Divokittysmom

Over the years of watching sewing shows, taking classes and reading sewing books/magazines... I always thought that using the selvage edges of fabric to cut a straight line was incorrect. I learned that by folding your fabric in half, then cutting a clean edge.. that's the way to get a true straight edge.
Which way is 'most' correct??
Sure don't want to start a 'Quilter's War', here but would love to know the answer.

Thank you
Just curious

Tartan

It depends on what you are cutting for. Most of my fabric is cut across the fabric for piecing. If I am cutting lengthwise borders for a large quilt, I do use the selvages for one measurement but I OVER cut so the selvages can be trimmed off for a true straight edge where the selvages used to be.

NJ Quilter

I agree with Tartan - it depends. I am a prewasher so to cut for piecing across the width of fabric, I first press everything that I've washed. I then match selvage to selvage but then sort of wiggle those edges to get my fabric as flat as possible at the fold. This helps ensure getting the piece 'on grain' and avoid the dreaded 'v' when cutting that folded edge. I then square up one edge by placing my ruler on the folded edge and cutting a new straight edge. I then use that cut edge to measure and cut all my pieces.

If I'm doing length of fabric cuts for borders, I'll usually tear those pieces. I'll rip them about 1/2" wider than required so I have room to flatten out those wonky edges and trim up a bit.

bearisgray

Are you talking about gettng a crosswise cut on-grain?

Sewnoma

I think it depends on the fabric and how densely woven those selvedges are. On some fabric the selvedge is barely noticeable but on others it's really dense and sort of ripply - those dense ones I wouldn't base my cut off of because I don't think they're straight enough, I feel like they're bunching up the fabric almost like a strip of weak elastic would.

But about 99% of the time, I base my cut on a folded edge. The only times I don't is when I'm doing LOF borders, and those I rip, like NJ Quilter does.

ManiacQuilter2

I don't think there is any right or wrong way to cutting straight edges. I read a post here about someone cutting backwards and guess what, I am NOW doing it that way. I don't care a whit about the quilt police. I just do whatever will give me good accurate straight cuts safely. I like having the 6"x24" ruler completely on the fabric because the ruler doesn't slip at all any more. Try different techniques and stick with what works best for you.

Onebyone

I refold my fabric so the selvage edges are opposite each other not matched together. I rarely cut cross grain. I was taught that way in Home Ec class and just continued doing it that way.

Divokittysmom

Onebyone, that is how I meant to describe it, folding it so the selvage edges are 'sort of' matched, then ensuring the fold is nice and flat. Then I will make a nice straight edge cut. I just don't trust that selvage edges are 'straight'.
Thank you everyone for your input.

Bree123

I don't necessarily fold the fabric in half -- though I suppose that would be a faster method -- but I would never trust the selvages to be straight ... especially after washing them. There's usually a bit of fabric here or there attached to the selvage after I've cut it & we all know how much the tiniest bit can throw off an entire quilt.

citruscountyquilter

I have always used the selvedge edges as a benchmark of straightness. When I did a lot of garment sewing I measured in from the selvedge to align the grain arrow on the pattern piece. In quilting I use it to be one of my marking points to straighten fabric up. I line up my selvedge edges together and move them right or left until I get a clean fold. The edge that has been cut at the fabric store is almost always skewed when I do this. I lay my ruler so that one of the lines on my ruler goes along the selvedge and the ruler itself is perpendicular to the selvedge and I then cut along the ruler to square up the end of my fabric. It is that clean cut that I then use to measure my other pieces from. If I have a large piece of fabric that I'm cutting, for a backing for example, I tear the fabric rather than cut. The tear will go along the grain of the fabric. I always cut off the selvedge in a piece that is going into a quilt but I leave the selvedge on the fabric as long as I can so I have a reference point.