Measuring and cutting solutions please!

[redllamayellowllama]

I'm going great guns with quilting, but struggling with the initial cutting stages - fannying about with measuring and scissors and rulers on a table that isn't big enough and means I have to triple-check everything. It's making each project much longer than it needs to be. I'm measuring quite large lengths of fabric, so a template doesn't seem the thing

So, I've got to to the point where it's holding me back a bit, so I need to find a solution that isn't too expensive. I have a DH who's fairly handy DIY-wise (I'm not at all) and will help me craft something.

Has anyone found a good solution they can reveal to me?

TIA

you need to buy a rotary cutter, ruler and mat.

There are lots of tutorials online about how to use them. Once you start rotary cutting there are lots of ways that you can achieve traditional blocks/patterns by modern "strip piecing"

I went on a beginners course at Tikki London and was shown how to use the rotary cutter, "spider leg" fingers - not flat palm on the ruler, stand up so you are above the cutter, always cut away from you so that your weight is behind the cutter. tutorial here

You can then sew the strips together, then cut the strips and you have rows of blocks! This is called strip piecing.

These are my fav quilting blogs and they all have some tutorials. crazymom red pepper quilt dad an actual dad that quilts!

BTW I am not an expert - I have made 2 quilts to date but spend far too long on google! lol

I should add that you fold the fabric before cutting the strips, selvedge to selvedge, then you keep folding in half the same way till you have a managable pile. On my course she said just 2 or 3 folds is enough for a beginner, till you are confident with a rotary cutter.