Cutting diamonds from fabric strips

Hey Everyone, welcome back to Technique Tuesday.

I have struggled my whole quilting career to cut diamonds from a strip of fabric and I am not quite sure why as I have good spacial perception and usually no problem visualizing where to put the ruler and the lines of the ruler. Not so with diamonds – a struggle just about every time until I figure it out again and the light bulb turns on.

Hopefully this tutorial will help others who struggle as well.

All that is needed is some fabric, a rotary cutter, mat and a 6 x 24 inch ruler.

Cutting a 45° Diamond

The same steps apply whether cutting a 45°, 60° or 30° diamond.

Cut the strip of fabric to the size of diamond needed making sure that the ½″ inch seam allowance is added in. For example if a 3″  diamond is needed the strip needs to be cut at 3 ½″ wide. Trim off the selvage.

Place the ruler on the fabric strip with the 45° line along the bottom edge of the strip and the end of the ruler  is at the corner of the strip.

Cutting diamonds from fabrics strips ruler in position

45 degree line of ruler in position to make the first cut

Cutting diamonds from fabric strip with 45 degree line along bottom of strip

Click on image for larger view.

Cut off the excess fabric at the beginning of the strip to create the first 45° cut. Try not to manipulate the pieces too much as they are now cut on the bias and will stretch out of shape.

Cutting diamonds from fabric strips first cut off excess fabric

Cut off excess fabric

Move the ruler along so that the 45° line is still along the bottom of the fabric strip and line up the 3 ½″ vertical line on the ruler with the cut just made.

cutting diamonds from fabric strips line up 3 ½″ line with edge of fabric

Move ruler along and line up 3 ½″ vertical line with cut edge of fabric

Cutting diamonds from fabric strips

Click on image for larger view

Cut along the ruler edge to create the diamond.

Cutting diamonds from fabric strips with first diamond cut

First diamond cut

Keep on moving the ruler along and cutting to the end of the strip.

Cutting diamonds from a fabric strip continue cutting to end of strip

Continue cutting strip

An 8 pointed star can be made with the 45° diamonds.

Cutting diamonds from a fabric strip can create an 8 pointed star

8 pointed star with 45° diamonds

30° Diamond

A bit of an odd shape these ones are.

Cutting diamonds from fabric strips at 30 degrees

30 degree diamonds

60° Diamond

Cutting diamonds from fabric strips at 30 degrees

60 degree diamonds

Straight forward and easy – until the next time.

Tune in next week to see how these diamonds are sewn together to create a block.

Happy Quilting!

Jen Transparent Signature

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