About the Author

I am Deborah Easter Rubles, author of QUILTERS' CUTTING GUIDE, The Sliding Ruler Method

“Cutting” is a dreadful word to many quilters. If quilters did not have to “cut” fabric, there would probably be twice as many quilts in the world today! This is the one task that quilters either hate or love. Many tackle this task as something they just have to do, with the same enthusiasm as when they schedule their annual visit to the dentist.

My father was an independent professional photographer specializing in wedding photographs. To support his ten children, everything was either made from scratch or recycled. One of the jobs that I had as a teenager to support this family-owned business was to cut up cardboard boxes, cut pieces to a certain size using an old paper cutter and scissors and then gluing or taping the cardboard pieces together to make small special-sized boxes for storing negatives of photographs (this was way before digital cameras!). I never dreamed at that time that I would be doing very similar tasks (except cutting up fabric and sewing it back together instead of cardboard) as an adult in order to make beautiful quilts. I never owned a quilt as a child nor knew of anyone who quilted.

I stumbled upon my first quilt store in Lebanon, Missouri, where my husband and I had just moved to approximately 17 years ago. It was a very stressful time in our lives due to a family illness; I had a day off work and was looking for some pillowcases to embroider, anything to keep my hands busy and my mind off our problems. Someone in downtown Lebanon referred me to a quilt store north of town. I found and ventured into the store and was totally amazed at the beautiful quilts hanging on all the walls of the shop.

The owner and her staff were so friendly and had me signed up for my first quilting class before I left her store. I found my new love and passion-quilting; but best of all-cured my stress!

I will have to admit, I LOVE, LOVE cutting out new fabric for a new quilt, (but then I LOVE IRONS also!). When I first learned how to quilt more than 17 years ago, I did not know what a “rotary cutter” or “cutting mat” was, had absolutely no idea! Now, I am considered an “expert” at using these tools and friends stand in line for me to cut out their kits or fabric. I don’t mind cutting some out, but would much rather show them how to make it easier so that they will not “dread” cutting out fabric as much.