Before you cut fabric for a garment, it’s important to ascertain that the fabric’s grain is straight. That means the fabric’s warp (lengthwise) yarns are perpendicular to weft (crosswise) yarns. During the manufacturing and finishing processes, textiles can be pulled off-grain. If you don’t remedy this before cutting, your garment also will be off-grain, and it will twist, hang unevenly, bunch, or ripple. See how to straighten a fabric’s grain in this video, so you can prep your fabrics correctly for great sewing results.
Find out more in “Essential Techniques: Prep fabric properly” by Daryl Lancaster in Threads #184 (April/May 2016).
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I'm having a difficult time figuring out how to square up twill and denim fabrics that have a diagonal grain. Can anyone offer any insight?
I loved the council.
EXCELLENT post. Thanks!
Good advice and nice video, thank you and continue please :) !!
If you don't have someone to help pull the short ends, you can stand on one short end and pull the other as far as you can. If the fabric is still too long, stand on an edge that is about the same distance from the end as the fabric is wide so that you're working with a section that's about square. Pull, then move along to the next square section.
Why am I not able to watch this video? Have you removed it?
The article goes on to explain that I save the small piece from the end after straightening to check for color fastness before pre-shrinking. Often I run across a fabric that has a serious skew, once I had one that was off by 10"! Knowing this before pre-shrinking helps, skews this severe can be corrected when the fabric is still wet. I always straighten first and then pre-shrink.
If these instructions don't seem easy, or don't work at all, your fabric most likely cannot be straightened. I would return a cut like this for a refund.
Good, clear instructions. I always preshrink first.
This is real good information, but sometimes harder to do than stated.
TJenn
at the end of the video, you state that now is the time to preshrink the fabric before cutting. I have always done my prewashing/preshrinking before straightening the grain - does this matter?
good morning friends.. this is very nice information .. thanks for sharing this...
Very helpful video, i really like this
I love your videos. Really well edited and informative.
Really good advice right there, thank you Threads Magazine!