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Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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Posted by magothyrivergirl (My Page) on Tue, Nov 17, 09 at 18:08
| The side borders need to run lengthwise because of the one way design of my fabric. Is there any reason why I shouldn't "rip" the fabric along the selvage the required width? I know I'll have to contend with those little loose thread edges, but I would have no piecing in the borders, and I think an accurate strip. I won't be wasting fabric as this is for my Stack n Whack quilt which only used 1/2 of the width of the yardage.
I know some of you cringe at the thought of ripping fabric~I'm from the old school~ripping fabric gets the fabric on grain. I worked for years in fabric stores and all cottons got ripped. I always request my cotton fabrics to be ripped, so is it okay to rip the length for the borders? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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I think this post will have as many different opinions as 'steam' or 'no steam' and 'prewash' or 'no prewash'.
So I'm looking forward to the other interesting responses! LOL
I also rip my fabric to find the true grain. I bought 1 yard at a fabric shop and it was cut from the bolt with scissors. Got home and when I cut about 1/4 inch to true the grain I lost as much as 1 & 1/2 to 2 inches from the middle to the other end.
This was expensive fabric and I bought just what I needed for the pattern so I took it back and returned it. A quilting pro told me she always buys and extra 1/8 of fabric when it is hand cut.
Cheaper fabric doesn't rip as well, but I find that quality fabric can be ripped on the grain and then I starch and iron it and you don't have that many loose thread edges.
I watch E. Burns rip fabric all of the time.
Rosa |
RE: Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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| I also rip at times. I don't think it hurts it at all. That's how fabric was sold when I was growing up. It's the only way to get the grain straight. |
RE: Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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| That is the way I always do it if it is possible. I tear off the selvage before I rip. I like the long edge as there is less stretch and is more accurate then trying to cut that long a pc. I tear wide strips as well allowing for trimming of the frayed edge. The treads can be a bit of pain but worth the advantage of a st. grain. Jayne |
RE: Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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| I rip as well to true up fabric, and I often rip to get strips of an exact width. Agreed with the comment that the better fabrics are easier to rip. I also get peeved when fabric is cut on a diagonal and results in a lot of waste. I've had as much as six inches of waste on wide materials. Why should "I" pay for their poor cutting? If they expect the fabric to be off by poor cutting, they should throw in a few extra inches to compensate for it. What really peeves me is to find a material with a distinct pattern, like a stripe or plaid that when you true up the grain, the design is crooked. |
RE: Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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| I had a ripping lesson from my LQS owner--you just have to reposition your hands so you only rip a about six inches at a time, and take care you move your hands exactly apart in opposite directions--never pull one hand towards yourself like you do tearing out notebook paper. Otherwise, on a strip that's just a few inches wide, the crossgrain gets warped from being pulled on the bias. You don't really get looose threads, they break pretty perfectly. You get a little wavy distortion right at the edge but you can smooth it right back out by running your fingers up and down it a few times. You know you're a newbie when you can clearly recall being taught how to rip fabric. |
RE: Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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| I specifically ask that my fabric NOT be ripped. This is the reason: I worked in a textile mill as an inspector for quite a few years. Incorrectly ripped fabric causes either a warp thread or a weave thread to break. The sad part is that it will break up in the unripped fabric causing something similar to a pick that we see in nylons or sweaters. After several washings, a hole will form in that spot. I have never seen anyone in a fabric store correctly rip fabric. As stated by petalpatsy, they will pull it toward them or away from them and cause the pick in the fabric. Most people do not have long enough arms to correctly rip fabric in one swoop, but you see them do it all the time. Again, 6 inches at a time is what most people can do correctly. At the textile mill, we ran our fabric through many tests, and over and over again, the torn/ripped fabric got holes in it. I personally want my quilts to last for years without getting unexplained holes in them. Just my opinion. :) Jackie |
RE: Is It okay to 'rip' border along selvage?
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| i also rip, mostly after quilting taking off the sides for my binding. hasn't hurt anythng yet. years ago thats how they did it and those quilts are still here. i also worked in sewing factories for about 10 years in south carolina and ohio. but never in cutting aways on a machine. and thats where my bad habits for short cuts come from. i am getting better. |
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