I prefer to tear long pieces of fabric -- borders, binding, backing. For the backing, I will also tear from selvage to selvage, though some fabrics do not like to be torn that way. That way I am sure of getting them straight of grain. However, I have been known to leave the selvages on as long as they are wholly encased in the seam. Since I prewash my fabrics, I know if the selvages are going to shrink (and I have only had one piece of JAF where the selvages shrank). I know - heresy but the quilt police would have to open up the quilt to find the selvages.
