Ok I've starched and ironed my fabric. Started folding it to cut, and felt like I've done it wrong. When folded, are the selvedges to the side or along the top? The side right?

I cut from selvage to selvage so I have the selvage at the top or bottom.

I'm glad I asked. Now next question....I'm cutting binding, and I want to cut on the bias right? So do I still want the selvedges on the top?

This is so where I'm going to screw up my quilt...

are you binding curves? I don't but bias binding unless I'm doing curves.

I've read that it wears better through using and washing....

If the quilt has a straight edge I personnelly feel it is not naecessary to cut binding on the bias. I always cut it selvedge to selvedge

I like to have enough fabric to cut a bias strip from selvedge to selvedge. To get a true 45 degree bias cut you will need 45" of fabric. I then fold the fabric from upper left to lower right making a large triangle.
Cut along the fold. Put one piece aside. You can then fold again in half lining up the cut edge folding from bottom to top.
It is then easier to cut with it folded. This way I get the greater number of long bias pieces. When sewing together for a large quilt I will alternate the shorter pieces with the longer pieces.

Binding Note: Make sure you lay the bias binding on the edge of your quilt to make sure a seam does not fall at the corner. If this does, then shift the binding forward or back to avoid this. If you cannot avoid it then cut the binding and re sew so the seam does not fall at a corner.

if you're cutting straight strips ...

if the selvages are to one side, the you are cutting "up" the length of the fabric. (warp) this is the way i prefer to cut if i'm doing strip piecing (sewing lots of long strips together to cut apart later). they don't stretch as much while i'm sewing them together, and i have a wee bit of stretch after they're cut apart. that comes in handy if i need to ease something to fit.

if the selvages are to the top, then you are cutting across the width of fabric (woof/weft). i prefer to cut this way when i'm going to cut the strips into triangles. just because ... :lol:

Top