How do any of you cut your borders on the lengthwise grain? My quilting instructions say to cut the border on the lengthwise grain because the fabric is a one-way design. Any suggestions sure would be appreciated.

Iwould like to know too. Is it better to cut lengthwise rather than across the width?

For big quilts, I like to cut the borders lengthwise, but I don't bother for smaller quilts. If the abric's pattern is printed directionally, you will want to consider that, of course.

The lengthwise grain is more stable (less stretchy) than crosswise grain. That's why it can be better to cut long borders on the lengthwise grain.

Some people even cut their strip pieces on the lengthwise grain for greater accuracy when strip piecing.

I think you can achieve much the same stability by starching fabric heavily before cutting.

Mary

You don't have to piece the borders when you cut them lengthwise, before you cut any strips for piecing.

If your question is about how to cut lengthwise, the answer is that you do it the same way you would if you were cutting across the fabric. you just have to do it more carefully.

you could try to fold it several times until you have a stack that will fit under your ruler. this is a pretty risky method since you'll most like end up with those lovely hills and valleys in your strips.

if i have to cut border strips down the length of the fabric, i sacrifice a bit of fabric and tear them down the length. i usually tear my strips at least two inches wider than i want them to end up. then, i start at one end and cut carefully along the ruler, moving it up a bit at a time, doing my best to keep the whole thing going in a straight line.

if you do it this way, make sure to leave at least one inch extra on each side of your border print. that way, you'll be able to cut it back to the print plus your seam allowance on either side.

may the force be with you and your ruler. :wink:

Since reading a book by Marti Michelle I try to cut everything lengthwise.

I feel like this is a stupid question. I have always cut selvate to selvage....

but anyway...

I have a charm square, it is recommended to cut on the lengthwise grain.

So I am holding the charm square with two hands, finger and thumb. I give it a tug, and there is a little give. I understand that this is the crosswise grain that is tugging....

If I turn 90 degrees and give it a tug, no give....I know this is the lenthwise grain. Am I cutting on the imaginary vertical line between my thumbs?


Or another way to ask the question, do I want the short side or the long side to be the stretchy side?

My suggestion here is that if you are told to cut "on the lengthwise grain", then cut on the non-stretchy side. That way, what should have give will have give, and what should not, will not.

I hope this makes sense ...


As for cutting my borders on the lengthwise, that is my preferred method. In this fashion, I do not generally need to piece. I love long areas of no seams to quilt in, especially since I prefer to hand-quilt. I will very carefully fold my fabric, first letting it hang until the bottom edge isn't "warped" by being off-grain. From there, I carefully bring the two shorter ends back to this fold, and again make sure the fabric is not hanging off-grain. I repeat this process until I have a piece that will fit under my ruler.

Then I go about "slicing" the narrowest strip off the selvege of my fabric, checking for "peaks and valleys". If I have some, I adjust accordingly and begin again. These slivers of fabric I am removing from the selvege are sometimes no more than 1/2" to 1" in width, but they are really important in getting the border pieces straight.

With practice, as with anything, you can cut lengthwise border strips quickly and with little waste. The beauty, for me, is that if I have enough length to cut my borders, I usually have plenty of that same fabric for my piecing, too, without too much waste. I may even have enough to cut bias strips for binding, if I have planned correctly.

Then again, there never seems to be enough fabric in my stash ..... :roll:

so, if you are pulling the fabric with both hands, no tug means the lenghtwise grain, am I cutting parallel to my tug or perpendicular?