I would never buy quilting cottons that were ripped. They aren't always straight on the bolts and because they are wound while damp, it is too hard to straighten them. I did recently buy muslin from JoAnn's (108" wide) and the clerk said they are to tear all muslin. She did and it was perfectly straight with no loss. I wash my regular width cottons, press them and wiggle them so they feel straight and cut. If they are a little off grain, it doesn't matter much on a small piece.