Re: Tear or Cut?

When the cloth is torn you can see where the straight of grain is better,
but it does sometimes pull lengthwise threads, and on a print that can
show for as much as a couple of inches. I like to be sure my border and
sashings are really straight, don't worry as much about pieces that are
smaller, unless they are woven stripes or plaids.

To straighten fabric, tear one end or ravel the end until you can pull out a
thread all the way across. You may be amazed how far off the fabric is. Hold
the fabric at the center fold and see which corner is the short one. Find
the corner at the other end of the piece of fabric that is diagonal from the
short corner - it might not look short because of the cutting, but it is -
and pull on the 2 short corners (you may need a friend or spouse to help if
it is a long piece). Check every so often to keep from pulling it too much,
and to be sure you are pulling the SHORT corners.

After all the grabbing and pulling you will need to iron out the wrinkles
you put in where you held on. I like to pin the torn edge and the selvedges
and iron with steam to set the new alignment of the threads, except I try
not to iron right on the fold, because I usually don't want a crease there.
I don't have a "big board" so I iron on a beach towel on my bed if I am
doing 2 or more yards.

I know people who never straighten, and people who always do. I think a
quilt hangs more evenly if the long pieces are straight.

Jane in NE Ohio- the weatherman said rain and snow mixed for tomorrow. The
poor flowers & fruit trees don't know what to do.


"Patti S" <Room2Move@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4885-4620EFBB-252@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Many, many years ago, when I was in high school, my sewing teacher told
us when we bought fabric to NEVER let them tear it, as it pulled it off
grain. Yesterday, while in my LQS, the lady ahead of me asked that they
tear, instead of cut, as it kept the fabric ON grain. For decades, I've
been insisting that my yardage be cut. Now - I'm confused. I'd like to
know what everyone else does??? And does tearing pull the fabric off
grain? TIA.

Patti in Seattle



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