The Fabric Grain
Which Way Do I Cut ?
Fabric Grain
It is important that you cut your material using the fabric grain of the material so that it will help give you more accurate measurements . It will help your quilt look better and the appearance less distorted This topic itself (the grain) can be a bit confusing at first,
at least it was to me.
So I will try to put this as simply as I can.
Definitions:
The Selvage
The Selvage is the side edge off the bolt. Sometimes they are stamped and should not be included in a pattern as the texture is made differently.
Lengthwise Grain
The manufacturer weaves these “warp” threads “lengthwise” across thelength of your fabric off the bolt , tightly to reduce stretch, hence it is called the lengthwise grain.
Crosswise Grain
Then these threads weave “crosswise” the other way less tighter,which gives the fabric more stretch. These are called “weft” threads and are termed thecrosswise grain of the fabric.
Straight Grain
The straight grain is considered both the lengthwise and crosswise
grain of the material.
The Bias
The True Bias is cutting a fabric diagonally across the grain
line at a 45 degree angle. In quilting, thebias cut is referred to as any cut not along the straight grain.
Cutting on the bias can lead to inaccurate measurements because the threads are not as tight and stabilized along these edges.
When possible, you shouldn’t cut on this bias
unless your pattern requires it.
There is a chance that it might not return to the original shape.
Cutting on a bias is desirable for certain patterns, such as triangles,where it usually has one bias edge. If you do have a bias edge, it is best to sew to the straight grain to help stabilize the stitch. Most squares and rectangle shapes that have a 90 degree corner aren’t usually affected by this.
Understanding and experimenting with the fabric grain and your material will make your fabric work better for you when using the squares and scrap pieces that many quilters use to make quilts.
You will then know how to better place your strips in your quilt!
Testing YourMaterial
It is best to test your material first before cutting into pieces.
Take a square of fabric securely in your hands and pull straight across. If there is not much stretch- you are pulling on the lengthwise grain. If there is a “good” amount of pull, but returns to its original shape,you are looking at the crosswise grain .
It is good to know your material before starting to cut your pieces because then you will have a feel for the material and understand the directions of the pattern you are using better.
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