In the old dayas, pre-1970, they alwaysw ripped the fabric. Fabric stores had a little machine, about the size of a shoebox, that they would run the edge of the fabric through, it would measure and then they pushed a button and it cut the edge so it could be ripped. Yes, it is more accurate, but it only works with all cotton. Once they started using poly, you could not use the machines anymore so most places got rid of them.

I decided to try tearing instead of cutting a length of LQS fabric--famous brand--Tore both ends and I can tell you that it never got straight with the selvage. I tried what my mother did--I pulled a thread from selvage to selvage, or at least I tried to. The thread in this fabric didn't go from selvage to selvage. It got lost somewhere in the middle. Since I was using it in quilt blocks, I decided not to worry about it. If I had been using it in a garment, it would have been critical.

I'm not on either side in this discussion. I just think there isn't any hard and fast rule. froggyintexas

Wow I remember the stores always tore the cottons. But I don't remember them having as many loose threads back then. I told Eleanor Burns I remember my Mom tearing the strips for her first Quilt in a Day log cabin. (EB signed Mom's org. book for me wish Mom were here to see it) My Gram said it would never work for a quilt. It took about 6 months but she did get it made.

My mother did this also and trained me to do the same. I usually only tear long strips.

Took a class from quilter Sharon Schamber and she said she tears, especially lengthwise. I prefer tearing and tugging into square, like my Mom did.

This is a pet peeve of mine - - I HATE HATE HATE it when they rip the fabric!!! It messes up the fabric 2 inches from each end, and do they give you an extra 4 inches to account for this? Heck, no! And nobody cares anymore if the fabric is "on-grain." People place patches crooked on plaid on purpose so it WON'T be on grain. And when you're paper/foundation piecing, it never ends up on-grain anyway. So why bother?!

I agree. I am old enough to remember the stores, like Penney's, that used those neat measuring devices and then ripped the fabric. The way so many fabrics are wrapped on the bolts, you lose a lot of fabric when you straighten it.

At lincraft (the large craft store in Australia) they always rip my fabric, and ALWAYS get it wrong by 1-5 inches. I guess because all the part-time workers are teenagers who know nothing about fabric and are just working there by chance. I always base it that if I'm going for the cheaper (like 50% cheaper) fabric from lincraft I use it in-unimportant projects, and keep the quality LQS stuff for when I'm putting a lot of effort in.

I wouldn't mind them ripping if they could just get it right or add extra but oh well

Back in the days, the fabric would be torn instead of cut. That's how I learned too.

I want my fabric square, so I tear it.