How to Cut Sashing Strips for A Quilt: Step By Step Guide
When you’re piecing a quilt, one of the most important steps is cutting your fabric strips. This is especially true when it comes to sashing the strips that separate the quilt blocks. If your sashing strips aren’t cut correctly, your quilt will look sloppy and unprofessional.
This article will show you how to cut sashing strips for quilts like a pro. We’ll also give you some tips that you need to know before starting your project.
Things to Consider Before Cutting Strips
There are a few things you need to know before cutting your strips:
- The width of your finished quilt top should be the same as the width of your fabric strips.
- Your fabric strips should be twice the width of your finished quilt top.
- The length of your fabric strips should be equal to the side of your finished quilt top plus 1 inch for seam allowance.
Now that you know what you need, let’s get started.
Tools Required for Cutting Sashing Strips
To cut your sashing strips, you will need:
- Quilt ruler
- Rotary cutter and cutting mat
- Straight pins or quilting clips
How to Cut Sashing Strips for a Quilt
Follow these simple steps, and soon you’ll be on your way to making a beautiful quilt top with no problems.
Step 1: Cut the Fabric Strips
First, you will need to cut the fabric strips. There are a few different ways to do this, but we recommend using your rotary cutter as it is the easiest way. First, mark out where you want your strip to be with chalk. Then pin or clip each end of the strip down firmly on the side you are cutting away from.
Make sure that it is secure. When your quilt top is finished, you don’t want wrinkles in your sashing. Then, place the quilt ruler even with one end of the fabric. The fabric strip should be running along the bottom of the ruler.
Now, cut your strip, keeping it lined up with the side of the ruler that you are cutting away from. Cut all of your fabric strips to their proper length and widths.
Step 2: Stitch the Sides
Now it’s time to get out your sewing machine. Lay two sashing strips on the wrong sides together so that their ends line up evenly. Pin them together at each end, so they don’t move while you sew. Using a straight stitch or zig-zag stitch, sew down one long edge of both pieces, being careful not to catch any other layers in the seams.
When finished stitching one side, put both pieces down on a flat surface with right sides facing up (the way they will be when your quilt top is finished). Now fold the unsewn edges of each strip to the middle, lining up the raw edges. Pin in place and sew down each side using a straight stitch or zig-zag stitch.
You’ve now completed one sashing strip. Repeat these steps until you have all of your sashing strips sewn together.
Step 3: Lay Out the Quilt Top
Now it’s time to lay out your quilt top. Place the first row of sashing strips at one end of your quilt top, making sure that they are evenly spaced. Sew them in place using a straight stitch or zig-zag stitch.
Then add the next row of sashing strips, again making sure that they are evenly spaced. Sew them in place using a straight stitch or zig-zag stitch. And so on, until all of your sashing strips are sewn into place between rows of blocks.
Step 4: Add Border Strips
You’re almost finished. Now you need to add the top and bottom border strips. Place them evenly at each end of the quilt, making sure that they extend past the width of your quilt by 1 inch on each side (2 inches total). Again, sew them in place using a straight stitch or zig-zag stitch.
Now turn over your quilt top and trim away excess fabric from around the edge if needed. If you want to be extra careful that your edges are even, you may want to measure each side with a ruler before cutting it off with scissors.
And you’re done. Your quilt top is now finished. Congratulations!
Conclusion
If you follow these simple steps, you will be able to cut your sashing strips the right size and have a beautifully finished quilt top. Thanks for reading our article on how to cut sashing strips for quilts. We hope you found it helpful. Happy quilting!
