Window on the World progress & process

Making good progress, so thought I would continue to share the process.  Have you ever struggled to cut a large panel?  Here's my process:

--View panel on design wall, deciding which portions you want to focus on. 

--Make preliminary marks at approximate edges, being sure you are not cutting key design elements.  For example, not chopping off the head of a major bird, etc.  Sometimes it just can't be avoided.  One of my pet peeves!  But that is a  topic for a different day!

--Straighten at least one to two edges, using rotary cutter and ruler.  Be sure you are outside of your final cutting marks.

--Using a 24.5 inch ruler and marking pencil (I like the white, green and red ones pictured above) draw cutting lines at the exact location.  Be sure to start by using one of the straight edges as a reference point.  My pencils came from the Tokyo show, but I now see them in stores here.

--Next step is to draw all four cutting lines using the same process of using what you know is a straight line.  Be sure you have included seam allowances in your measurements.

--Then using the largest square ruler you have, check all four corners, to ensure you have a square panel, not a wonky one. 

--If not square, remeasure and remark as needed...that's where multiple colors come in handy!

--Final step, using ruler and rotary cutter, take a deep breath...and cut out the panel.  This is always the scariest part for me, as I am always wondering if I will mess up this panel!

When I purchased this panel, they had half of the previous panel, so of course I wanted that too!  Good thing since this pattern calls for five 4.5x6.5 additional pieces.  I hate to destroy the second panel with fussy cuts!  So, I still have several good sized scraps to include in other projects.

When I need to fussy cut images, I often will use sticky notes, attached to the ruler, to identify the actual size of the piece I am cutting.  It is a quick way to be able to view only the final image.

All the blocks and borders are cut for this quilt.  I have even cut the binding and set it aside...a trick I learned to do long ago, so that I don't accidentally use up the binding fabric in another project!  Hope to be sewing this evening!