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Straight of grain

Straight of grain

Old 03-20-2011, 06:49 AM
  #21  
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This is one time that "close enough is good enough". Square your ruler on the center fold of full width fabric. You can probably look down the length of the ruler and see that you are pretty close to lined up with the fabric threads. If so, you are on straight of grain. Same thing applies working with the length of the fabric, except there is no center fold.

Straight of grain will be easier to cut, sew, and iron as it won't stretch totally out of shape like bias can.

Sometimes you will want to use stripes, plaids, or checks. Then don't worry about straight of grain, just line up your ruler with the print.

Most of us are saying the same thing, but different people understand differently. I hope one of these makes sense to you.
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Old 03-20-2011, 10:48 AM
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Fabric has 3 grains: straight, cross and bias. Straight grain is parallel to the selvage edges and has very little or no stretch. Cross grain runs from selvage to selvage and has some stretch. Bias is 45 degrees to either selvage and has lots of stretch. If you sew squares together and match straight grain to straigt grain as well as cross grain to cross grain it's much easier to keep the seam lines straight and avoid puckers in the seams. If you sew bias to straight grain you can almost guarantee that the bias will be too long and the pieces won't fit when you sew them together.
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Old 03-20-2011, 11:06 AM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Vat
Sharoney, I hope you didn't give that advise to any of your students.
Originally Posted by sharoney
I was taught in Home Ec- way more years ago than I care to admit- to always cut on the straight of the grain. We used the "pulled thread" method to make ours straight. I don't do that now, nor do I tear, ( I don't like tearing fabric) but I can straighten it up, line it up, and eyeball it pretty well.
And what advice is that? pulled thread or eyeball? I don't have students, BTW, I was talking about when I was a student. Lol
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Old 03-20-2011, 01:44 PM
  #24  
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Thank you all! I appreciate hearing from both camps and learning the reasoning behind this. I used sog when I learned to sew clothing from my sister and knew about following the arrow on the pattern but just hadn't thought out how it might impact seam sewing for quilts or quilt drape, etc.

I knew I would get a wealth of advice and you all have not disappointed!
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Old 03-20-2011, 03:33 PM
  #25  
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If you cut everything squarely and don't stretch the bias pieces, your quilt goes together in half the time.Points and seams meet accurately, no seam ripping, no re - sewing and quilts hang or sit squarely and do not look 'wonky'. The quilting is easier as well as there is no bunching up. Ask any long arm quilter if they prefer to quilt a well pieced quilt or one thrown together and the answer is obvious.Even when you are making crazy quilts you still square the blocks up. Paper piecing is the easiest way to keep bias and straight grain pieces working together and one instance where grain isn't so important.
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Old 03-20-2011, 04:03 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by laalaaquilter
Why should I care if the fabric is straight of grain? I've been reading the 'torn vs cut' thread for the pros and cons of that and it all seems to come back to getting the fabric straight on the grain but no one has explained why it needs to be straight when I'm going to cut it a million ways and sew it five ways from Sunday.
Here! Here! I totally agree with you lol....
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Old 03-20-2011, 04:28 PM
  #27  
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I just fabric in half square up the end and start cutting. Works for me.
Good luck figuring which person is right.
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Old 03-20-2011, 06:01 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Jingle
I just fabric in half square up the end and start cutting. Works for me.
Good luck figuring which person is right.
I don't think 'right' is the best word in this instance lol

I saw the link with the video of how to get it straight and it works well, I just was wondering why to take the trouble.

Now I know ;-)
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Old 03-20-2011, 07:06 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by laalaaquilter
Why should I care if the fabric is straight of grain? I've been reading the 'torn vs cut' thread for the pros and cons of that and it all seems to come back to getting the fabric straight on the grain but no one has explained why it needs to be straight when I'm going to cut it a million ways and sew it five ways from Sunday.
Go to Sharon Pederson on the Quilt Show daily Blog. Sharon has a video about the straight of the grain.
I was taught in 4-H and Home Ecs. and by my mother about the straight of the grain. if it isn't on the straight of the grain it's on the bias and often times stretches too much. I would recommend viewing this video for all concerned about the straight of the grain.
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Old 03-20-2011, 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by ThreadHead
Torn is usually straighter.
Take a yard of material and fold it- don't worry about the ends yet--- make sure there are no wrinkles or it is not skewed in the Middle -- the ends will probably not be even and this is where I even them up.
Syl
Ditto this is exactly what I do before I start cutting. Most fab. you purchase even in LQS or other fabric shops the ends may look even but when you make sure the fold is even and all wrinkles out of the fab. selvg. even, you will have uneven ends almost always. I always even my up before I start cutting, or I end up with problems somewhere while cutting.
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