Quilt-Along Cutting Fabric

So who's ready to get started? You are? Great! Let's go!

*If you are new to our QAL, you can find all of the posts here. 

There are some basic tips for beginning quilters in our Across the Sea QAL Flickr group. I will do my best to be clear but if you have questions, feel free to ask.
BTW, I don't prewash my fabrics. I use a color catcher in the washing machine when I wash the finished quilt. I almost always cut and sew without washing first. This may backfire on me at some point but I hate to iron so I do not prewash. If you are using precut fabrics (such as a layer cake or charm pack) do not wash them first! 

Block measurements: Finished size approximately 13" square (allows room to square up to 12.5") 
Cross Fabric: (1) 4.5" x 4.5"
                       (4) 4.5" x 2.5"

Background Fabric: (4) 4.75" x 4.75"
                                  (4) 2.75" x 4.5"

Lap Quilt: 20 blocks from either 20 squares of a layer cake or 20 or 10 FQs
Baby Quilt: 12 blocks from either 12 squares of a layer cake or 12 or 6 FQs

Cutting Fat Quarters: 
(If you are careful you can cut more than one fat quarter at a time although I don't recommend this for a beginner.)
1. Press your fabric.

2. Turn your fabric so the 22" wide part is along the bottom of your cutting mat.

3. Cut a strip that is 4.5" wide and a strip that is 2.5" wide.

4. From the 4.5" strip, cut (5) 2.5" x 4.5" pieces and (1) 4.5" x 4.5" piece.

5. From the 2.5" strip, cut (2) 4.5" x 2.5" pieces.

6. The 4.5" x 4.5" and the (4) 2.5 x 4.5" pieces are your cross pieces. The (3) remaining 2.5" x 4.5" pieces are for the scrappy border.

Cutting a Layer Cake: 
(If you are careful you can cut more than one piece of a layer cake at a time although I don't recommend this for a beginner.)
Choose your squares of the layer cake to be your cross blocks for the front of your quilt. For each of the squares follow these directions:

1. Cut a 4.5" wide strip from the layer cake.

2. Turn it sideways and cut a 4.5" x 4.5" square.

3. Take the remaining piece that is 4.5" x 5.5" and cut 2 pieces 2.5" x 4.5."

4. Take your remaining half of your layer cake (10" x 5.5") and cut 2 pieces 2.5" x 5.5."

5. Trim those 2.5" x 5.5" pieces down to 2.5" x 4.5" and discard the tiny leftovers.

6. Take your remaining 5" x 5.5" piece of the layer cake and turn it so that the 5.5" edge is vertical. Cut into 2 pieces 2.5" x 5.5." Reserve these for the scrappy border.

Cutting Background Fabric: 
Lap Quilt: 2 yards = (80) 4.75" x 4.75" squares, (80) 4.5" x 2.75" rectangles
Baby Quilt: 1.5 yards = (48) 4.75" x 4.75" squares, (48) 4.5" x 2.75" rectangles

Tip: Line up your fabric with you ruler, not the lines on your cutting board. You will get a more accurate cut. 

For a Lap Size:
1. Match selvage to selvage and press your fabric.
2. Cut 10 strips 4.75" x WOF (width of fabric is approximately 22")
3. Trim to remove the selvage and the very tiny end of the fold.

4. Keep fabric stacked and cut (4) 4.75" x 4.75" squares = 8 total. Discard extra.

Repeat with remaining 9 strips for 80 squares. You can stack a few strips to cut several at at time but keep in mind that fewer layers generally equals better accuracy. 

5. Next cut 5 strips 4.5" x WOF (approximately 22")
6. Trim to remove the selvage and the very tiny end of the fold. (See pictures above.)
7. Keep fabric stacked and cut (8) 2.75" x 4.5" pieces from each strip = 16 total.

8. Repeat for remaining 4 strips for 80 pieces total.

For a Baby Size:
1. Cut 6 strips 4.75" x WOF (approximately 22")
2. Cut 3 strips 4.5" x WOF (approximately 22")
3. Follow the steps above.

All set and ready to go! Next Monday we'll piece these together to make this: 

Let me know if you have questions. Happy Cutting!