ripping yardage?
#61
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Boston
Posts: 225
In the old dayas, pre-1970, they alwaysw ripped the fabric. Fabric stores had a little machine, about the size of a shoebox, that they would run the edge of the fabric through, it would measure and then they pushed a button and it cut the edge so it could be ripped. Yes, it is more accurate, but it only works with all cotton. Once they started using poly, you could not use the machines anymore so most places got rid of them.
#62
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,669
Originally Posted by wannaquilt1
So at my LQS I got 1/2 yard of fabric and she put a little slit in the fabric and then ripped the fabric for the yardage! I gasped and she laughed since i've never seen it done this way before. Is the line more accurate this way? I would think they would get tired from doing this all day...
I'm not on either side in this discussion. I just think there isn't any hard and fast rule. froggyintexas
#63
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Richmond, Va
Posts: 218
Wow I remember the stores always tore the cottons. But I don't remember them having as many loose threads back then. I told Eleanor Burns I remember my Mom tearing the strips for her first Quilt in a Day log cabin. (EB signed Mom's org. book for me wish Mom were here to see it) My Gram said it would never work for a quilt. It took about 6 months but she did get it made.
#64
Originally Posted by Maggiesmom
Have you ever bought a yard of fabric that had been cut for you and taken it home only to find it to be terribly crooked? Snip it, tear it and you will find that you really don't have a yard of fabric. I don't know how many half yards I have had cut that end up maybe only 15-16 full inches wide across the 42+ inches. My mother was a terrific seamstress. She always tore her fabric to get it straight before she cut out a pattern. That's what they did in the "olden" days.
#66
This is a pet peeve of mine - - I HATE HATE HATE it when they rip the fabric!!! It messes up the fabric 2 inches from each end, and do they give you an extra 4 inches to account for this? Heck, no! And nobody cares anymore if the fabric is "on-grain." People place patches crooked on plaid on purpose so it WON'T be on grain. And when you're paper/foundation piecing, it never ends up on-grain anyway. So why bother?!
#67
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 4,840
Originally Posted by quiltsRfun
Back in the day that's how it was done whenever you bought fabric. Nowadays some are totally against it, others don't mind. I'm in the "don't mind" group. :)
#68
At lincraft (the large craft store in Australia) they always rip my fabric, and ALWAYS get it wrong by 1-5 inches. I guess because all the part-time workers are teenagers who know nothing about fabric and are just working there by chance. I always base it that if I'm going for the cheaper (like 50% cheaper) fabric from lincraft I use it in-unimportant projects, and keep the quality LQS stuff for when I'm putting a lot of effort in.
I wouldn't mind them ripping if they could just get it right or add extra but oh well
I wouldn't mind them ripping if they could just get it right or add extra but oh well
#70
Originally Posted by JustBonnie2
This is a pet peeve of mine - - I HATE HATE HATE it when they rip the fabric!!! It messes up the fabric 2 inches from each end, and do they give you an extra 4 inches to account for this? Heck, no! And nobody cares anymore if the fabric is "on-grain." People place patches crooked on plaid on purpose so it WON'T be on grain. And when you're paper/foundation piecing, it never ends up on-grain anyway. So why bother?!
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