What does it mean to "ease in" fabric?
 

I've seen certain posts about easing in fabric, but I don't know exactly what that means. Is there a video anywhere or can someone explain in simple terms what it means?

Easing in means when you are trying to piece together two units that don't match exactly.

For example, when we attach our final borders to a quilt it is best practice to measure the center of your quilt top for the border measurement then cut your border piece to match that measurement. During construction process things stretch and go off fractions of inches. So your edge may measure 50 3/4" while the center of your top and your cut to that measurement border piece may only measure 50 1/2". You need to "ease in" the larger measurement piece. I am old school so I do it by pinning in the center, pinning each corner, then pin at the half way point between center and corner and continue doing that until the whole unit is pinned about every 3 to 4" or so then I end up distributing that extra 1/4" across the entire length of the unit instead of in just a small area resulting in a pleat or gather where you don't want one.

Easing in is also used when doing curved piecing. It is done a lot in clothing construction. here is a link to a you tube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh7_zvHcIio

PS love your dog in your avatar. What a beauty!

perfect answer feline fanatic. Are you a teacher?

Also, if 2 patches are off just a smidge, you can sew with a 'baggy bottom', which means put the longer of the 2 pieces on the bottom and the feed dogs will ease the extra in. Make sure that you line up the leading edge, and hold the trailing edges even as you sew.
For longer seams, or more fullness, follow feline fanatic's fabulous directions

I think most quilters who use to sew clothes know about easing in by sewing sleeves in armholes. What a lesson that is! It was rare I got the sleeve eased in the first time. Easing two straight pieces of fabric is a breeze after doing that for so long.

Easing means to make a longer piece fit a shorter piece without gathers or tucks.

Perfectly put!!!!!!

Machines that don't have a built in walking foot or an attached walking foot will slightly ease the bottom fabric to the top fabric. That is why when you sew on borders you want to sew with the quilt top on the bottom and the border fabric on the top. If the border fabric is eased even slightly your borders will start to get ruffly.

Buying a Pfaff with the built in even feed system is one of the very best things I did to improve my accuracy.

In regular sewing (like a sleeve) you can gather the larger fabric and ease it in with the shorter piece. In quilting, I do what the others suggest and try to "stretch" the smaller fabric to match the larger.

I learned something new today. Thanks.