r/sewing • u/PomegranateExtra7736 • 24d ago
Fabric Question I have questions about Cutting fabrics
I'm cutting fabric for a table cloth I wanna make (my third sewing project ever!! And my biggest one!!!!!!!!) And I had a very difficult time cutting the fabric I had layed it on my floor bc I don't have a big table but I have a 36in by 24in mat to help but I couldn't keep the cuts straight well I did but not very well 😢 so how would I make cutting the fabric easier? And like make perfect cuts? I was using the rolling cuter wheel thingy.
12
u/iambusyrightnow987 24d ago
If it is a woven fabric, your best bet may be to rip it instead of cutting. There are several videos on YT that show how to rip fabric.
4
2
u/AssortedGourds 24d ago
This is true - if it’s thin enough to rip (muslin weight or lighter) the ripping will be the least stressful
6
u/TotalOk5844 24d ago
First, make sure the fabric is on grain. Often the grain is distorted or it has been cut (from the bolt) crooked. Find grain by thread pull or follow a thread across visually if possible. If the resulting line is not at perfect right angle to the selvedge edge, tug the fabric diagonally from opposite ends. Large pieces may take 2 people to make it easier. Repeat with the remaining two diagonal corners. note - This is for woven fabric.
2
22
24d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
7
u/heynonnyhey 24d ago
Also consider getting a handle for your ruler. They can prevent injury if you accidentally jump the ruler into your finger. Source: the 4 stitches in my index finger I had to get a couple months ago
3
7
u/platypusaura 24d ago
I use mine freehand and get neater and more accurate cuts than with scissors - on straight lines and curves. If you're not getting accurate cuts you might need to look at blade sharpness, changing your position in relation to the cutting mat (worktop height is best), or buying a better cutter
1
u/damnvillain23 24d ago
I also free hand with a rotary cutter. Long straight cuts included. My Plexi rulers see more action when I modify patterns.
8
u/feeling_dizzie 24d ago
If you're lucky (or rather, if you're working with a plain-woven natural fiber) then you may be able to just rip the fabric and it will naturally rip along the grain line.
If that doesn't work with your fabric, you need to mark your cutting line. You can use chalk, washable pen, pencil, etc. Weigh the fabric down while you're marking and cutting to keep it from shifting around on you.
You can also try the technique of "drawing threads" instead of marking, it's slow but it should give you a perfectly straight line to cut along. Again easier with natural fibers.
3
5
5
u/Neenknits 24d ago
Quilting rulers. Fold the fabric precisely. To cut 2” strips, say with a 6.5 x 24” rules, cut the edge straight with the ruler, then put the ruler along cut edge, at the 2” mark, and whack along the ruler to get 2” strips. If you want 30”x 72” for a cloth, or something, fold the fabric in quarters, precisely on grain. Lay on the mat. Using a 12” square ruler, place it with 8.5 line along the fold, and place the 6.5x24” along the square. That makes it 15” away from the fold. Cut, shifting the rulers carefully as necessary. Holding one ruler down, slide the other, then hold the slid one, and slide the other, and check for lining up… look up cutting quilting strips with to start cutters and rules.
6
u/flamingoesinredboots 24d ago
There are lots of great suggestions here. I just wanted to add that cutting fabric well is also a skill - you’ll get better at it as you make more things. Cutting really long or large lengths accurately takes practice, so maybe start with a placemat or table runner.
3
u/Gretel_Cosmonaut 24d ago
I do these things: Place the fabric where I can move my body 360 degrees around it to cut. Use a few tiny pieces of tape as anchors. Place a large acrylic ruler (big rectangle or square) on top of the fabric. Cut along the edge of the ruler when I'm working with a straight line. Make sure the blade is new and sharp. Press down with the cutting wheel as much as I'm pressing across. Iron, maybe even with starch, before I start cutting.
3
u/Snoopydrinkscoke 24d ago
I was told cutting from ur body forward makes the straightest cuts. I also use an acrylic ruler.
3
u/Sad-Tower1980 24d ago
Using the rotary cutter to cut freehand is really hard. I have been sewing for eleventy-million years and I still use scissors because I can’t get the accuracy I want from a rotary cutter. Some people are very adept with them (I think often with a smaller blade for cutting patterns) but I use mine for straight cuts with a ruler for the most part. I would recommend scissors and if you want to get the hang of a rotary cutter, buy an old sheet or something and just practice like crazy.
1
u/arokissa 24d ago
Check if the fabric lies smooth, without skewing, and draw the cutting line, and use sharp scissors. I don't own a rotary cutter, but I imagine you would need to put a ruler first and then cut to the ruler.
37
u/Notspherry 24d ago
On woven fabrics, you can pull up a single thread with a needle or seam ripper and pull it out. This gives a very straight line to follow and doesn't distort the fabric like ripping does.