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I went to the Ricky Tims seminar in January and that's how he cuts his fabric is by tearing it. You should have heard the crowd gasp!!
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I prefer it torn because of the straightness. I do press the torn edge before cutting or sewing. Otherwise pulling threads is my other way. Yes cutting you do loose some fabric. Your fabric stores no longer give you any extra fabric, so we have to buy it.
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Originally Posted by DogHouseMom
The staff at Eleanor Burns store and tent ripped when I was in Paducah. Not sure if they do this all year round, or just during Paducah week.
It didn't bother me that they ripped it as I know it's a straighter edge and I'm not worried about it stretching because I pre-wash - so it would find "home" again. BUT the amount of fray that it created when I pre-washed was WELL beyond what I expected to find. WHAT A MESS!! Bought 1 yard cuts of three different fabrics this weekend and for the first time ever at an LQS they did exactly what I would have done had I been at home. She laid out all three fabrics on top of each other then cut 1 yard! |
Ripping the fabric ensures that you will get a piece which is cut on the grain - and in my experience, means that I won't have one which means I have to cut off 2-6 inches because it has been cut so crooked that part of it isn't usable. Not everyone does it this way, but it does make sure that you get every inch you pay for.
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I will not pay for it if it is ripped
and I tell them this in advance. J J |
I rip..but would perfer anyone else to cut mine..it depends on what it is..you can tell them to cut only and they have too comply!!
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The first time I saw a quilting teacher "tear" her fabric, I was astonished, but tearing does give you a true straight edge. However, tearing will leave "feathers", so I prefer to cut my fabric, unless I am using only a partion of a larger piece. Also, if you cut a small triangle off each corner of the fabric before you wash it, you cut down on the "feathers" of threads, and yes I always wash my fabric before I use it. Then when I am procrastinating about starting a new project, I spritz the fabric with a bottle water sprayer and iron away while watching my fabric movie or TV program. You'd be amazed at how quickly it goes when you are not focusing on the ironing.
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Depending on the fabric, I see more or less stretch at the rip. I ripped a batik a few nights ago as I didn't want to work with the full four yards in my stash. There was very little stretch and distortion along the edges. Some of the lesser cottons in my stash have not looked good after ripping.
I often rip in order to get a true grain when I'm squaring fabric before cutting. Cheers, K |
It's smart to watch the cutter when buying plaids or ginghams. This morning I was using a plaid that I had bought a few years back. Obviously, I wasn't watching and the cutter hadn't any knowledge about proper cutting. It was totally cut wrong. Now it's in the scrap pile for a different use to come. Couldn't match up one line.
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Dear Wanna, My mom was a French seamstress and always tore her fabrics. Then fabric stores started cutting the fabric with sissors, many with out cutting guides, and the cuts were crooked, some used cutting grooves fixed to their table and the ends of the fabric still came out crooked. Tearing fabric may cause a small amount of loss but not as much as crooked cutting lines do...The choice is yours and enjoy your quilting which ever way is most comfortable for you. There are no fabric police either! :-D
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