Do you tear your fabric to put in on grain?
#61
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Port Lavaca, TX
Posts: 1,276
Originally Posted by Butterfli19
I was reading in a quilting book that to prep your fabric, prewashed or not, you tear it to put it on grain, line up selvedges and starch it to get it back to shape, as when it is rolled onto the bolt it becomes a bit off.
Do you do this? If not, how do you prepare your fabric?
Do you do this? If not, how do you prepare your fabric?
It is not putting it on the bolt that distorts it... It is the lengths of fabric whizzing around on the factory machinery that does it! Often the ink is printed on distorted fabric, and then the best you can do is ignore it and cut it sort of the best you can.
#63
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Originally Posted by Butterfli19
I guess I don't understand how it doesn't make it more off grain. I mean, ripping something should distort the rest of the fabric, so doesn't ripping make it worse?
It's like the trick of pulling the tablecloth out from under a table setting. If you go fast enough, the tablecloth slides right out from under the flatware and silverware but if you pull too slowly or hesitate, the dishes fall off the table.
If you rip the fabric with a slow motion or in a succession of jerks, you will pull the warp and weft off grain. If you do it really fast, the warp and weft threads snap where they are, rather than sliding out of place and then breaking.
PS--in the case of the tablecloth trick, it also helps to have heavily starched the tablecloth first, so it is as smooth and slick as possible. Practise with just silverware on the table until you can do it perfectly with just silverware before adding any dishes.
#65
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
I have been ripping for years (and years and years).
When I started to quilt after making clothes for many years I figured I did not need to do it (sigh). After a couple of quilts with wavy borders I went back to ripping. I will pull threads for smaller pieces, but I am too lazy to do that for border strips.
That said, some fabrics do not rip well -- then I do pull a thread. I have yet to find border print or striped fabric that is completely on grain so I opt to go with the pattern in those cases.
When I started to quilt after making clothes for many years I figured I did not need to do it (sigh). After a couple of quilts with wavy borders I went back to ripping. I will pull threads for smaller pieces, but I am too lazy to do that for border strips.
That said, some fabrics do not rip well -- then I do pull a thread. I have yet to find border print or striped fabric that is completely on grain so I opt to go with the pattern in those cases.
#66
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 1,053
I do if I'm getting ready to cut borders or other long strips. Not so much if I'm cutting little pieces for blocks. Too, it depends on how off-grain the fabric is. Most quality fabrics from the LQS are pretty much on-grain these days.
#67
Fold the fabric selvage to selvage. Then hold it out in front of you. If there is a distinct bump or fold along the folded edge, then manipulate the selvage edges by scooching them along, one in one direction and the other in the other direction, until the fold disappears and the fabric lays flat. Then even off the cut the edges with a ruler and a rotary cutter.
Works every time![/quote]
This is the way I find the grain too. I even use the same technical word "scooching" :lol:
Works every time![/quote]
This is the way I find the grain too. I even use the same technical word "scooching" :lol:
#68
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: D'Iberville,MS
Posts: 243
Originally Posted by quilter on the eastern edge
I was taught to get the straight of grain this way.......
Fold the fabric selvage to selvage. Then hold it out in front of you. If there is a distinct bump or fold along the folded edge, then manipulate the selvage edges by scooching them along, one in one direction and the other in the other direction, until the fold disappears and the fabric lays flat. Then even off the cut the edges with a ruler and a rotary cutter.
Works every time!
Fold the fabric selvage to selvage. Then hold it out in front of you. If there is a distinct bump or fold along the folded edge, then manipulate the selvage edges by scooching them along, one in one direction and the other in the other direction, until the fold disappears and the fabric lays flat. Then even off the cut the edges with a ruler and a rotary cutter.
Works every time!
That I can do !!!
#69
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1
Tearing the fabric does not straighten the fabric...it gives you a crosswise thread at each end of the piece. Then, you have to stretch the fabric to line up those ends and the selvage edges in order to straighten the fabric. In making garments, cutting a piece off-grain will end up with a piece that doesn't hang straight. Or, if a curtain is cut off-grain, it will hang crooked.
Tearing works for most plain-weave fabrics. When the fabric won't tear, you pull a thread and cut along it to find the grain. Grain refers to the length-wise (warp) and cross-wise (woof) threads. When they get off-grain on the bolt and you cut across, you are cutting across several threads...not along the weave of one thread.
Tearing works for most plain-weave fabrics. When the fabric won't tear, you pull a thread and cut along it to find the grain. Grain refers to the length-wise (warp) and cross-wise (woof) threads. When they get off-grain on the bolt and you cut across, you are cutting across several threads...not along the weave of one thread.
#70
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 862
Nope, hardly ever. Tearing can damage a thread 3-5 inches within. Grain is easy to see in most cases and I have vision damage! I do what poster "Olivia's Grammy" does. When it absolutely does not seem right, I tear - and usually find that the fabric was PRINTED off grain.
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