Originally Posted by
PaperPrincess
This is all dependent on the 'look' you are after. I am weird and HAVE TO cut my stripes, dots, repeat prints, plaids etc. exactly on the print. But that's just me (I usually don't buy them I obsess so much!). Although the ideal is to cut the fabric exactly on grain, cutting along the print usually won't skew it too much. If it's really printed off, I starch the fabric before cutting.
I agree with PaperPrincess. I can NOT understand why plaids or panels can not be printed SQUARE! No, there isn't any section for beginner quilters.
I carefully cut plaids so the print follows the cut line as much as possible. It is just sometime you learn as you go along. Directional prints I always consider which direction to cut. Good Luck.