Carol Paoff

I am making a baby bunting out of baby wale corduroy and cannot understand the cutting instructions: from each color cut 38 4½" squares. Follow the wale of the corduroy along two sides and cut the opposite sides perpendicular to the wale so that all squares are cut on the true grain of the fabric. I don't know what they're talking about. Couldn't I just cut all the squares the same way on the fabric and then turn the wale the opposite way? Maybe someone can draw me a picture so my brain understands what they mean by cutting the opposite sides perpendicular to the wale. Help!!!

Oklahoma Suzie

I'm not sure either.

nursie76

I believe, that the ribs of the corduroy are the wales. they run the straight grain of the fabric. (the same direction as the selvages, NOT from selvage to selvage). So I believe what they are saying is to cut the squares so that the wales run straight in the block not in any way slanted. In other words you would line up the edge of your ruler with the wales. Does this make sense? If you line up the edge of your ruler that way, the other edges of your block are automatically perpendicular. I don't know why they added that, it just confuses things. They just want your blocks not to be on the bias, even a little.

BellaBoo

You are good Nusie76! I read the cutting directions posted several time and didn't understand them either. Now, what I would do to work with the corduroy. I would iron lightweight fusible interfacing to the fabric and then cut any directions I wanted.

MadQuilter

Nursie, you got it. If you line up the ruler on one of the ribs, then the rib (or wale) is straight in that direction. When you have a strip, turn it 90 degrees and cut your squares.

butterflywing

perpendicular means right angles. they want you to cut two sides absolutely on wale and two sides absolutely at right angles (90*). that way you end up with a perfect square. the cut that's even with the selvedge is called parallel

Carol Paoff

I understand that the pieces should not be cut on the bias. Do you think I can cut them all in strips as long as I follow the wale and then cut them in squares? Is it necessary to turn the fabric and cut some of the strips perpendicular to the wale? It would have been easier if they just said "do not cut on the bias".

butterflywing

you're right. the instructions were poorly written. you can do it your way. and i would write or email wherever those instructions came from and let them know how confusing they are. i would just make sure that the nap goes the way you want it to.

littlehud

That is confusing to me too.

amma

:shock: that pattern would be giving me a migraine!!! :D:D:D