Made in Cherry Quilt Along - cutting the background pieces

Cutting big chunks of fabric always scares me a little.  I don't have rulers or matts big enough (or a big enough table for that matter) to easily rotary cut them, and working on the floor always involves realizing how dirty the house is, which then spirals into sweeping,  mopping, exhaustion, and sitting in front of the tv eating nutella by the spoonful.  So here's how I tackled the big pieces for this quilt, with no nutella involved!  Although I don't mention it in the steps, I was constantly having to move my mat around under the fabric and move the fabric around on the table to get the best cutting angle.


For the 80 x 80 quit we need to cut 4 squares 20½" and one square 43".  The 43" square will be cut on both diagonals to produce 4 triangles, so it's a good idea to prep your fabric with some starch so those bias edges don't stretch.

Let's start with the 20½" squares.  Start with your fabric folded in half along it's length.  Use your longest ruler (mine's 6" by 24") to trim the cut edge, making sure it's square with the fold.  Now grab a pencil and mark lines about every 3" or so, 20½" from the cut line.

Now line your ruler up with the pencil markings and cut.  You should now have a piece of fabric that looks like this:

Working at the selvedge edge, line your ruler up with one of the cut edges and trim off the selvedge.

Now get your pencil out again and from that new cut, measure towards the fold 20½".  As we did earlier, make marks every few inches so that they'll be easy to connect.  Then line your ruler up along the pencil marks and trim.  You should now have two 20½" squares.  Repeat the whole procedure to get the other two.

Our big 43" square is cut quite similarly.  I'm going to switch to diagrams because I think they may be a bit easier to understand.

 Start by trimming one end of the fabric so that it's square with the fold.

Now measure from that cut you just made and make a pencil mark at 24".

Slide the ruler along and make another mark 19" away from your 24" mark.

Now line your ruler up with the 19" mark, making sure it's square with the fold, and cut.

Take the ruler and make marks all along the selvedge edge, 20½" from the fold.

 

Line your ruler up along the marks you just made and trim off the selvedge edge.  Open the fabric up along the fold and you have  a 43" square.

The next part I found easiest to do on the floor, with a quilt under my 43" square to protect the carpet.

Fold the square on the diagonal, then press the crease.  Repeat in the opposite direction.

After pressing, the diagonal creases should be nice and crisp.  Use these as cutting guides.  I found it easiest just to use my scissors and not bother with the rotary cutter.  Crazy, right>

Alright, the dog needs walking.  I'll be back later with sewing directions.

C

60" x 60"

From the background fabric cut:
Four 15½" squares for the corner squares.
One 33" square.  Cut this on the diagonal twice to yield 4 triangles

90" x 90"

From the background fabric cut:

Four 22½" squares for the corner squares.

Two  37" squares.  Cut these in half once each on the diagonal, yielding 2 triangles from each square.

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