Originally Posted by
NZquilter
I don't think there is anything wrong with tearing instead of cutting the fabric. Personally I wish some places still ripped; I'm tired of needing to trim a good several inches off both ends of yardage in order to straighten it. I've seen Eleanor Burns rip her fabric into strips too.
I rip mine whenever I can. I wish fabric stores still did. I remember that little machine they would slide the fabric through until the correct measurement, then punch it down like a stapler, then rip it. I was always sure that then didn't give me a crooked piece of fabric.