Cutting Strips Lengthwise
08-25-2012, 07:44 AM
#11
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Location: British Columbia
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I prefer to use the WOF for piecing as I'm not quite so accurate as QuiltnNan, and with the little stretch on the crosswise cuts there is a little "give" for fudge factor, and the lengthwise doesn't give you that, I do cut borders on the lengthwise if I have calculated that into the fabric purchase.
08-25-2012, 08:23 AM
#12
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Location: Vancouver, Washington State
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I just watched a Judy Martin video on YouTube where she says she cuts all of her strips on the lengthwise grain. According to her, it makes everything more stable and your blocks will come out better. I have never heard of doing it this way. Do any of you do it that way? Do you see a difference if you do?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ULIM...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ULIM...eature=related
The instructor in the one class I took had us cut everything WOF. I am currently working on a quilt that the sashing appears to have stretched in some areas.
I've nearly finished quilting the other parts of the quilt, but not the sashing. I think I'll try using my steam iron held just above it to see if it will sort of "suck back into shape" before I begin quilting that area. (seems to help after hemming a blouse if that area was stretched at all during hemming)Since I haven't cut the borders yet, from this point on I will be cutting borders AND sashing LOF.
08-25-2012, 10:00 AM
#13
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Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
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Say you cut your strips on the LOF grain, then cut into squares. 2 sides of the squares will still be on the WOF grain.
Say you cut your strips on the WOF grain, then cut into squares. You still have 2 sides on the WOF grain. What's the difference? Nothing!
Of course, Marti uses a lot of templates so maybe she feels she can place one side of her template on the straight (LOF) grain if she cuts LOF. Seems to me she could do the same with WOF grain strips.
When we're talking pieced blocks, I don't see a lot of 'gain' on the grain, LOL!
Jan in VA
Say you cut your strips on the WOF grain, then cut into squares. You still have 2 sides on the WOF grain. What's the difference? Nothing!
Of course, Marti uses a lot of templates so maybe she feels she can place one side of her template on the straight (LOF) grain if she cuts LOF. Seems to me she could do the same with WOF grain strips.
When we're talking pieced blocks, I don't see a lot of 'gain' on the grain, LOL!
Jan in VA
08-25-2012, 10:16 AM
#14
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Jan, I'm so glad you said that. I kept thinking in my mind that a square would always have 2 sides LOF and 2 sides WOF, but the video made me question myself.
I can certainly see cutting LOF to get long borders and sashings. I just don't do it because I can't seem to manage long lengths on my small mat very well.
I can certainly see cutting LOF to get long borders and sashings. I just don't do it because I can't seem to manage long lengths on my small mat very well.
08-25-2012, 11:40 AM
#15
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Location: Lake Elsinore, CA
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If the patches you're using are not squares, cutting with the long side on the grain really does make a difference. I do this with all log cabin strips, including the ones in my avitar. If you're cutting squares, then of course there's no difference.
08-25-2012, 07:29 PM
#16
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Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
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This is a great idea for Log Cabin strips! As much as I love and make log cabins, I wonder that I've never thought of cutting the strips this way first off. Habit is SUCH a funny thing!! Doh!
Jan in VA
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