19angel52

I've heard about ripping the edges - but never have been able to make myself do it! Guess I'm a compulsive rotary cutter user, lol.

mshollysd

Crashnquilts is correct about the fabric. I don't know if any of you remember buying cheap jeans in the 70-80s but they looked great at the store. But the first time you washed them one leg would warp and the seam would drift from the side of the jeans to the front and back. This is an example of the weave being off. Washing the fabric first is a big plus. I don't rip, but I take one or two threads, and just pull them enough to be able to see the change, and then cut along the threads to get the straight of grain. Then I lay my fabric smoothly out on the table smoothing out from the fold. If my grain is straight than the end that I just cut, should be really close to both selvedges. I find that if it is 1/2 inch or less off, it is no big deal. however i have found fabric that was close to a foot off, and that will make a huge deal in your larger quilt pieces. Then you need to get a friend and start at the bias and start stretching it back into place all the way down your piece of fabric. Sorry this is so long.

CompulsiveQuilter

I've always been taught to fold and hold the fabric by the selvages at arm's length. Then move it around until the the folded side lays flat, then cut off the sides. It's an "eyeball grain test." Does anybody else do this?

Steady Stiching

The three inches you lost was an indication of how wonky the peice was cut wrong off the bolt, others are right, buy enough to square up the peice. Your end product will lay flat and be beautiful. When I have a new peice of fabric I prewash, then I clip a vertical snip and rip both the selvage edges, then I rip WOF and yes often times its one to two inches deep. Sometimes I dont snip enough and have to go back, the WOF will wave when you do this...just touch it with the iron and cut WOF striips to your hearts content...they will all be straight as an arrow. Then throw it in the drawer and come back two years later and just continue on...you know its already straight.
Point is....you only need to rip WOF once. As long as you continue on that line you are set.

sc-sunshine

Does this always work? If so that will be my "new" method. ;-)

Mattee

That's what I do. It has always worked great for me.

kellen46

Tearing does give you an on grain edge, but your fabric might still look skewed, a trapezoid rather than a rectangle. Don't worry, just grab the two short edges and tug it firmly along the bias, most times this will fix the problem, you may have to do it twice however. To see if it is good fold the fabric length wise, selvage to selvage and see if it lines up OK. I don't worry about the fringe on the torn edge, give it a good press and use your rotary cutter to sliver cut off the threads. You can then rotary cut without problems. I do use tearing on backing as it is a much easier way to deal with large pieces. Since I am going to want my backing to be at least 3" bigger all round I find this works well.

annap

Is anyone else concerned that after tugging and stretching fabric to straighten, that after the first wash of the completed item the fabric will revert back to being off grain?

margecam52

Spritz with water or spray starch and let it rest a bit. You only need to tear a fabric if the selvage is off. if the selvage lines up...I don't tear the fabric. If the selvage is wonky, I line up the selvage...and then rip , starting at the shorter side of the cut end.

IBQLTN

It's always worked for me.

I decided to rip cross-grain on cotton drapery lining fabric from JoAnn's before I made the church banner. I lost MORE THAN SIX INCHES and wound up short about 3" on one side of lining. Banner was hung the day before Easter without the lining fixed but it is against the wall and only the two of us who made it know it has an unfinished edge.

It will be coming down eventually and I will finish it 'properly'.