sylslight

it make sense with the fold away from you..that way you have the folded part for either one extra priece if you need it and its big enough, or you can save it for a scrappy quilt!!!! but there are times when i just iron out that fold and cut one layer at a time...very time consuming but if its got to be just right and i only have a limited amount with no room for mistakes, then thats what i will do!

watterstide

Great tutorial! we call the "bend"..The dreaded V!

weezie

I just read the tutorial and wish to add a p.s. to my earlier post. I almost always have several yards of fabric to square up and trim so I lay it out lengthwise on an 6' long cutting mat. Once I get an entire 6' length lined up exactly straight, I put plastic buckets of smooth deco. rocks as weights in strategic spots to keep the fabric in place. This way I can cut long strips (for borders or binding or whatever) lengthwise, once I get the selvedge cut off. I never double fold ... I've learned that a single fold in the middle of the fabric is all I can accurately manage. Also, my rotary cutter does much better with only 2 layers of fabric to cut through.

aardvarq

Hi,

The bend is from the two layers of fabric not being aligned to each other on straight of grain.

If you hold the fabric up and match selvage edges, both sides hanging down will hang straigth, or with slight ripples as you look down the sides. The ripples are the straight of grain being pulled out of whack (off straight alignment).

Holding the fabric up in the air, the selvages together, slide the two layer edges against each other (left or right) until you see the ripples in the sides disappear.

You can now lay the fabric down and press a crease/fold if needed.

You should cut the selvages off at this point and cut a test strip the width you need for your porject, or at least 2-3 inches wide.

Open the cut strip and look at the crease/fold. Does the strip lay straight from end to end with now dip or curve in the fold area? If so, you are good to go and your fabric is now folded straight of grain and can be cut for your project. If not, look for smaller ripples and shift layers until they disappear.

Good luck. This is easier to watch than tell!!!