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Member since 12/6/05
Posts: 60
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Posted on: 2/10/07 9:26 AM ET
I discovered that the denim I bought to continue with efforts in making trousers that fit is massively off grain. About 3-4 inches. It is so off grain that I wonder if denim is supposed to be off grain?? I think that the last lot I bought and used was fine... So am a bit confused really.

Anyway with help from my long armed husband I managed to line up the selvages and then it would sit nicely folded in half lengthways and I cut it out from that position, even though the ends of the fabric were, as I say, 3-4 inches out.

I thought I had nothing to lose since my principle purpose in making the trousers is improving my pattern to fit better, but what would you expect to be the result of actually using such off grain fabric? Am I going to get twisty legs or something, or should it work out OK?

jules
  
Member since 3/9/03
Posts: 2858
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Posted on: 2/10/07 10:01 AM ET
If you managed to fold it with matched selvedges and it behaved nicely without ripples, you probably cut it on grain. What the ends do really doesn't matter because fabric is often cut crooked anyway.

Off grain legs would certainly be twisty.
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Carolyn
  
Member since 9/14/02
Posts: 2707
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Posted on: 2/10/07 10:47 AM ET
I had the same problem a few years ago. Here is a thread with good information in it. I hope this link works:

distorted fabric

I'm pretty sure I followed Karla Kizer's advice:

Quote:
Years ago I used a Palmer/Pletsch pattern that instructed users to wash and dry denim three times before using it, then lay it out with the selvedges lined up, *ignoring what happened to the ends*. Denim, like your fabric, is a twill weave, and it twists. If you try to straighten it, it will twist again after it has been sewn. (Have you ever bought a pair of jeans that twisted, so the sideseam wound up at the front of your leg?) I have followed their instructions faithfully since I used that pattern. I wash and dry a twill weave, then lay it out flat with the selvedges lined up. The ends are never straight, but if I line up the grain line on the pattern pieces with the selvedge, the finished garment is fine.


And the pants came out perfect.

I do remember that I lost quite a bit of length in the yardage, due to the twisting and shrinking.

Good luck!
  
Member since 12/6/05
Posts: 60
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Posted on: 2/12/07 2:25 AM ET
In reply to Everyday Sewist
Thanks for all your help. It was encouraging to read that the jeans were not necessarily a dead loss. I suppose time will tell as to whether I should have tried to straighten the grain or whether this fabric was happy being off grain. I do wonder if I caused the off-grainess by sewing the ends together before washing. I did this to prevent fraying, but maybe it hard-wired in the off-grain?

Anyway, here's my review of the finished jeans.

Thanks again,

jules
  
Member since 3/19/06
Posts: 3847
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Posted on: 2/12/07 7:52 AM ET
In reply to julesberry
It isn't uncommon for denim, especially stretch denim to be off grain. Something about the way the type of weave and the way it shrinks blah blah blah... (I have run acroos this on some twill weave fabric too)

Anyhow, it is less off grain in shorter pieces- just the geometry of it.

I recently made a pair of pants out of strectch denim that had a vertical and horizontal design in the weave, andit was way off grain.

It was a REAL pain, but I just layed out every single piece (left front, right front, etc..) one at atime. I matched up the horizontal and vertical lines as much as the pattern would allow, and matched the vertical design to the gran line on the pattern piece. Worked great.
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Member since 8/5/02
Posts: 1187
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Posted on: 2/12/07 8:02 AM ET
This is good to know ladies as I have some stretch denim that has been sitting in the stash for months due to this same problem. I was reluctant to spend time and energy on fabric I thought was never going to work. Guess I'll give it a try anyway. My intention was to make skirts so perhaps it will work just fine.


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"Some people grow up in a house. I grew up at The Pond, where we swam, fished, caught tadpoles, went ice skating, played baseball, and hung out with friends. The Pond is home."
  
Member since 12/27/06
Posts: 31
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Posted on: 2/12/07 12:54 PM ET
This is the technique I used to straighten some off-grain muslin:

1) tear both ends of the fabric so you know you it's straight across the ends (or carefully cut along a single thread or rib)
2) fold the fabric, matching selvedges, and pin along one end
3) pin fabric along matched selvedges
4) iron fabric (with a lot of steam if your fabric allows) starting at the pinned corner, working toward the folded edge and the unpinned corner

I recently found this tip (can't remember where) and it works like a dream on muslin. I hope it helps.
  
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