Is this common ?

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12-29-2010, 06:33 PM

#141

grammysharon

Super Member

Join Date: Dec 2010

Location: Monmouth, Oregon

Posts: 5,884

All the quilt stores I go to cut the fabric. I wouldn't like them tearing the fabric either!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by makakehau

Hi all.
I am very new to quilting and have a small issue that has been nagging at me.
One of the fabric stores I go to tears fabric off the bolt instead of cutting it. This bothers me. I don't like the ragged, stringy edges it leaves, it kind of takes away from the beauty of the material and I feel like it makes a bit of the fabric unusable. Not having a lot of experience, I wanted to ask you folks if this is common practice? Am I being too picky? Would it be terribly demanding of me to ask them to please cut my fabric?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Have a great day!
Lori

12-29-2010, 06:36 PM

#142

vickie1976

Junior Member

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: Anacortes,Washington

Posts: 135

That was the only way cotton fabric used to be done. Today it means that the cotton fabric is of a good quality. Cheaper cottons can't be torn. It means you have the straight of grain.

12-29-2010, 07:01 PM

#143

mash43quilter

Junior Member

Join Date: Dec 2010

Location: Fredericksburg, Texas

Posts: 102

OMG!!!! I live in Texas also and the store I go to does the same thing. I do not like it as I am a neat freak. Also, I measured and on one of the fabrics I lost nearly a quarter of an inch.
Went to the same store a few days later and a new lady cut it. I ask her why the others tore it and she said they thought it was faster.
I like it cut.

12-29-2010, 07:17 PM

#144

rob529

Senior Member

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: Brownwood TX

Posts: 747

I agree with you. I don't like the messy edge it leaves. With what fabric costs if for no other reason you have the right to request it be cut if that is what you want. When it is torn it seems to keep on raveling sometimes and you loose some fabric. I don't think I have seen anyone tear fabric since I was a little girl which is over 50 yes ago.

12-29-2010, 07:26 PM

#145

JulieR

Super Member

Join Date: May 2010

Location: Emmitsburg, MD

Posts: 1,599

You know, I LOVE that this group is SO passionate about quilting that there's a major debate on whether cotton should be torn or cut! What a great place to be! :)

12-29-2010, 07:34 PM

#146

cjmat

Junior Member

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: British Columbia, Canada

Posts: 211

I've had some shops rip the fabric because it's right along the cross-grain. Personally, I don't like it either because I think it stretches the edge, but I do believe it is actually more accurate.

12-29-2010, 07:35 PM

#147

Kas

Super Member

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: Renton, WA

Posts: 2,045

Quote:

Originally Posted by bj

Some shops tear, most cut. With tearing you do get a truer straight grain across the end. Most of the time, when I get home with "cut" fabric, I lose some on the end from having to square it up. So I'm not sure, in the long run, if it matters whether you lose it from "squaring" or from "neatening" the end.

I agree. For my OBW quilts, I tear the repeats so the ends are exactly the same.

12-29-2010, 08:02 PM

#148

Dani

Senior Member

Join Date: Jul 2009

Location: beautiful Olympic Peninsula

Posts: 626

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuckninepatch

I definitely prefer to have mine cut. The tearing will distort the fabric. I don't go by how it has been cut when I begin to do my rotary cutting for a project, anyway. I always fold my fabric in half, putting selvedges together and letting the fabric hang down. I shift the selvedges back and forth slightly until the hanging fold is completely flat (no ripples at all). Then I lay the fabric down, with the fold at the bottom, and using the fold line as my guide for the bottom edge of my plexiglass rule, I cut a new edge, from the fold up to the selvedges. This is how I was shown when I first started quilting. Hope it makes sense.

I took a class at Eleanor Burns fabric store in California. I bought some fabrics from her and they tore all their fabrics...that was a long time ago but assume they still tear.

Although canuckninepatch prefers hers cut, her method of straightening the grain is right and should be done whether you cut or tear. if it's torn, you straighten without cutting (except to trim to clean the edge) and if it's torn you straighten and then you have to trim to straighten, and you lose inches.

I think a lot of people don't straighten their fabrics and in that case you would probably prefer cutting.

12-29-2010, 08:12 PM

#149

Diecy

Junior Member

Join Date: Dec 2010

Location: Bentonia, MS

Posts: 106

By all means if you want to have your fabric cut ask the clerk to cut it. You're paying for the fabric, so pretend you're at Burger King and "Have it your way"! :P :P :P

12-29-2010, 08:17 PM

#150

Momsmurf

Super Member

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Portland, OR via Hawaii

Posts: 1,342

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulieR

Our LQS rips, too, on the idea that it's more accurate than cutting. I prefer it to be ripped, honestly, because I think they're right.

I also agree with JulieR. Since I wash and iron all the fabric anyway the torn ends don't bother me. My friend owned a quilt shop and always tore her fabric...the yardage was then on grain. Although it might look odd and sort of "caddydwompers" you will get the full yardage.
Once washed, it straightens.

The large fabric store I consider my second home cuts most of their yardage with the exception of backing and certain bridal fabric. If you check the bolts you will see where the manufacturer recommends one tearing on certain fabric.

Once again, there are no "right" way, only a "preferred" way.

:thumbup: