| What are the instructions where this term is used? When I first read this, I assumed they were talking about the crosswise grain of the fabric. See the link below which has a nice picture that helps explain lengthwise and crosswise grain. "Cut the fabric crosswise." means "Cut the fabric on the crosswise grain, from selvedge to selvedge." Sometimes I see the instructions "cut crosswise" and it means something like "Take the piece of fabric and cut it again into smaller pieces." Sometimes this is referred to as sub-cutting. (I’ve seen this mostly in quilt pattern instructions.) In the case of a skirt, they might be asking you to lay out the pattern piece so that the grain line on the pattern piece is lined up on the crosswise grain of the fabric. I have a skirt pattern that instructs you to do this because you get better use of the fabric (less waste) when you lay the pattern pieces on the crosswise grain rather than the lengthwise grain. You are not the only person to find sewing pattern instructions confusing, especially the traditional big manufacturers: Simplicity, McCalls, Butterick. I have been sewing for decades and have always found these instructions to be abysmal. I'm convinced they write them to be as confusing as possible. Often times, the technique they are describing is not complicated, but the instructions are. CMC |
Here is a link that might be useful: Crosswise and Lengthwise grain
