I pull a thread, it is quick to do this, and cut along the line you can see, then pull hard on the fabric diagonally, the shortest distance, to get it square. Sometimes it takes two people for yardage~ Once you have done this, it will stay square! Pulling a thread does not distort the edges like tearing does.

It is not putting it on the bolt that distorts it... It is the lengths of fabric whizzing around on the factory machinery that does it! Often the ink is printed on distorted fabric, and then the best you can do is ignore it and cut it sort of the best you can.

I don't rip because a lot of the printed designs are no printed on the straight grain and if you rip, the grain will be right, but the design is all lopsided.

My mother taught me to rip properly (mumblemumble) years ago. There's a knack to it. You make a nick in the selvage, then rip with a very quick, fast pull. No hesitations or stopping!

It's like the trick of pulling the tablecloth out from under a table setting. If you go fast enough, the tablecloth slides right out from under the flatware and silverware but if you pull too slowly or hesitate, the dishes fall off the table.

If you rip the fabric with a slow motion or in a succession of jerks, you will pull the warp and weft off grain. If you do it really fast, the warp and weft threads snap where they are, rather than sliding out of place and then breaking.

PS--in the case of the tablecloth trick, it also helps to have heavily starched the tablecloth first, so it is as smooth and slick as possible. Practise with just silverware on the table until you can do it perfectly with just silverware before adding any dishes.

I rip depending on the project and the mood I am in. My Mama taught me this method when I was young. I still like it too. I also have pulled a thread and cut.

I have been ripping for years (and years and years).

When I started to quilt after making clothes for many years I figured I did not need to do it (sigh). After a couple of quilts with wavy borders I went back to ripping. I will pull threads for smaller pieces, but I am too lazy to do that for border strips.

That said, some fabrics do not rip well -- then I do pull a thread. I have yet to find border print or striped fabric that is completely on grain so I opt to go with the pattern in those cases.

I do if I'm getting ready to cut borders or other long strips. Not so much if I'm cutting little pieces for blocks. Too, it depends on how off-grain the fabric is. Most quality fabrics from the LQS are pretty much on-grain these days.

Fold the fabric selvage to selvage. Then hold it out in front of you. If there is a distinct bump or fold along the folded edge, then manipulate the selvage edges by scooching them along, one in one direction and the other in the other direction, until the fold disappears and the fabric lays flat. Then even off the cut the edges with a ruler and a rotary cutter.

Works every time![/quote]

This is the way I find the grain too. I even use the same technical word "scooching" :lol:

That I can do !!!

Tearing the fabric does not straighten the fabric...it gives you a crosswise thread at each end of the piece. Then, you have to stretch the fabric to line up those ends and the selvage edges in order to straighten the fabric. In making garments, cutting a piece off-grain will end up with a piece that doesn't hang straight. Or, if a curtain is cut off-grain, it will hang crooked.

Tearing works for most plain-weave fabrics. When the fabric won't tear, you pull a thread and cut along it to find the grain. Grain refers to the length-wise (warp) and cross-wise (woof) threads. When they get off-grain on the bolt and you cut across, you are cutting across several threads...not along the weave of one thread.

Nope, hardly ever. Tearing can damage a thread 3-5 inches within. Grain is easy to see in most cases and I have vision damage! I do what poster "Olivia's Grammy" does. When it absolutely does not seem right, I tear - and usually find that the fabric was PRINTED off grain.