Originally Posted by Butterfli19
I guess I don't understand how it doesn't make it more off grain. I mean, ripping something should distort the rest of the fabric, so doesn't ripping make it worse?
My mother taught me to rip properly (mumblemumble) years ago. There's a knack to it. You make a nick in the selvage, then rip with a very quick, fast pull. No hesitations or stopping!
It's like the trick of pulling the tablecloth out from under a table setting. If you go fast enough, the tablecloth slides right out from under the flatware and silverware but if you pull too slowly or hesitate, the dishes fall off the table.
If you rip the fabric with a slow motion or in a succession of jerks, you will pull the warp and weft off grain. If you do it really fast, the warp and weft threads snap where they are, rather than sliding out of place and then breaking.
PS--in the case of the tablecloth trick, it also helps to have heavily starched the tablecloth first, so it is as smooth and slick as possible. Practise with just silverware on the table until you can do it perfectly with just silverware before adding any dishes.