Okay..I am going to make the Disappearing Nine Patch quilt. I have not ever cut or pieced a quilt, but I looked at several YouTube demo's..it seems easy..so I am going to try it.

I bought my material today..bought 5 different fabics, 2 lighter, 2 darker and one for the center..I bought 8 yards total, hoping that will be enough. I need to buy my backing yet.

I have washed and dried the materials..now I need to somehow get them straightened and press them to be able to cut. Is there a tutorial showing me how to make sure the fabrics are straight? I thought maybe you lined up the selvages, but they are way off.
Hoping someone can help. Hugs, Dee in Oklahome

You might listen to this.
Straight of grain
http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/3567

This is how I do it, there are other ways as well. I put the selvages together and than scoot them along each other until the fabric hangs straight on both sides. Press lightly. It will not line up even on the edges so just trim that off square with the fold. Clear as mud?

Opinions will vary on this topic ,I am old school and rip mine.

I never worry about the straight of the grain either...I just whack off the ends and start cutting. Never had a quilt go bad yet!!!!

She says it so much better than I can!!

thanks for this link

You rip from selvage down?

This is what I do, too. Kind of like folding a fitted sheet up neatly. You will sometimes have to cut off quite a chunk to get it squared. That means whoever cut it from the bolt didn't cut very straight or it was crooked on the bolt. I don't like ripping to find the straight of grain but with some of the loosely woven "cheaper" fabrics; ripping is the only way.

Width of fabric. Selvage to selvage. You make a little cut into the selvage and then rip down to the other selvage so yes, from selvage down. I had to picture that one to get it--LOL.

Thanks so much...easy, peasy... Great learning link!:-P

Thanks a bunch!

OkieDokie...thanks so much. :-P

Yea..another ripper! I hated when the LQS stopped ripping...most of the time I am like amandasgramma..get a straight edge and go with it.

Do not rip down along the selvage to remove it just cut across the selvage to get a start and rip from selvage to selvage to get the end straight. This will only work on cotton fabric. If it won't rip straight then it's not all cotton. Then line up the sevlages and press it. Otherwise your strips will bow in the middles. Hope this helps you. Or did we totally confuse you? Please post photos for all of us to see...Happy Stitchin' Linda B.

That was a great video! Thanks

Okay...got it...I understand now. Thanks hon. :-P

back in the day [early fifties] i was taught to make a small clip in the selvage at the end of one side, pick up a tread, ease it across the width, pull it out, then cut along the path of the missing thread. tedious, but there's the straight!

I rip too! That is what I was taught to do in high school, and it works well. Once I have ripped the fabric, I use my ruler to cut the ripped end off--but at least I know it is straight when I cut.

I liked that tutorial wish I had the money to join that website it seemed really good

Gald you asked that question. Watched the video, but what if you are using a bigger cut of material? Or should I cut it down?

Do you mean longer yardage? If that is the case I do it on the floor or large table. Usually by the time you straighten the first yard or so the rest will follow. If not I pin a few pins than move along the fabric straightening another yard or so. If the fabric still doesn't fall into place than you have a really out of wack piece of fabric.