valleyquiltermo

I for one always tear - rip my fabric when I want nice straight strips from the selvage sides. It just never goes wrong when torn. WOF fabric I use the method taught to line up the fabric selvages together and make sure the center bottom is draping right, if not i adjust it until it is, by sliding the selvages side to side until it is draping straight.
Then I square up the ends. And cut my strips wof.

Christine-

I bought some fat quarter packs at JoAnn last week. One I had each of them straightened I ended up with a few inches that was unusable. I wish the standard way to cut was to tear instead. It would be nice to have true fat quarters.

stampinteresa

When I worked at Hancock Fabrics less than 8 years ago; we could snip and rip if the customer preferred it. I too had forgotten about the measure and snip meter. Cool memories.

IAmCatOwned

Obviously, ripping vs. cutting is a personal preference. I appreciate when a quilt shop that rips ASKS me first if ripping is ok. I've had fabric ruined from ripping (thread across the entire length pulled as a result of ripping), so the idea that it is a harmless method is not true. On the other hand, I have had fat quarters that were clearly cut from yard goods that were never checked for grain. Honestly, on most pieces of fabric, it is easy to see the grain and I have bad eyesight!

jmabby

Once in a while I go to this shop where the owner must be in her 80s, her daughter and grandaughter help her out. Everytime she measures and sells fabric she tears it. She said the scissors are too hard on her hands. She is so generous with the amounts, but the best is when she tells stories when she was young, they made all their own clothes, towels, sheets etc.

barny

Sometimes when they used to tear it was really crooked. Because the design was stamped on crooked.

DonnaR

I don't mind ripping cotton but I don't like to rip flannel. You lose some on the edges.

jbud2

I sort of remember 'straightening' the piece of fabric, if the ripped edges didn't meet. Something about folding the fabric at right angles to the grain and then stretching it to straighten out. No one else did this?

quilticing

Getting the true grain of the fabric is necessary in garment sewing and beneficial for quilt projects. I always tear my wide backings and then square them as best I can.