Should Quilt Borders Be Cut Crosswise Or Lengthwise?

Which grain is most often used in garments?

straight grainThe straight grain is the grain used most often in garments..

Do you cut fabric with the grain?

Fabric squares and rectangles are nearly always cut with their edges along the straight grains to minimize stretch during sewing and handling. Since they do not stretch easily, long strips of fabric cut on the lengthwise grain make good quilt borders and sashing.

How wide should quilt borders be?

Borders should be in proportion to the size of the finished quilt. As a general rule of thumb, a small wall hanging should have a border of less than 6″ while a king-size quilt can handle a 12″ to 14″ border. Borders that are too wide diminish the quilt center design.

How do you cut long lengths of fabric straight?

To cut it straight is very easy. You can take a ruler with a 90-degree angle (if you have one). Lay the ruler on the fabric so that one its side lines up with the selvage edge and the other side crosses the fabric at a 90-degree angle. Hold the ruler firmly and draw a line with a marker.

Do grain lines run parallel to selvage?

The line of fabric that moves at a right angle to the crosswise grain is the lengthwise grainline. This thread runs the entire length of the fabric and is parallel to the selvage. … Unless otherwise noted, grain or grainline generally refers to the lengthwise grain.

Does it matter which way you cut fabric?

When your fabric is folded in half lengthwise, selvage to selvage and cut edges matching, there should be no diagonal wrinkles across your fabric. … If the only way your fabric lays flat and is wrinkle free is when the cut edges are uneven, then your fabric may be off grain.

Which way should fabric be cut?

Cut out your paper pattern pieces accurately before pinning them to your fabric. Ensure you have the grain running in the right direction according to your pattern pieces. The straight grain of a fabric runs parallel to the selvage. The further you move ‘off grain’ the more the fabric can stretch and distort.

What is the difference between lengthwise and crosswise grain?

Lengthwise grain refers to the threads in a fabric which run the length of the fabric, parallel to the selvage of the fabric. Crosswise grain is the threads that run perpendicular to the selvage of the fabric or the cut edge of the fabric as it comes off the bolt.

Why are my quilt borders wavy?

You may be stretching the quilt itself or your binding fabric. Pulling on either of these can result in one being slightly longer than the other and causing the quilt edges to wave.

Why does my quilt top pucker?


Why is a crosswise fold sometimes used instead of a lengthwise fold?

Crosswise fold. For a crosswise fold, fabric is usually folded so the cut ends match. However, a crosswise fold can also be a partial fold. A crosswise fold is often used when pattern pieces are too wide to fit on fabric folded lengthwise.

How can you tell if a fabric is biased?

So if you have a piece of fabric laying down flat, and your selvage is along the bottom…….. Then you can fold edge of the fabric on the left, down to the selvage edge, creating a diagonal fold. If you cut right along that diagonal fold, you are cutting on the bias……or a 45 degree angle to the selvage.