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  • Help needed for cutting large fabric pieces

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    Old 08-08-2008, 01:56 AM
      #11  
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    Originally Posted by Barb M
    Don't you find when you rip fabric it stretches the fabric along the tear? I know that's happened when i've tried it, so now i just fold it real accurate onto my cutting mat and cut
    Yes a bit, but nothing an iron won´t fix. You see I am always in a hurry and need it done there and then, patience is not my strong point
    :D

    Elle
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    Old 08-12-2008, 06:19 PM
      #12  
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    Fold it in half long ways(5yr.long) and iron it then cut on the line if you wish to cut it that way. if not in half by the 60 why it is pressed in half on the long lenth then fold it againg and press and then cut . this will help.


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    Old 08-13-2008, 03:41 AM
      #13  
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    I'm a firm believer in tearing BUT a few weeks ago I bought some white muslin to dye, it was $4+ per yd. I snipped and ripped 4 yds of it into fats and dyed my heart out all day. After the final wash I dried it and began to iron only to find that not a single one was straight! If you folded them in 1/2 in any direction the other edge was off 4-5 inches. I'm glad they were just for me but I was still dissappointed. I guess it must have been something about the weave? That's the first time I've ever had a problem, and if you RIP it quickly and not just slowly tear you'll have less stretch, and what little you do have is easily ironed out like someone said.
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    Old 08-13-2008, 04:35 AM
      #14  
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    Good quality, evenly-evenly woven cotton fabrics will tear straight. If it doesn't tear straight, it's probably not worth using!

    For a long time, I thought tearing was inferior somehow, but eventually I learned to appreciate that nice straight edge. It does distort about 1/8" - 1/4" on the torn edge, but it would be equally hard to cut a perfectly straight edge on a 5 yard long piece. I have been using a rotary cutter for 22 years, and I think my "margin of error" is better with tearing!
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    Old 08-13-2008, 04:36 AM
      #15  
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    Originally Posted by kathy
    I'm a firm believer in tearing BUT a few weeks ago I bought some white muslin to dye, it was $4+ per yd. I snipped and ripped 4 yds of it into fats and dyed my heart out all day. After the final wash I dried it and began to iron only to find that not a single one was straight! If you folded them in 1/2 in any direction the other edge was off 4-5 inches. I'm glad they were just for me but I was still dissappointed. I guess it must have been something about the weave? That's the first time I've ever had a problem, and if you RIP it quickly and not just slowly tear you'll have less stretch, and what little you do have is easily ironed out like someone said.
    Did it tear wrong (not on the grain) or did it tear correctly and the muslin quality was not good enough, so it distorted? I would check that before going to the work of dying!
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    Old 08-13-2008, 09:32 AM
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    What kind of fabric are you trying to divide?

    What are you going to do with it?

    Has it been washed?

    Is the grainline true?



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