How to Quickly Square Up Fabric Before Cutting - Beginner Sewing Projects (2024)

This is an easy tutorial on how to square up fabric before cutting. Follow the photos to prepare your fabric for any sewing project.

There are several reasons fabric needs to be squared before cutting into it. When fabric is printed and placed on a bolt, it can become stretched. The ends may fray during shipping and handling. Staff at the fabric store may not cut it perfectly straight when measuring yardage off the bolt.

It is important to follow these steps to square your fabric before beginning any sewing project. This process will ensure your baby blanket, clothing item, or any fabric item you intend to make is set up for success from the beginning.

Materials to Square Up Fabric

You will need the fabric of your choice, and a few basic sewing supplies: a rotary cutter, self healing cutting mat, and acrylic ruler.

If you don’t already have these supplies, go ahead and invest in them. You will use them in a myriad of ways for every future sewing project.

How to Square Up Fabric

First, wash, dry and press your fabric. This is important, as fabric can shrink and shift during the washing process. Pressing helps the fabric to lay flat so that your cut lines are precisely straight. Know what your fabric is going to do when laundered before using it in a project.

Then pick up your fabric by one selvage edge. (See photo for raw edge and selvage examples.) The selvages are woven ends of the fabric created by the manufacturer. These lines are already straight and provide a good guideline to square up the fabric. *Selvage can become warped during washing.

The photo above shows the selvage edge. It typically has writing and information about the fabric on it.

Below shows the raw edge where fabric may fray.

Next bring the other selvage end up to the first edge. You can do the next part while holding the fabric in your hands – it’s easier than laying it flat.

Now slide the selvage ends along each other side to side until the rest of the fabric hanging below seems to be straight with no folds or bumps. You can lay the fabric flat to check this. You will end up with unevenly cut raw edges on the sides.

Once the fabric seems flat, slide a cutting mat underneath. Line the selvage ends up with a straight line on the cutting mat. The folded edge and the selvage edges should line up to parallel straight lines on the cutting mat. *Line up the folded edge with the mat. This is the true line, rather than selvage edge.

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For this part, I am right handed, so this makes more sense to me. Left handed folks will do the opposite! Take the left side raw edges and fold carefully on top of the fabric so that all the raw edges are on the right side. The fold and selvage ends should stay lined up.

Now using a clear ruler, find the point in the fabric that is just past the raw edges to the left.

The bottom and right edge should form a 90 degree angle at the bottom right corner.

Cut a clean line using your rotary cutter and ruler.

Keep your fingers at least half an inch away from the edge of the ruler. Hold the ruler and fabric steady with consistent pressure while cutting. Make sure the blade in your rotary cutter is sharp.

Your fabric is now squared! Continue to complete the project of your choosing.

Don’t forget to pin this project for later, and scroll down for links to more awesome sewing tips and techniques.