Tips and Tricks Tuesday: How to Cut Fabric Perfectly (Every Time!)

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Today’s post is brought to you by Kaylee Pope, the sew-savvy editor of AllFreeSewing.com!

There is no anxiety sewists dread more than the anxiety that comes when you are snipping away at your precious fabric. The saying “measure twice, cut once” is there for a reason. If you cut your fabric incorrectly, it can ruin a project and it can cost you a ton of money. Fabric is not cheap and if you do not know how to cut fabric properly, it can do some serious damage. It is even harder to learn how to pin and cut a pattern on fabric. You have to cut your fabric to match your piece, ensure that your print is going the right way, and make sure that you cut the right side facing out.

Stressed out yet? Don’t worry, sewists. That’s why we are here yet again to help you out. We’re going to give you the top 5 tips and tricks to cut fabric perfectly every single time.

How to Cut Fabric Perfectly (Every Time!)

1. Prepare Your Fabric: Make sure your fabric is ready to cut before you even thinking about figuring out how to cut fabric for your projects. That means washing (if you are making a wearable) and pressing your fabric to destroy any wrinkles.

2. Make sure your tools are ready, too! If you cut fabric with a dull blade or pin it with a dull pin, it is going to do a lot of damage. You want something that will snip the threads in your fabric precisely and not something you have to use by sawing at your fabric.

3. Match your selvages as closely as possible: Oftentimes when you are cutting fabric, your pattern will indicate to fold your fabric in order to trace several pattern pieces at once. Insure that your selvages are aligned perfectly.

Selvage (n.) – the self-finished edge of your fabric aka your best friend when it comes to learning how to cut fabric perfectly!

4. Listen to Your Pattern: This might seem like a no-brainer, but it is so important. Patterns are written and created by experts. They are labeled to give you the best project necessary. Most projects will have directional arrows on them that will indicate the direction of the pattern. Make sure these are parallel to your selvage.

5. Double Check Before You Do Anything: So, you have read your pattern, measured your fabric, pinned your pattern, and you are ready to go. The next step is to start cutting, right? NO! Now is the time to double check everything. Lay out your pieces and look them over. Is everything in its place? If so, snip away! If not, good thing you double-checked.

6. Cut Out Your Fabric: Cut along the edge of your pinned pattern, trying not to trim too much of the pattern away. You left extra room for a reason. Plus, if your paper pattern is in good shape after cutting you can easily use it again!

If you loved these sewing tips, check out our free eBook, Sewing for Beginners: Learn How to Sew with 8 Sewing Tutorials!

Looking for the perfect tool set for your fabric cutting needs? Enter to win this Westcott Scissors Prize Package! One lucky winner will receive three pairs of Westcott Titanium Scissors (4-inch, 5-inch, 8-inch) . The deadline to enter is November 1, 2015 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Do you have any sewing tips to share?

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Seams and Scissors

Seams and Scissors is a place where sewing and quilting are celebrated every day. It is a creative resource for those who both cherish these skills and those who want to acquire them. On Seams and Scissors the curious creator will find full sewing and quilting tutorials, project collections, tips and tricks, as well as endless inspiration.

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