Is your ruler slipping? Mine does! Grrrrr.
The only one that doesn't slip has sandpaper circles glued underneath. Love those!
BlueBars

Do you use the no slip dots on the ruler? Try those, they should help. Ask your hubby if he is offering to help cut fabric since you are too short.

beverly

from a newbie here - definitely use the nonslip dots on the back of the rulers & try only cutting thru 2 layers of fabric at a time, and make sure you have the rotary cutter's correct side against the ruler & the ruler is lined up correctly. Also make sure the extra fabric is on the correct side of the ruler - depending on if you are left or right handed. These are very basic rotary cutting skills that these very experienced and talented people here do automatically and never even think about. Sometimes I still have to "think" about these until I get back in the groove of cutting. I suggest practice cutting strips (and squares) of different widths for accuracy. Use muslin or some cheapie fabric that you throw into your scrap stash for future scrappy quilts.

Being a newbie as well I was really frustrated at times with cutting. I had to do everything mentioned here; (I love those sandpaper dots!) One thing that helped me is standing up (yes, doe-doe was sitting down at first - duh!) and holding the ruler with solid steady pressure. And then using a firm pressure cutting with the rotary cutter. As mentioned above I tried with 4 layers of fabric and totally messed up, so I then worked with 2 layers and I found it works so much better.

But the bottom line is "practice". The more you cut the better you'll be. Of course that goes along with everything in quilting! And it's such a kick to notice yourself getting better and better with each project you work on...I love it!!

Susan

sidnee,
If you stray 1/4 inch when cutting, you'll have a hard time making your blocks line up. Every bit of effort you put into accurate cutting will pay off!

Where do you get no-slip dots?
Salijo

Maybe try and elevate yourself more over your cutting area? Or find a shorter table to work on? My kitchen table is the perfect height for me and I am 5'5".

Susan, don't feel bad, I did the sitting down thing too at first. ;)

Rebecca

When I googled "Rotary Ruler Dots" I found lots of products that help with this problem:
Sand Paper Dots, Fabric Grabbers, Slip Nots, Invisi-Grip, Gypsy Gripper, and a link about inaccurate rotary cutting.
BlueBars

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sewaquilt.com/inaccurate-rotary-cutting.html

Thank you BlueBars...funny you should post that link. That store is only an hour away from me and I've been there..it was several years ago when I got involved in decorative painting and I heard they had painting supplies. My little town doesn't have much in the way of craft supply stores.
Salijo

You're better off cutting while standing - if you sit, you haven't got enough force on either the hand holding the ruler, or the hand holding the rotary cutter.

Your cutting surface should be not much higher than waist-height.

Sticky dots on the back of the ruler help. Also make sure you line up two directions on the ruler, one with the fabric fold and one with the cut edge. Square off the cut edge after about 4 cuts, to make sure you don't magnify any small cutting errors.

Cutting is key to getting an accurate quilt block!

I have not found the dots, but visited a site called Erica's and I think they have them.

I appreciate all of the suggestions. I have extra fabric and will come out okay.

I did use the kitchen table and it was the right height.

Thanks for everyones suggestions.

Hugs,
Sid

PS did someone say they lived close to Erica's in South Bend, IN? I live about three hours, maybe 2.5 hours from there.

sidnee, I've sent you an email. I took a Sampler class at Erica's when I lived in that area around 1984. My daughter, Salijo, ended up with the quilt!

SharonG/FL

My DH got me a Fiskars rotary cutter/ruler in one several years ago. I did not like it at first because it was different. But the more I used it the more I love it. It does not slip as easily as a regular ruler, and it is completely safe for the fingers and easy on the wrist. It doesn't seem to have a great following, but I think that is because it is different. I started out using it for cutting strips, but have done all my cutting on it now for a number of years and can cut pieces all the way down to 1"sq. It is my main ruler/cutter now.
Karlene

Here is a link that might be useful: Fiskars craft and quilting cutter

Yes indeed I have strayed a quarter inch from my ruler. But it makes me say bad words, and I have to resquare and start over.

I just cut little squares from a piece of sandpaper and glue it to my rulers.Have been doing this for more than 20 years.
Kathi

I have sandpaper dots on some rulers, but I really like the Creative Grids non slip rulers & I have 2 of those. They are great!

Another tip for cutting: the hand that is holding the ruler, "walk" it up the ruler as you cut ever 5-6 inches. If it is a short piece you're cutting with a shorter ruler (12" or less), I put my pinkie finger of the holding hand off the ruler @ the edge & that helps to stabilize the ruler from sliding.

I rarely cut 4 layers of fabric, usually 2, occasionally 3.

Oh, yes--and not only cutting 1/4" OUTSIDE the line where I should cut. I have also let the ruler wobble in such a way that I cut INSIDE the line and ruined that piece for whatever block I was making. I now use those round sandpaper things and when I ran out of them got smart and began cutting out little squares or other shapes and gluing them to the ruler, like Kathi. I use rubber glue to do it. The only thing about doing this is you have to choose the place for the sandpaper carefully so it doesn't obscure some line on the ruler that you need to use often.

Sidnee, where do you live? I live in Warsaw, which is about an hour's drive southeast of South Bend...about midway between South Bend and Fort Wayne.
Salijo

I have bought the sandpaper dots, I like them, with one drawback, I can not slide the ruler to get it exactly where I want it, maybe a 1/16" off. I know that is what the ruler is for. It works, but when I am making my mistakes, I am cutting to the left, it has nothing to do with the ruler slipping. I am left handed.

All and all, I love the little discs, and feel more confident cutting my squares.

Thanks again for all of the input, you are all wonderful.
Sid