Saturday, January 11, 2014

fussy cutting {how to}

Hello, happy Saturday to you all.

It's been all about Economy blocks and fussy cutting around here (and on Instagram #econmyblockalong, and Flickr) lately. 


I made a great progress on my blocks - 86 made, only 110 more to go :). Yes, I do have grand plans and want to make this quilt big, and colorful, and full of fun fussy cut centers. It will be a perfect I Spy quilt.


I'm usually not a huge fan of fussy cuts as it always feels like such a wasteful way of cutting fabric, but fussy cut centers is what makes these blocks. So, I put all my prejudices and frugality aside and got cutting. 

Here's how I fussy cut my fabric (I'm sure there are many different ways of doing it, but this way works best for me so I wanted to share).

I place my pressed fabric on the cutting mat (keeps fabric from slipping and sliding all over the place). I use vinyl sheets  to make a template. I prefer to use grid sheets as it makes centering the template easier.


I then center my template over the picture I want to cut out, trace around the template using disappearing fabric marker and cut on the line with scissors.


Easy and precise. Just the way I love it.

So, are you thinking of giving these wonderful blocks a try (tutorial here)?  I hope you do, they really are so much fun. And a great way to use up scraps as well as some of those cutsie fabrics you had to have but now have no idea what to do with :)

Hope you all have a very lovely and productive weekend. Svetlana

20 comments:

  1. I hate it when I come across pieces of fabric I fussy cut right out of the middle, especially when the same detail is also somewhere nearer an edge!

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  2. I've always been confused about fussy cutting, so this is great, thank you :)

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  3. Your blocks are coming along! What fabulous photos!!! Thanks for sharing the fussy cut tutorial!

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  4. Gorgeous blocks. I am very tempted to make some of these Economy blocks. Iam like you, I always feel Fussy cutting is wasteful. However since ai discovered Bonnis Hunter's "Crumb Blocks" I don't worry - I use all the Fussy cut waste to make Crumb blocks and then quilts.

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  5. Your blocks are adorable! I'm a little jealous, though. I've only made three so far!!!

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  6. So so fun! I'm up to 36 blocks now : )

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  7. i agree that these blocks are fussy cut worthy; they are going to make a beautiful quilt!! you do have grand plans but you are so speedy and will have it put together quickly!

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  8. Wow you are so fast! It's going to be such a great quilt,

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  9. These are so cute, I really want to take the fussy cutting plunge some time. Of course I'd actually need more fussy-cuttable fabrics to do that!

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  10. Great fussy cutting! I can't believe how fast your quilt has grown! It is so fun!

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  11. I have yet to try the Economy blocks...They are certainly popular lately! Your quilt is going to be stunning when it is finished! (it already is)

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  12. Svetlanko, tak ti rovnou odpovim: ne ne, ja jeste nezacala! :) Nejak jsem se k tomu proste nedostala. Misto toho jsem nastrihala na velmi jednoduchy quilt - jen ze ctverecku. Ale zase jsem to odlozila, protoze musim dosit resty. Ale u tebe... no, tise zavidim! Mas to nadherne!! At se ti dari!!! :) Pa, Jola

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  13. I'm thinking these blocks would be equally pretty without fussy cut centres (speaking as someone who has almost no novelty fabric!), but yours is going to just be so FUN!

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  14. Thank you for sharing your method for cutting. I think I will use it when I get started on making these blocks.

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  15. Your quilt is so gorgeous!!!! And he he, I feel like an idiot. I swear I looked back to see how the centers were cut and they were on point, but now It's good to know they aren't!!!

    This is going to be so wonderfully happy and bright. Love it!

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  16. Your blocks are stunning and thank you for sharing your tutorial. Sarah xo

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  17. I love your sense of color.

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