Quilting is a craft of many steps, rules, and techniques. We're also famous for having the greatest number of gadgets, tools, and gizmos designed to make our piecing and quilting experience easier, faster, and fun!

Watch this video to see exactly what you need to get started cutting out your quilting fabrics!

1. Self Healing Cutting Mat - You'll need a mat that's at least 18 x 24".

You'll want to pick a color of mat that you never use in fabric because this color will form a nice contrast to your fabric.

Note: Do not worry about the preprinted lines on your cutting mat. If I had it my way, all mats would come unmarked as those markings are often very inaccurate. You will not be using these lines so it's not really important if you can see them or not.

2. Rotary Cutter - I use Fiskars 45 mm and 60 mm rotary cutters. At the moment I use the 60 mm almost exclusively. I chose to use Fiskars because this cutter can take any type of blade. Many other brands will require you to use only their blades, which are usually much more expensive.

There's really no difference in the quality of a $4 blade verses a $8 blade. Both are going to wear out and lose their edge eventually. I change blades on the 45mm for every quilt and for the 60mm for every other quilt. The bigger the blades, the longer they last.

3. Rotary Cutting Rulers - You're going to need to pick one brand of ruler and stick with it. I personally use Optima brand rulers. They come in several sizes and are some of the most moderately priced rulers on the market. I like them because they have black lines on one side and yellow lines on the other.

When cutting your fabric, you want to be able to see the line very clearly. It's important to use only one line of rulers because different rulers are created differently and can cause problems for your blocks when you switch from one to another within the same quilt.

It may be difficult for you to find a wide range of rulers from only one brand. Despite the millions of different shapes and sizes available in stores today, you really only need a 12.5" square and a 18" long rectangular ruler.

4. Gripping Material - On the back side of your ruler you will need to attach something that will grip the fabric and prevent your ruler from slipping while you cut.

I prefer Invisible Grip, which is basically just plastic upholstery vinyl that you can cut to size. It's completely clear and does work to reduce the slippage of your fabrics.

If you can't find Invisible Grip, the sandpaper dots also work fairly well, but they are not transparent, so they may get in your way sometimes. The sandpaper can wear out over time and loses its gripping power.

Now that you understand the basic tools for cutting out fabric, it's time to understand exactly how to use these tools correctly. Check out the article How to Cut Quilting Fabric so you know exactly how to cut out your strips and pieces for your next quilt!

This information was taken from "Stitch it Up a Notch: How to Piece Perfect Quilts"

Learn how to properly square and cut your quilting fabrics so you can piece perfect quilts!

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