Wear shoes, no open toe toed shoes. People have
droopped rotary cutters and cut their toes or foot.
Always be aware of where your fingers are when cutting.
Use sharp blades. If you mess up and cut yourself, getting cut with a sharp blade is better
than getting cut with a dull on. Sharp blades are less likely to slip or jump, not to mention
it is just easier to cut with a sharp blade.
Always cut away from your body. Never cross arms to cut










3. Preparing to Cut
A table or counter top will work. Make sure the area is clear.
Press your fabric. Fold in half lengthwise and make sure it is
straight.
Lay the fabric on the mat, smooth it out. You might have to fold it
again depending on your ruler.








Make sure the edge you want to cut from is on your right hand side. * First
step is the even out the edges. Place the ruler on the fabric positioned so
you will cut any ragged uneven edges off. Put your left hand on the ruler,
keeping your fingers well away from the edges of the ruler. Place the rotary
cutter's blade against the right side edge of the ruler at the bottom of the
fabric and roll the blade away from you.












4. Carefully turn the fabric so the just cut edge
is on your left. The photos show me cutting a
2 ½ inch strip. Make sure your fabric is
smooth. Find the 2 ½ inch marks on the ruler.
Lay those marks along the cut edge with the
marks for 2 and 1 to the right. You are
measuring into the fabric.









Place your left hand on the ruler. Hold it firmly. Place the rotary cutter on the right side of the ruler. (think of the edge near the 1 inch mark as 0, you cut at 0)
Watching your fingers roll the blade along the ruler's edge from the bottom to the top of the fabric. You can pause and move just your left hand higher on the ruler to  keep it form slipping.

There is your 2 ½ inch strip.

























To cut the strip you lay across your mat. You might want to trim the
selvage from the ends . You can keep it folded to do all of this and you
will be cutting two squares at once. Again have the edge you want to
cut from on your left side, line the ruler's 2 ½' inch marks up with that
edge with the lower numbered marks to the right. And use the rotary
cutter to cut the square






. If you were cutting say a 2 ½ x 4 rectangle you
would line up the 4 inch marks with the edge of the fabric.
* For lefties everything is reversed.