Help with cutting fabric straight to start out.?

Question

I'm a novice sewer & I just cannot recall the tip I got on how to make the end of the fabric straight to begin with! It's driving me crazy, it was a simple fold method but I cannot remember it.

I have 3 yards of cotton fabric (not home dec fabric) & I want to get the cut edge straight to start. I have a large working table, scissors, yardstick, tape measure, chalk, pins and cardboard piece with lines printed on it to use.

I have to make an apron, drawstring bag, napkins & pillow case from the 3 yards for kindergarten class. The pattern instructions say to "rip" the fabric for all the cuts given. I've never done this myself.

So, here are my questions:

1. How to get a straight edge? Can you explain a fold method?

2. Can you rip in either direction (with/against the selvage)? Do you make a small cut first to get it started?

3. If I use the "pull one string" method to get a straight line can you only pull the string in one direction (with/against selvage)?

Thank you!

Answer 1

nope!! don't fold it!!

clip an edge and pull one of the threads, this isn't necessarily easy, or you can clip the edge and rip across. Either method will give you a very straight top line. The ripped method has a problem of distorting the fabric a bit. Pulled thread is preferred method.

do the same thing to take off the selvedges!! Pull a thread!!!

Now make sure the fabric is "straight"!! Dampen it, and with iron set to correct temp for the fabric, pull the fabric to square and press lightly.

Press Lightly means do not rub the iron up and down the fabric!! it means press in one area, lift and move the iron a little bit then press again etc.

More if you want by private email.

4-H sewing leader for many years!!

Answer 2

Do not tear your fabric.  If the fabric isn't woven with yarns 90 degrees to each other, you'll get parallelograms instead of rectangles.  In addition, the torn edges frequently become distorted, which makes hems and seams somewhat problematic.

Pulling a thread can also leave you with a giant parallelogram of fabric, and it's tedious.  So I propose you imitate the way manufacturers do things and just use the lengthwise (aka perfect) grainline to work from.

Spread your fabric out on the table as much as you can.  Anything that wants to drip off the side or end of the table should be lightly rolled or folded and placed on the table edge -- fabric over the edge will distort the flat fabric on the table.

Find yourself two more tools: something you can use to help ensure you're drawing a 90o angle (a legal pad or a magazine works fine) and something to mark the fabric with -- bar soap that's worn so far down the edge is a sharp sliver works well, and so do washable markers, like Crayola markers.  For that matter, so does a rollerball pen, though the ink may bleed later.

The edge of the fabric that's running the 3 yard way is called a "selvage".  Those selvages are going to be our "zero mark" for marking and cutting your fabric, but they're not actually going to be used in your project (they shrink up and misbehave).  Use your yardstick and marker to draw lines parallel to at least one selvage.  From those selvage markings, draw in the other rectangles you're going to cut.  Use the legal pad to make sure you've got 90 degree corners on your rectangles.  When you run out of room on your table, unfold the folded fabric and continue the process.

When you've got all your rectangles marked out, you're ready to cut.  Use "bent trimmers" or "dressmaker's shears" (the fingerholes are set off at an angle instead of straight with the blades like kiddy scissors).  When you cut, open the blades fully and keep the bottom of the lower blade flat on the table.  Cut almost a full bladelength with a single stroke, then open the blades, slide your hand forward, and cut another stroke.  By keeping the scissors' lower blade on the table, you help minimize any distortion occuring when cutting, and your cuts will be accurate and not jaggy.

Answer 3

1.  If you clip the selvage near one end of the fabric and rip the fabric across, it will rip in a straight line.  That's the most accurate way of getting a straight edge.

2.  I've never tried ripping fabric lengthwise, but it should work for woven fabric.  But, it's already straight, so I see no need to rip it.

3. For the pulled thread way, you go from selvage to selvage and pull a thread until one long thread goes from one salvage to the other.  Also for woven fabrics you could get a pin, find a thread near the cut end, and pull it until it is from one end of the salvage end to the other.

Here's a link to a video showing how to rip the fabric to straighten the edge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-HfdLIPM...

.

Answer 4

all that from 3 yards?

first off wash the fabric before cutting.

Press it - making sure the salvage edges meet.

I just use a t-square or L shape ruler to cut across my fabric. I draw a chalk line, then cut.  You could do the same with a wood yard ruler.

to rip just make a small cut and pull apart.

This is just an apron and bag, they don't need to be a perfect 90 degree cuts.  making perfect squared for napkins is next to impossible. Even if you cut it into a square (fold to a triangle for square) once you sew the hems you are going to be a little off.