Tearing has never been an issue with me. I'm dating myself here but I remember when they ran the fabric through a devise that measured the yardage. Then there was a lever that was pushed which made a cut so the sales person could tear off the measured length. I also remember our sewing teachers having us pull on opposite ends of the fabric to straighten the grain. The goal was to have the torn edges and the selveges line up making as close to a right angle as possible. Only then could we cut out our pattern.