Cutting fabric in a straight line?

Question

It is a woven fabric. I try tearing it after cutting it but it always comes out on a slant Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Use a straight edge like an aluminum yardstick and a sharp exacto knife, box cutter or utility knife. You will need someone help hold the yardstick while you cut.

Answer 2

Some fabrics will tear straight on the cross grain, and some just won't.  A plain woven cotton will - even if the cross grain is a little off-kilter.  Then the fabric may be straightened.  It's worth a try, but it doesn't always work.  And with some prints, it isn't worth it because the print is then distorted...  Some fabric weaves just don't lend themselves to tearing straight no matter what.

And for some printed patterns, you need to go with the pattern rather than the strict grain weave.  So long as the lengthwise grain (down the warp threads, or length of the fabric) are reasonably OK, the fabric should hang straight.  Curtain fabrics are particularly prone to needing to be cut with the print straight rather than strictly straight on the crosswise grain.

For fabrics that refuse to be torn straight on the crosswise grain, I use one of two methods: either I level up the pattern and cut following a drawn line or use the rotary cutter, a quilting ruler, and cutting mat, or I straighten up using the selvage edges, and cut straight across (with either drawn line or rotary cutter, ruler, and mat).

Answer 3

There's two different aspects to cutting a straight line on grain.

One is whether or not your fabric is on grain.  What this means is whether the threads have shifted or moved since the weaving process.  When this happens the fabric can be cut (or ripped) on the grain/weave, but the fabric will always look like a parallelogram (or if it is really bad - a trapezoid).  When a fabric is off grain,  your fabric will not lie flat when folded flush against the cut line, even if you cut it perfectly straight.

You can  help get the fabric back on grain.  You will need another person to hold the other end of the fabric and you both pull the fabric back into alignment.  This is really just a so-so fix for when you are pretty much stuck wit the bad fabric.

Note:  Even though some folks are okay with ripping the fabric, quite a few feel that ripping will incourage the grain to become warped. It's a good skill to practice pulling a single thread along the edge and using that as your cutting line.

The best thing is to buy the nicest fabric you can afford from a reputable fabric dealer.  Every fabric design is runon different grades of cloth.

Even though Walmart and the quilt store will often have the same fabric "design," there will be a significant difference in the thread count and overall quality of the fabric.  

That is why the nicer fabric stores charge more than walmart - the product is a more expensive product.  Often the cheaper fabric will have extra sizing (starch) to help make the fabric seem nicer than it is.  Better quality fabrics will have some sizing, but it won't feel as stiff.

You can ignore it and just cut a line using a cutter and a ruler.  The danger to this - your pattern pieces will be off grain and hang wrong if you line them up with the grain markings parrallel to the selvages and fold lines.

You can also just accept that your fabric is not going to be cut straight and try to line each pattern piece up with the grain line that is there.  If you do this, you will get better results if you cut each piece individually, rather than cutting two at a time.  This makes sure each piece is as on grain as is possible.

If the project is something that needs to be square (like curtains) you will do better to save this piece of fabric for a craft project (a lot of craft projects aren't as necessary to have on grain). Go out and buy a piece of fabric for the project that is on grain.  

It is okay to unfold a few folds at the store and look at the fabric closely to see if it seems on grain or not.  Try following a thread near the cut edge with your eye and then line each end up together and see if you get a flat fold or something wavy/wonky.

I hope all this info helps you out  

Answer 4

Do you have a rotary cutter?  By tearing your fabric you are pulling on the warp of the fabric and stretching it off grain.  Since it is a woven fabric you should lay a straight yard stick down on the fabric and draw a line across then cut with a pair of sharp scissors or use a rotary cutter with a yardstick or straight edge tool.  

Hope this helps you.