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Moderated by EleanorSews
Posted on: 9/13/05 7:36 PM ET
I snip across the grain of my fabric and rrrrrip from selvedge to selvedge. I then fold the fabric selvedges together, and flop the fabric onto the cutting mat (which is splayed out on my dining room table). I smash and pat and rub the wrinkles out, completely skewing the selvedges, knocking one corner of the fabric higher than the other. Then I try and tug everything back into perfect alignment, which gets boring and annoying and I get nervous and think, “Ah, who am I trying to impress, I’m just a beginner!” and I slap the pattern pieces onto the fabric, but inside I start to get anxious.
Then I measure from pattern piece’s grain-line arrow to the selvedge edge in three places, say “Yeah, that looks about right” after fiddling the pattern piece up and down a bit – and pin away.
This feels wrong. I feel like there is something to the whole grain thing I am not getting! And I feel like I am hindered in my desire to learn more advanced edge finishes and techniques, since I am never confident that I haven’t cut off-grain.
I have read NebGuide’s ‘Preparing Fabric For Use’ which is very thorough but the illustrations are line drawings of fabric with theoretical weaves so loose that they look like waffles. Yeah, I can spot the warp and weft in a drawing, especially when it has arrows pointing with labels on them, but real live actual fabric on my cutting table just seems so daunting! I have grain anxiety. Any advice?
Then I measure from pattern piece’s grain-line arrow to the selvedge edge in three places, say “Yeah, that looks about right” after fiddling the pattern piece up and down a bit – and pin away.
This feels wrong. I feel like there is something to the whole grain thing I am not getting! And I feel like I am hindered in my desire to learn more advanced edge finishes and techniques, since I am never confident that I haven’t cut off-grain.
I have read NebGuide’s ‘Preparing Fabric For Use’ which is very thorough but the illustrations are line drawings of fabric with theoretical weaves so loose that they look like waffles. Yeah, I can spot the warp and weft in a drawing, especially when it has arrows pointing with labels on them, but real live actual fabric on my cutting table just seems so daunting! I have grain anxiety. Any advice?
Posted on: 9/13/05 8:04 PM ET
Tailypo, I have always used the grainline to selvage measurement and have had good success with it. It sounds like your anxiety revolves around straightening the grain in the fabric - am I right? If so, take heart! Several points:
1 - fabrics these days tend to be much better at staying on register, or on the grain. The manufacturers, at least the decent ones, calibrate their equipment so that the grain is pretty straight when you buy the fabric. It's not like in the "old days" when the looms were either operated by hand or by uncalibrated machines.
2 - There are going to be minor variations in the grain within a pattern piece, especially if you are working with a large piece. Three measurements to the selvage will give you a good result, at least it will pass Kenneth King's 3 foot test!
3 - Your grainlines aren't straight all the time either! Think about your midline (bisecting your right and left sides) as your grainline. You got bumps, curves, planes and points that are off grain, and that may shift over time. That's why the sewing gods created ease!
4 - Grain is your friend! Start playing with it. You say you are a beginner, I say you're better than you give yourself credit. Grab some cheap (or heck even some expensive) fabric and try playing around with grain. Drape it over yourself at different angles and see what you think of the result. Have a ball, use your imagination. Remember, YOU control the fabric, not the other way around! Just keep repeating in your head "la sewing diva, c'est moi!"
5 - Oh yeah, I almost forgot - if you want to get a good look at the grain, get a good magnifying glass. Use that to eyeball your grain. Once you know the enemy, you can figure out how to use him to your best advantage!

Ann
-- Edited on 9/13/05 9:06 PM --
1 - fabrics these days tend to be much better at staying on register, or on the grain. The manufacturers, at least the decent ones, calibrate their equipment so that the grain is pretty straight when you buy the fabric. It's not like in the "old days" when the looms were either operated by hand or by uncalibrated machines.
2 - There are going to be minor variations in the grain within a pattern piece, especially if you are working with a large piece. Three measurements to the selvage will give you a good result, at least it will pass Kenneth King's 3 foot test!
3 - Your grainlines aren't straight all the time either! Think about your midline (bisecting your right and left sides) as your grainline. You got bumps, curves, planes and points that are off grain, and that may shift over time. That's why the sewing gods created ease!
4 - Grain is your friend! Start playing with it. You say you are a beginner, I say you're better than you give yourself credit. Grab some cheap (or heck even some expensive) fabric and try playing around with grain. Drape it over yourself at different angles and see what you think of the result. Have a ball, use your imagination. Remember, YOU control the fabric, not the other way around! Just keep repeating in your head "la sewing diva, c'est moi!"
5 - Oh yeah, I almost forgot - if you want to get a good look at the grain, get a good magnifying glass. Use that to eyeball your grain. Once you know the enemy, you can figure out how to use him to your best advantage!

Ann
-- Edited on 9/13/05 9:06 PM --
Posted on: 9/13/05 9:53 PM ET
Quote:
"la sewing diva, c'est moi!"
"la sewing diva, c'est moi!"
I'm putting a sign up on my sewing room door that says this.
Posted on: 9/14/05 1:06 AM ET
In reply to redhead
Ann, I think you penned a new mantra. I wanted to make something up real quick. This printed out nicely and now hangs on my sewing room wall. Thanks! It will help ease the pain next time I sit ripping out seams.
-- Edited on 9/14/05 12:51 PM --
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-- Edited on 9/14/05 12:51 PM --
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Leah
Posted on: 9/14/05 2:37 AM ET
In reply to Leora
Fabulous!
Posted on: 9/14/05 7:47 AM ET
Tailypo...it could be that when you tear your fabric crossgrain, you are warping it a little. This may account for the torn edges not lining up.
The straight grain is really the most important. Lining up your selvages and having a smooth fold opposite the selvages will give you good results [since you measure the pattern's grainline the way you currently do it].
I like to hold my folded fabric up in front of me, adjusting with my fingers till selvages are even, and no odd pull lines by the fold. Then swoop it onto the cutting mat. If the crossgrain is off a little, it won't hurt anything most of the time.
Now if you're working with a yarn dyed woven plaid, everything really needs to line up both ways. If it doesn't, then it's time to get help yanking it back into shape...this takes 2 people and some serious diagonal pulling. I have to add on this one, though, if the fabric is *off* very much, I wouldn't waste my time sewing it, it might go back to being off the first time the garment is laundered.
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The straight grain is really the most important. Lining up your selvages and having a smooth fold opposite the selvages will give you good results [since you measure the pattern's grainline the way you currently do it].
I like to hold my folded fabric up in front of me, adjusting with my fingers till selvages are even, and no odd pull lines by the fold. Then swoop it onto the cutting mat. If the crossgrain is off a little, it won't hurt anything most of the time.
Now if you're working with a yarn dyed woven plaid, everything really needs to line up both ways. If it doesn't, then it's time to get help yanking it back into shape...this takes 2 people and some serious diagonal pulling. I have to add on this one, though, if the fabric is *off* very much, I wouldn't waste my time sewing it, it might go back to being off the first time the garment is laundered.
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Ardis
the lefthanded daughter of a lefthanded mother
the lefthanded daughter of a lefthanded mother
Posted on: 9/14/05 8:30 AM ET
I agree w/SVT on this, too... you can drive yourself crazy trying to make 'unsquare' fabric 'square'. Another idea for matching plaids...cut it out single layer. But (big caveat) make sure you cut each piece once with the pattern piece facing up and the other time with the pattern piece facing down, or you'll end up with, say, two left fronts...
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Lisa -- so much fabric, so little time!
http://sewrandom.blogspot.com/
http://sewrandom.blogspot.com/
Posted on: 9/14/05 8:59 AM ET
In reply to Leora
Leora,
How would you feel about allowing some of us to print your mantra? I'd love to hang it on my sewing room wall too.
LRS
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How would you feel about allowing some of us to print your mantra? I'd love to hang it on my sewing room wall too.
LRS
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Louise
Posted on: 9/14/05 9:03 AM ET
In reply to Leora
Leora,
How would you feel about allowing some of us to print your mantra? I'd love to hang it on my sewing room wall too.
LRS
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How would you feel about allowing some of us to print your mantra? I'd love to hang it on my sewing room wall too.
LRS
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Louise
Posted on: 9/14/05 9:08 AM ET
In reply to LRS
Please feel free. Right click the image and select "Print picture..." from the menu. I hope it prints fine. It fits a regular size 8.5x11 sheet of paper. I think I'll re-print it on card stock weight paper this afternoon. Enjoy!
edited to say it prints better out of Photoshop than the browser. Go figure. If you have a graphics program right click the image and select "Save Picture As...", choose a location on your harddrive, and then open it in your graphics program. It will print without as much dithering this way.
-- Edited on 9/14/05 10:13 AM --
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edited to say it prints better out of Photoshop than the browser. Go figure. If you have a graphics program right click the image and select "Save Picture As...", choose a location on your harddrive, and then open it in your graphics program. It will print without as much dithering this way.
-- Edited on 9/14/05 10:13 AM --
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Leah
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