Late Winter Quilt Block Swap -----> March 1 due date

[Bama1]

Hi,
you tear them into say 4 inch strips and then cut the squares, and triangles?  

It works for square or rectangle shape pieces. Say you need 4 x 4 squares. I tear a strip 4 inches wide. when I have that strip then I tear it into 4 inch pieces. 100% cotton tears both directions. Of course you have to cut triangles or circles etc. the 100% cotton tears in a straight line. Always make a tear on the fabric where the salesperson cut it...it is never straight, and making the tear will give you a straight line. Iron again after tearing, it tends to look wavy but irons out nice and straight.

 

[Marty1876]

I've never done the tear method. I've always pulled a string to find the straight line..... Very interesting.

 

[katsdar]

Hi,
OK explain the "pull a string to find the straight line, I always go by the selvage.

 

[katsdar]

Good to know thanks

 

[Bama1]

• 
  Happy Thanksgiving Y'all !

 

[katsdar]

Happy Belated Turkey day, it was good very busy.

 

[wyoDreamer]

My mom always did the "pull a string" trick ! You simply find a single thread in the fabric near the cut edge and gently pull it out. You will need to cut the selvage off both sides in the area you are going to do this though. The fabric will bunch up as you pull on the string, but you should be able to work it loose. When you get the thread pulled out, you have a line across the fabric that is straight along the grain.

Mom would rip the fabric to get a straight edge also. But she didn't do that on expensive fabric because you need to rip off a wider strip.
My favorite trick from her was to measure fabric from fingertip to nose to get a yard, I do that one when I am sorting stash as a quick check to make sure I have enough fabric for a project.

I have a bunch of old sheets that I am going to make into a toothbrush rug, so I will be ripping the sheets into fabric strips for that. I bought a tool to fold strips into binding, so I will use that to make my strips for the rug. Never done it before, but I hope it will work.

 

[katsdar]

Hello,
I knew the finger tip to nose for yard trick, but I think I remember my mom doing the string test, but she never that I can remember ever tore her fabric, but then she made clothes and maybe that stretches the fabric. She was a beautiful seamstress, should have paid more attention lol, kids gotta love em
kat

 

[Marty1876]

My mom did a lot of sewing. I sew more than quilt, but I love quilting. I'm no old time professional, though, and I'm afraid I tend to like to create my own blocks, for better or worse. LOL But, thats part of the fun for me. After the fall blocks, I decided to stick to standard blocks for the new few swaps. I have a love hate relatiionship with my last blocks.

 

[katsdar]

Since I'm learning, what are Standard Blocks?