Today on HappiestCamper, we are going to talk about some fun sewing tips. You’ll learn How To Square Up Fabric For Sewing Projects. There are so many simple sewing projects that you can easily do with just a few fabric squares. Instead of heading to the store and paying the convenience fee to have the squares remade for you, why not take charge of this simple project and just make them yourself? This step-by-step tutorial on squaring fabric is just what you need. The fun thing about these square projects is that you can change up the fabric with each and everyone that you make. You’re going to love how simple and quick these nice and even squares of fabric are to make. Why pay in-store prices when you can make them yourself. Plus, these skills will help you in other projects as well. Having your fabric edges nice and straight not only looks great but will help you in sizing specific projects, too! I wish I had learned how to do this a long time ago, it would have saved me so much money on my projects. Now I love being able to take whatever scrap pieces I have left after a big project and making whatever size fabric squares I can. It is a great way to make your scrap pile more efficient.

This is a wonderful skill to have, but like all skill you’ll need to maintain it. I like to make one or two fabric squares from every project I do, unless there is a fabric I know I will want a bunch of squares from. xYou’ll only need a few supplies for this fun tutorial. Gather them up from the list below and let’s get started!

Supplies For How To Square Up Fabric For Sewing Projects

How To Make Square Up Fabric For Sewing Projects

I always start almost every sewing project by washing, drying, and ironing my fabric. This process acts a pre-shrink and helps me start off all my sewing on the right foot.

showing the edges of the fabric for squaring

Once that is done, the next step is to find your selvedge edge of the fabric. This is the narrow border edge that runs lengthwise of the fabric that keeps the fabric from fraying. It may have the name of the company that made the fabric or very tiny holes.

Line up the long (vertical) side of your clear acrylic ruler with where the edge the selvedge meets the print of the fabric. This is why having a transparent ruler is so helpful for being accurate in this step and is an essential tool in this how to square up fabrics for sewing projects tutorial.

Pick up your rotary cutter. You will see a round blade at the top which is very sharp. It is protected by a guard and it is locked in place until you release it. To release the guard so you can begin cutting, grasp the rotary cutter in your dominant hand (mine is my right), and using your thumb, push down on the button to retract the safety guard. Now that the guard is down, you must get in the habit to put the guard up when not in use.

Once you have lined up your clear acrylic ruler and have your rotary blade released, you need to position your hand so that you can anchor your fabric. You will do this by placing it in what my kids call the “octopus” position. This is where your fingers are spread out and your hand is lifted.

To cut the fabric, you will position the rotary cutter front facing against the edge of the clear acrylic ruler at the beginning mark, which is the bottom, of the fabric. Grasping the rotary cutting very firmly and holding your hand very firmly on the fabric, push the handle of the rotary cutter forward as you are putting pressure against the clear acrylic ruler. Continue to do this all the way up until you reach the end of your fabric. When you have cut the selvedge from your fabric, push the rotary guard up and dispose of your selvedge edge. This is the most important step in how to square up fabric for sewing projects, so take you time and don’t rush.

To check your straight line, place your edge you just cut against the straight line of your cutting mat to be sure it lines up. As you can see in our example, it lines up perfectly!

Finally, to square up your fabric, place a corner of the fabric in the corner of the cutting mat. If it matches up as it does in our example, you have a nice 90° angle and your fabric is square! Make sure you have a cutting mat you trust, and you’re all set! Now you know how to square up fabric for sewing projects!

What Do You Use Fabric Squares For?

Fabric squares are the best! You can literally use them for everything. If you’re a fan of crafting and creating, you more than likely have a stack of fabric squares sitting right on your desk. (and more than likely, you bought them instead of making them.) Using fabric squares is a simple way to piece together projects or even an easy way to piece together a fun project with little effort.

Fabric squares can be used for making coasters, creating super useful kitchen accessories, or just as a way to work with a little sewer who needs to practice their skills. There are actually a lot of ways that you can use fabric squares to create fun projects or gifts.

You’ll find that once you start making up these simple fabric squares, they’re really quite addictive, too. Who doesn’t need to have a giant stack of fabric squares ready for the next time that you want to make a project?

If you liked learning how to square up fabric for sewing projects, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!

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