Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Why it's so important to cut your fabric on grain.

Cutting on grain is very important when drawing out your sewing project. The warp is the long threads that you want to line up your grain line (arrow in the middle of your pattern piece)on your pattern. The warp is also in the selvage, or edges of your fabric. When the fabric goods are cut out, the amount of weft is what is measured. So you have a 45" wide fabric, as the goods come on the bolt, and you get your goods cut at a length needed with that width not changing. When you have a pattern that can be cut off grain it will have the arrow going in a perpendicular way..and it never does, so measure from the edge (selvage) with your yardstick in two places and line up that grainline. If the piece needs to be cut out on bias, the arrow will look diagonal on the pattern piece. The way a fabric is made makes it hang differently depending upon how you drape it. Test your fabric goods for a true grain by draping it over a chair, a helper or a dress form or "dummy". Observe how the folds hang in different ways depending on how you drape it. It will absolutely change the way your garment will look. Look at patterned and textured fabrics in the same way to develop a perception of why you need to cut on grain and you'll never question it or forget it. Sometimes you may get your hands on a super deal on fabrics that are irregular or "off grain". It's a simple fix, but requires more labor. Simply cut off the selvages (the tightly woven bits on either side, and spray with some 50/50 V & O and steam press and block. If you have a wider fabric, say 54" or 50" wide, you can crease it down the middle and match up the weft (or "woof") pressing carefully to match it up. Handle lightly so you don't start pulling out the warp threads. The warp is much more taught most times, and the weft will have more give because that is the thread that has been woven in. I recommend trying this to teach yourself more perspective: Take a one foot square piece of fabric that you've carefully cut out on the actual warp and weft threads. Gently pull on the bias (top right corner to bottom left) and mist with vinegar and water (50/50 VO) then press. Look at how you can distort the fabric and really mold it over coffee can, tailor's ham, your hand, or any random object. See how the threads move? Just look at the seat and knees of your well-worn jeans. Do you see how it's molded and shaped? Now we've all gotten one of those screen printed T-shirts that looks "catty whompus". The T-shirt fabric, Jersey, is a knit fabric. It's just like your big knit sweater with little stacked loops, but tiny. The T was cut and /or pulled off grain so you can fix it except by restyling the shirt. Try draping some knits as well so you get an idea of how knits lay. Thanks for looking and don't forget when you're dealing with laying out fabric, don't over manipulate, use your yardstick (that's what it's for) and let it lie "as it lay".