All right, I tried ripping some scraps that I had and I didn't do very well. :( I was too scared to try it on the border fabric, so I folded cut end to cut end, lined up the selvages (like sspingler suggested) and cut away. The border strips turned out ok, they may be a little crooked, but not bad. I can live with it.

Thanks everyone for your advice, I think I'll try ripping again with fabric that isn't so expensive. :wink: Then maybe I'll be more comfortable with it.

B.zang´s idea was a good one to help you get started, about pulling a thread. I have to say I rip and have ripped always. Wouldn´t rip with raw silk and would probably use the folded method. Glad you got it sorted. Try practicing and do it as fast as you can. Iron it after ripping and you will find it will do just great.

Elle

And only rip the lengthwise grain, not the crosswise.

The pulled thread method has worked for me. Tedious, but it works.

I'll tear the fabric for the backing with no hesitation.

Something I learned/observed from a Quilter's Newletter cover.

Some fabrics that appear to be all-over prints actually have "stripes" in them. This quilt on that cover had three sides that had the same "band/strip" of fabric and the fourth side was different and appeared "off"

So - if the border fabric has a design, kind of watch for that.

Did this make sense?

Way back when the dinosaurs walked the earth, we were told to straighten fabric if it was off-grain. I've now decided that after machine washing and drying the fabric, to let it do what it wants to.

I much prefer to cut my strips on the lengthwise grain. At least I have a straight grain going in one direction.

Doreen Speckman cuts her sashings on the crosswise grain - she says it gives one wiggle room if one has to ease a block in. She's right about that.

I just wanted to say that for long border pieces, I always use a walking foot - makes them come out much more even.

LOL. Yeah, like a bandage covering an owie you know will be painful to remove....THAT fast.

It still makes me queasy each time I do it, but it does come out straight when you're using 100% cotton.

I too am scared to do the ripping thing. I will use the cutter. I just take my time at it.

That's a great idea. I've never thought of that.

I also measured and marked the borders before attaching them - I either used straight pins or a chalk pencil.

If I was attaching this to 12 inch blocks, I would mark the border at 12 inch intervals, etc.

When I just sewed a border on, it tended to come out unevenly.

I have learned so much the hard way. So now I spend a few extra minutes in preparation and save myself hours of unsewing and resewing.