Do we have a beginner's forum?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 115
Do we have a beginner's forum?
Do we have a dumb question section for beginners? How to square up and cut fabric with patterns.
If the pattern has a small checkerboard or polka dot pattern and you cut it like the below video shows and the pattern isn't square to the fabric being square, is that an issue?
I know that I didn't say that very well. After squaring should the lines of polka dots be square too? I hope that you get what I am trying to ask.
I watched a Leah Day video on squaring here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcpzwJMVTbc
If the pattern has a small checkerboard or polka dot pattern and you cut it like the below video shows and the pattern isn't square to the fabric being square, is that an issue?
I know that I didn't say that very well. After squaring should the lines of polka dots be square too? I hope that you get what I am trying to ask.
I watched a Leah Day video on squaring here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcpzwJMVTbc
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
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.
If you look at the quilts in the pictures section, you can see that most folks don't share this view. It produces a quilt pattern that's a bit less ridged.
If you look at the quilts in the pictures section, you can see that most folks don't share this view. It produces a quilt pattern that's a bit less ridged.
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
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 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.
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,538
I don't buy a lot of directional prints. Sometimes you can cut with the grain lines to square the strips, rows of dots or plaids but sometimes they are printed off grain. There isn't much you can do about directional prints that are printed wrong but cut your pieces the way they suit the pattern the best.
#6
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Not really, because it's easy for fabric to get skewed when rolled onto its cardboard. Directional fabric from any source can have this problem. I avoid directional prints when buying fabric. However, I do not obsess with the pattern being squared after cutting. There are even quilting books out there that point out how skewing plaids creates a more interesting quilt. I agree with that; however, I find that small polka dots and some stripes just do not "play well" when cut any which way.
#8
There isn't a beginners section, but do not worry about asking questions here. This is where the answers are and the quilters here don't mind answering. When I began quilting 5 years ago, I had tons of questions, and there were always answers....and soon. I remember the first time I tried to change the blade in my rotary cutter. I had taken it apart and not paid attention to what I had done. I was panicky but within 2 minutes someone soothed my mind and told me how to put my rotary cutter back together.
The point is, we all started once and we all had questions. Ask away!
Dina
The point is, we all started once and we all had questions. Ask away!
Dina
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 115
Thanks everyone for the answers. Much appreciated. I did find the Leah Day early video interesting, but needed to know about how the directional patterns fit into this whole thing.
I've increased my vocabulary during this thread: "Directional Patterns"
I've increased my vocabulary during this thread: "Directional Patterns"
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
I did use small polka dots in my current quilt. I squared up the fabric & then cut strips & then squares from the strips. The polka dots were straight. It really just depends on how carefully the fabric was printed. It works with some prints & not with others.
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