Straightening fabric?

[Kathryn S.]

Hi, I just watched Sharon Pederson's classroom video on straightening fabrics, and that's the way I've been doing it. However, I have one of Harriet Hargraves books "quilter's academy" where she advocates tearing the fabric, and lining up the selvages, then persuading the fabric to go back on grain through pressing and spray starch by matching the torn edges. I've never heard of this one before. I did try it on a piece of fabric that came from the quilt shop off quite off grain, and it did work. Has anyone ever heard of this method, or used it? Seems like a waste of fabric to tear off strips from either end, but if it works, then it might make my piecing better. I made loads of HST's and flying geese past few days and the pattern on the fabric isn't all wonky like it usually is, and the flying geese don't ripple.

Kathy

[Pam D.]

I remember more years ago than I care to remember, when I did alot of dressmaking it was very important to have the fabrics straightened. My mum and I would stand with each of us holding 2 diagonally opposite corners and gently tugging the fabric first one way diagonally and then the other. Eventually it would come straight and the garment would hang perfectly when finished. I hope that makes sense. If not I am sure someone else can explain it more clearly.

[Margo C.]

I remember more years ago than I care to remember, when I did alot of dressmaking it was very important to have the fabrics straightened. My mum and I would stand with each of us holding 2 diagonally opposite corners and gently tugging the fabric first one way diagonally and then the other. Eventually it would come straight and the garment would hang perfectly when finished. I hope that makes sense. If not I am sure someone else can explain it more clearly.

Me, too, Pam! Been there, done that!! And Mother was a real stickler for matching the lines of stripes and plaids, but would never dream of using them together! :lol:
She made slip covers for interior decorators, so she walked the walk, and every cover she ever made was matched up and the lines were perfectly straight! We pulled a lot of yardage!! :roll:

[Annis C.]

Stretching from corner to corner is how I did it too for my many years of clothing and drapery making. I usually pulled a thread instead of tearing though. But for all of these tiny pieces I cut out for quilts I'm not so concerned that the grain of the fabric is perfectly straight in both directions as long as my pieces are square. I do still stretch my woven plaids though to keep them straight but just cut on the lines on my printed plaids and stripes.

[Kathryn S.]

Stretching from corner to corner is how I did it too for my many years of clothing and drapery making. I usually pulled a thread instead of tearing though. But for all of these tiny pieces I cut out for quilts I'm not so concerned that the grain of the fabric is perfectly straight in both directions as long as my pieces are square. I do still stretch my woven plaids though to keep them straight but just cut on the lines on my printed plaids and stripes.

Annis,
How do you pull a thread out? I've tried back in my garment sewing days but never could do that.

The one piece of fabric I straightened with the Harriet Hargrave method, I was surprised at how off grain it was, and how well it came back into straightness (is that a word?). The pattern is a shirting with bitsy directional motifs so it's coming out nice in the blocks. I just never know with these bits of advice from books that are so different from what I'm used to doing, if they are a good idea that no one does, or if there's a reason no one does them.

Well, it's only fabric, right? I have 600 yards of it in my stash, give or take, so a little experimenting won't take it down much

Kathy

[Annis C.]

I clip the selvage, pull on a thread until it breaks, cut on the line, then continue pulling a thread until I'm across the width of fabric. I haven't done this in a long time. Drapery fabrics were easier to do because of the heavier threads.

[Annis C.]

The first time I took my daughter to a fabric store so she could pick out prom dress material, the lady did the ripping thing and I thought my daughter would have a stroke when she heard the fabric torn. It was quite funny.

[Pam D.]

Been there, done that!! And Mother was a real stickler for matching the lines of stripes and plaids, but would never dream of using them together! :lol:

Margo, I must have gone to the same teacher as your mother. :lol: :lol: I was taught that the matching of stripesand plaids is a sign of a good quality garment.

[Pam D.]

I swear by Harriet Hargrave's method of straightening; I've used it ever since I took her Precision Piecing class. I starch it, until it can walk away on its own. Make's it so much easier to quilt it, later on. Good luck and happy straightening!

[Margo C.]

I swear by Harriet Hargrave's method of straightening; I've used it ever since I took her Precision Piecing class. I starch it, until it can walk away on its own. Make's it so much easier to quilt it, later on. Good luck and happy straightening!

Does Harriet recommend straightening the grain lines, or just starching it so much that it doesn't matter?

I'm a huge fan of starch myself, and haven't straightened fabric in 30 years UNLESS it was a stripe that I wanted to be sewn in a straight line!

[Kathryn S.]

I swear by Harriet Hargrave's method of straightening; I've used it ever since I took her Precision Piecing class. I starch it, until it can walk away on its own. Make's it so much easier to quilt it, later on. Good luck and happy straightening!

Hi Beth, I'm glad to get some info from someone who has actually taken her class. I see from your profile that you are indeed a precision piecer. I may try this on a bigger scale and see if I have better results in my accuracy. It was a little surprising to me to see how far off grain that one piece that I did straighten her way was. Thanks for posting!
Kathy

[Judy B.]

If you starch the heck out of it before cutting and sewing, then wash the quilt, what happens? It seems to
me that any large pieces (such as sashing) could go off-grain again. :? I don't suppose it would matter on
small pieces, but I'd think larger pieces of fabric should be straight to begin with.

[Hannelore N.]

Please, don't shoot me, but I'm not a great fan of starching (there are exceptions though, like knowing from the start that a piece will be exhibited). For me, one of the big attractions of working with fabrics is that they are soft and tactile (feeling and stroking....awww....). So I accept that my piecing is not as accurate as if I would stiffen the fabric until it can stand up by itself. But that's just me.

[Kathryn S.]

If you starch the heck out of it before cutting and sewing, then wash the quilt, what happens? It seems to
me that any large pieces (such as sashing) could go off-grain again. :? I don't suppose it would matter on
small pieces, but I'd think larger pieces of fabric should be straight to begin with.

Hi Judy, I think that's what the Harriet Hargrave Method addresses, that you actually line up the grain of the fabric, press it, and then starch it. So if it is sewn on grain theoretically it won't distort when washed? I've only tried this for one fabric in a small quilt, and haven't yet washed it.

Maybe doing this would solve some of my piecing problems.
Kathy

[Margo C.]

Please, don't shoot me, but I'm not a great fan of starching (there are exceptions though, like knowing from the start that a piece will be exhibited). For me, one of the big attractions of working with fabrics is that they are soft and tactile (feeling and stroking....awww....). So I accept that my piecing is not as accurate as if I would stiffen the fabric until it can stand up by itself. But that's just me.

Aren't we glad that we can all do what makes our hearts sing!!
When I'm doing hand work, I also like the tactile feeling and stroking factor, and prewash my fabrics so they are soft!! Luv it!!

For machine work, I like the precision that I get with the stiffness, but I also know that my quilts immediately go into the washer to remove all that starch as soon as the binding is done, since my quilts are meant to be used and loved to death!