Cutting and marking multiple squares tutorial

I've joined the Farm Girl Vintage sew-along, and had fallen behind a little.  I decided to cut 6 blocks (catch up, this week's block and get a little ahead).  However, so many squares to cut!  I thought I'd put together a little post on how I cut (and mark) multiple squares very quickly.

Firstly, work out the maths.  I was cutting 1 1/2" squares, and using a 7 1/2" ruler.  This means if I used a square of fabric 7 1/2" square, by then cutting along 1 1/2", 3", 4 1/2" & 6" measurements:

 And the same in the other direction, with just 10 passes of your cutter you have 25 squares!

If you need to mark the squares, make sure you started with the initial square of fabric turned wrong side up before sub-cutting into squares.  Then position your ruler from corner to corner of the lower left square (I always off-set the ruler slightly to make sure that the line marked runs exactly from corner to corner) and mark.

Move the ruler up for the remaining squares, and hey presto

25 squares cut and marked in a fraction of the time it takes to cut or mark individually!  It takes a little more time to position the ruler for marking, but it is more than worth it.

Just adapt the theory for other size squares/rulers.  A 7 1/2" ruler would cut 9 2 1/2" squares, or 4 3" squares.  So easy!  You don't need to start with a square - I earlier cut a 3x4" rectangle into 12 1" squares.