Cutting fabric sure can be a tedious job, especially when you have long strips of fabric to cut ( mostly to make ruffles, which happens to be my favorite thing in girls outfits). When i started sewing i used to spend a lot of time cutting fabric. Because I didn't own a cutting mat and rotary cutter. I improvise i used a kitchen cutting board. Here's another Technique that helps me cut long strips of fabric. This Technique helps keep the fabric from slipping and the fabric strips emain straight.
1. Tape your measuring tape to the edge of your table, use scotch tape or painting tape.
2. Paper Clips fabric to tape measure.
3. Extend your fabric to the measurement you need and make a mark on the wrong side of the fabric.
4. Add all the lengths of your ruffles to cut one strip that will be folded equally and cut evenly.
For example: Lets say you want to have 2 ruffles strips and they are 2.5" wide each....
2ruffles x 2.5 "wide= 5" total of all the ruffles widths.
5. Now you have your ruffles without cutting them one by one... (this will drive you crazy), cut around your marks, using your rotary cutter, or scissors and your cutting board or cutting mat
6. Once you have your piece.... just fold it in half since you need 2 ruffles...( if you need 4 ruffles for example: you would have to cut a longer strip 4 ruffles x 2.5" ruffle length = 10" total ruffle widhts that needs to be folded once and then another time to create the crease line of your four ruffles ruffles.... :) ).
8. Now (so your fabric doesn't slip)... once again use your friends, the paper clips and clip the edges of the raw edges fold together. NOT THE FOLD CENTER PIECE, since you will need to cut there, you don't wanna have a clip in your way.
You can use different things to make a line without actually using a fabric pen or making any kind of marks on your fabric. You can use paper clips, pin the raw edges together or press all along the fold center piece. ....
Paper Clips
Pinning the raw edges together
Pressing all along the fold center piece to create a fold of "line"
9. Cut on the fold you created, but before you cut make, sure the length of the fold is equal to the length of one ruffle widht.
and then cut along the fold center piece.....
Always put pressure on the opposite side you are cutting, even if your fabric is pined or clipped, cut little by little....
10. Tadaaa!!!!! you got your ruffles..... perfectly even and straight. Notice the perfect 2.5" of every ruffle.... yes!!!!!!
i used different fabrics to create different color ruffles that match together..... i hope this was helpful and sure it will be time saver if you are a ruffle crazy person like me....
