I just bought and washed a bunch of fat quarters. MOST are from a quilt store, some are from a fabric store. (I'm keeping them separate.)

My problem is that since I did not pay attention to how they were originally folded, I'm not sure how to refold them then CUT into strips. ':oops:'

If they have that white selvage strip, do I fold that the long way(touching the other side), or face to face- touching itself?
(I sincerely hope I am making sense!)':cry:'

Face to face seems to me to be the only way I can tell if I'm folding or cutting straight. (on the grain, or whatever it's called.)
Please help!

Thank You!

One selvedge edge touches the other.... that is the width of the material.

Joy you are a Joy,

Celeste,
If it has a white selvage strip or if the edge is uncut, then fold it over to the opposite side of the fabric that looks the same. This will make a fold that lays the length of the fabric. Usually the cut ends will ravel and the selvage edges won't.
(After you cut the appropriate width strip, the selvage edge is cut off the strip as it tends to distort/pull up the edge).
I hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more.

Sis

I think I got it! Thank You!

Hey Celeste,
I've been waiting to see if anyone would ask.....they didn't! So, umm, uh, why you keeping the FQs separated? Are you doing a test or something? Are they all cotton? Are they separated by color or by purchase?

Being nosy is 2nd nature when it come to quilting, for me anyway. lol lol
Sharon

Hi nosy Sharon!

I guess you could say it is a test. Although I haven't done much quilting, I have done some reading, and talked with my mom who has done a lot of reading and a little more quilting. Apparently there is a difference in the quality of material- quilt stores having the best quality.

So, I thought I'd sort of test it out and makes ones I REALLY care about out of the quilt store fabric and others out of the less expensive type.

By the way, me? I'm never nosy, but always curious!

Ever hear of the saying "Curiosity killed the cat"? If I was a cat, I'd have been dead a long time ago!

Celeste, sounds good to me :wink:

Celeste, be sure when you fold your fabric from edge to edge that it lies flat. You'll have to trim one end before you start cutting but then you know you are cutting on the grain. After I've washed a large piece of fabric I always hold it up and fold it selvedge to selvedge and move the fabric back and forth until it hangs straight and then fold in half again and trim one end and then start cutting into strips.

Celeste,

Yes, selvedge to selvedge. Be consistent with all of your folding. If the slevedge is missing, stretch the fabric east and west, then north to south. You will see the difference in the stretch. East/west will stretch more. Sewing a strip from an east/west cut to a north/south cut can cause some aggrevation.

SOOOO, if you are cutting strips for a log cabin quilt or for four patches strips, make sure your fabrics are all cut from the same direction. If consistently folded you will not need to test for the stretch.

Good luck. Suzanne