Quilt Qua

Using Your Rotary Mat and Ruler to Cut 45 degree Angles

By: Penny Halgren

Pleae note - these pictures were created by a left-handed person (me!). If you are right-handed, you may need to reverse them.

 

Line up your fabric between two yellow grid lines on the cutting mat. 

Your cutting mat may have a yellow grid line that marks a 45° angle.

If it does, line up your fabric with the 45° angle marker as well. You will notice in the picture to the left that the fabric strip is between two yellow grid lines as well as the 45° angle marker.

Notice, too, that the ruler has a 45° angle marker. The two lines on the ruler that create a 45° angle are approximately lined up with the side and end of the fabric.

I use the yellow lines on the cutting mat as my main guide for cutting. The lines on the ruler will be a second check to be sure I am cutting in the right place to ensure that I get the angle I want.

If your mat does not have a 45° angle marker, find the 45° angle marker on your ruler, and line it up with the end of the fabric. Using the yellow gridlines on the mat to line up the sides of your fabric will help ensure that you get a clean cut.

When you place your fabric on the mat and line it up to cut the angle, be sure that the fabric extends past the 45° angle marker far enough that you will have a clean cut.

 

 

Using your ruler and the yellow grid lines as a guide, cut the fabric creating a 45° angle.

 

 

 

 

If you are cutting strips that will be joined together, possibly for binding a quilt, make sure that the ends of the strips are cut parallel to each other, as shown in the picture below.

 

 

 

 

Using this method to cut a 45° angle works whether you are cutting a narrow strip or a wide piece of fabric.

This general method also works if you are cutting 60° angles. Just be sure to find the 60° angle markers on your ruler and mat.

Happy Quilting!

Penny is a quilter of more than 24 years who seeks to interest new quilters and provide them with the resources necessary to create beautiful quilts.

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