Flat & Happy: Subcutting

It's time for more Flat & Happy! This series offers little snippets and tips for patchwork to be flat and happy. Obviously, this is how I do things, but there are so many great ways to patchwork, so do what works for you! Previously, I talked about cutting strips of width of fabric; today, I'm going to talk about submitting them. First, we need to clean up the selvages. Line up your ruler so that the bottom edge of your fabric is straight along a line of the ruler. I tend to use an 1/8" or 1/4" line because it is easier to see. This will insure that your square is square and not trapezoidal.You want to cut off as little as possible while also ensuring that you got all the selvage. Cut!Turn the piece around so the clean edge is on the left. Line up the left side of the fabric on the ruler along the line of the measurement that you'd like to cut. Make certain that the bottom of your fabric is lined up along a line of the ruler. Remember, this will insure that your square is square and not trapezoidal. Cut!Perfect squares! Obviously, this will work for squares and rectangles.xo LC