girlygirlforme

I watched the video on power cutting and find that it is the best way to cut fabric.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoBKOv3Azzw.

Wintersewer

I'm skeptical of this method because she did not show the strips to prove that they are straight. Her square template is also smooth, with no anti-slip dots, and this is a must for this method.

bearisgray

I wash and dry - preferably in a dryer - fabric before cutting it - to see what it wants to do "on its own."

I have found that most blocks (assuming they are going to finish up as a square or rectangle) press a lot flatter when the individual components in the block are "on grain" - or the threads are perpendicular or parallel with the edges of the block.

If I tear - which is not often - I am prepared to sacrifice the shredded ends -

If a straight grain is very important for something or I need to be very frugal with my fabric - I pull a thread - which is time-consuming, but a fairly good "in front of the TV" project.

As far as panels go - I have found some that are fairly close to being printed "on-grain." I have learned to look at the back of most fabrics to check grain ines before I buy them now. If they are printed way off-grain, one can pull an tug on the fabric from now until next year - and it will STILL be printed off-grain.

I have also learned that some fabrics will "straighten out" when washed.

Some will not. I learned that one when an employee at a LQS INSISTED that an Alexander Henry fabric would straighten out when it was washed. It did not. And half of the width was extremely wonky. It was still wonky after I washed it.

tessagin

I get best results this way.

Pennyhal

Once they start a fabric run, if the fabric is not squared up properly on the machines, the whole run will be off grain. I once bought a panel fabric that had squares. I bought the same fabric at 6 different stores thinking that of them would have the printing on grain, but all of them were off grain. Finally one shop told me about how the mfgs aren't always careful to get the fabric straight so the whole run would be off grain. So the squares were rhombuses instead of squares. It seems that the fabric nowadays is always off grain at least a little.

donna13350

I have decided that anything I cut is square and good enough ! If I cut it and it's the proportions I want, it's good. Too many fabrics are so off square that I just don't care anymore, and it doesn't matter at all.It seems that the last 6 or 7 years I get more and more fabric, way, way off straight of grain....I just don't bother with it anymore. When I cut strips. squares, triangles, whatever, what matters the most is accurate cutting and accurate piecing. The only time I worry is is with blocks set on point, then the outside triangles can give you a time, but I just staystitch bias triangles, then it's not a problem. Don't get bogged down with the minutia...if you cut a 2" square and sew it to another 2" square, if your cuts are accurate, and your 1/4" is good..then it's all good!!!!!

yonnikka

I believe the key is that when you wash the fabric, take a good look before you dry the piece, and if it is wonky, then dry it partially, and use your iron to accomplish the squaring, with some good but gentle stretching on the bias to accomplish it. I'm glad this topic is being discussed, as I feel that it is a matter of integrity to cut strips along the grain of the fabric, when long straight strips are used. Likewise, you can cut a good bias strip for binding by having the whole piece of fabric squared up accurately. Many a time I've "pulled a thread" to make sure my fabric is straight. The saddest fabrics are "Printed Plaids" that go wonky. The designer had an idea, but in the manufacturing process, one side of the fabric pulled through the printing machines at a slower rate, and the horizontal lines are no longer true. Watch out when buying "End of the Bolts" because that is where the worst problems of alignment will be found.

coffeecozy

Girlygirlforme I think this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoBKOv3Azzw is an excellent link. I have Debbie Caffrey's (who she references) craftsy class and think it has improved my cutting accuracy tremendously. I do not do the multiple layers as I am not in any great hurry but the cutting from the straight edge is very helpful and works.

GingerK

I have also squared up a panel by wetting it and blocking it into the correct shape. Once it dried, was incorporated into a quilt and quilted, it did not return to its original shape. Part of the distortion is because the fabric is rolled after manufacture, while still wet.

This blocking method also works for a block that has become distorted from handling or ironing.

Colorful1

Ripping your fabric is how to truly get your fabric "on grain". That said, designs are often printed off-grain.