I have one more strategy I employ when cutting up fabric to make scrap quilts. Once I’ve done the work of pressing, layering and squaring up fabrics that I’m going to cut, I never cut just what is needed. I make other cuts, too. Here’s what I mean.
I’ve layered these four fabrics for an upcoming Christmas quilt. I check the pattern and see that the patches I will need can all be cut from strips that are 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5″ wide. So even if I won’t use the entire strip in this project, I go ahead and cut at least one of all those widths. If I need more than one, I cut that many. Then I make sub-cuts as needed.
Because I also have a few other scrap quilts in process, before I destroy this pile, I cut strips for those projects, too. The idea is that you’ve done the work of preparing this stack of fabrics, so cut as much from it as you can while it’s there.
And finally…
…these are the most obvious ways to make a dreary task less distasteful.
- Put on some great music.
- Enjoy a cup or glass of your favorite beverage. Coffee, tea, soda, wine…
- Invite a friend to cut with you. I did this recently for the first time, and it was really fun!
Loved your helpful ideas for cutting! Now I can get more organized I hope.