First check to see if the directional print is printed straight. You may need to cut it slightly off grain if it is an obvious pattern like stripes of checks. If it looks like it is printed straight, this is the one spot I do tear my fabric. I snip the edge of the fabric about 1 inch past the size I want, tear the length off and then fold the length back up on my matt and rotary cut off the torn bruised edge to the size I need.