Tuesday Tutorial - Fast Stripping!

Are you a stripper?  I mean, do you like to make quilts using 2 1/2" strips?

Sometimes, do you need lots of strips from the same fabric?

And you're not ready to spend more than $300 for a fancy shape-cutting machine?

Do I have a tool for you!

The Shape Cut Pro lets you cut 9 strips in less than a minute.  This nifty ruler cuts across the full width of the fabric, at 2 1/2" intervals. 

I got  mine from Nancy's Notions on sale for only $59.  Nancy writes:  "Fast and efficient—two words you never think of when cutting strips."

Manufactured by June Tailor, this ruler is made from very heavy plastic, heavy enough that it won't shift or slide while you are cutting.  It has a convenient cut-out handle on one side for easy lifting.

Here's how to use it:

Spread your fabric out on the cutting surface just as it comes off the bolt.  Line up one of the horizontal dark lines with the fold and the line marked "0" almost to the cut edge of the fabric.

Spread the fingers of your left hand along the left edge of the ruler and insert the blade of your rotary cutter into the first slot.

Cut all the way across the fabric and lift the rotary cutter away from the ruler when it hits the opposite end of the slot.

Continue cutting across each slot until you reach the last one.  You may want to "spider" your hand along the left side as you cut across, but I usually don't need to.

Lift away the ruler and -- voila! -- nine perfect 2 1/2" strips!

If you're left-handed, you can cut just as easily from right to left.

Nancy's Notions shipped the Shape Cut in a heavy cardboard that I saved to store the ruler flat.  I haven't seen this particular tool anywhere else, although my local JoAnn's carries June Tailor tools -- just not this one!




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