Lois-nounoe

I rip if I need length of fabric strips. Crosswise will stretch but if you cup the with you need a few inches and rip fast I find good fabric won't stretch length. If I need several lenghts I cut the number of withs and rip a bit on each one till all of the strips are done. Just press before you sew and no ripples.

linda8450

I made 75 custom fitted square dancing dresses of white eyelet and miles of red ruffles. I bought the fabric in 10 yard pieces, clipped the cut end at the required widths (some dresses had 5" ruffles, some 6" some 8") to best use the fabric. My friend and I each grabbed every other cut and walked away from each other! The endes were "slightly" stretched, but they were hemmed with a rolled edge on one side and ruffled on the other. No complaints! LInda

valleyquiltermo

I cut WOF but I always rip lenth of fabric, never have any trouble with ripping. I always rip off my selvages and then my lenths.

jaciqltznok

rip it! then steam press...wavy edges disappear!

Tartan

I hate ripping fabric. I always recut the edge because it stretches the weave. With that being said, I do rip if I have a long length on the straight of grain to do. An example would be ripping the edge of the material for long border pieces without having joins. I measure out a good inch more than needed and rip the border part first. This gets the long pieces down to a managable size to recut the edge. This is the one time I like to rip rather than fold. I always worry with folding that much fabric that I will cut the border and open it up to find the dreaded "V" or "dogleg". Go with what feels comfortable to you.

CharlottsQuilts

Thanks everyone for the good ideas. I have quilt class tommorrow, so I will see what the teacher says. I would much rather just cut the usual way and piece it together, but it's for shashing, not for borders, so I am afraid the strips sewn together with a mitered edge would show, any how, I'll let you know what happens.

majormom

I always rip on the straight of the grain. I measure a little wider than called for so that after I have ripped the strip, I can fold it as many times as needed to get a managable length that I have a ruler long enough for, remeasure and then cut on each side to get rid of the ravellies. I hate them and want a nice straight clean edge. Ripping always seems to come out straight and is a good way to make sure the edges of the fabric are straight too! This may go against the grain for some folks since it does 'waste' a little bit, but I don't mind 'wasting' some to get what I want.

joyce888

I cut lengths that long by folding the fabric into four layers, using a 48" metal yardstick from the hardware store and having someone at the other end holding the ruler while I cut.

Grambi

That's my method, also.

GrannieAnnie

Quite simple, don't over think it. Instead of cutting across the fabric the 42-45" side, cut up and down the side. Of course you need fabric cut to the length of 2 1/2 yards.