Your thoughts on tearing yardage?
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 1:51PM I’d love some input on tearing yardage off the bolt. I tear all my wide backings, because they’re just about guaranteed to be wound poorly on the bolt. Recently, I’ve started tearing my regular fabric instead of cutting it as well, but wondered if there might be any negatives to doing so that I’m not thinking of?
I can’t imagine tearing for small strips, since the edges get a bit ruffly when torn, but when I need a half yard or more off the bolt, I think I like tearing it off best.
I think I’ve about got the IQ tweaked, I’m running a final drift test to verify. One thing that has me a bit concerned is that I had to add a piece of batting for my thread to feed through between it and the thread sensor wheel added by the IQ. Doing so increased my upper thread tension quite a bit before it feeds through the actual tension control, but without the batting my thread sensor wheel wouldn’t turn. Using 40wt Isacord, I’ve got the tension dialed down almost as low as it will go, and my bobbin tension cranked up to 2200 on the TOWA gauge, for a balanced stitch.
What happens if I want to use a thicker, sticky cotton thread like King Tut? There’s no more tension to play out… guess I’m going to have to play with this and see what I can figure out. Or maybe I’ll just not use King Tut anymore. :)
Reader Comments (13)
When tearing fabric sometimes the threads pull and it distorts the print. Also as you stated it ruffles the edge. I rip solids but not prints. Plus if the print is printed off grain it might show on some prints worse when ripped.
I never rip - I had several bad pieces that were done in a shop (that is no longer there - local store - you might know which one I mean) The owner said the employees could only rip. I brought several different pieces that I needed - say a 1/2 yard for instance - (I needed strips) by time I got done evening it up so I could cut my strips I didn't have enough. When I went back to get more and asked it to be cut - she refused!!! said she could only rip. I guess that kind of got me to where of course I stopped going to her shop and I never ripped.
Karen
I feel that the manufacturing processed has changed over the years, where years ago it was so much better to rip than cut with scissors; rotary cutters were not on the market. Therefore, all ripping now is not equal to before. Recently, I have come home with fabric ripped at the quilt shop and was not very happy with the outcome....so off I went back to the store with my crooked fabric to exchange it. I paid for a full yard and that's what I expected to bring home with me. It does not matter as much to me for backings or muslin as I square it up anyway but not for prints or solids I'm using in the main part of my project.
Try going around your thread sensor twice. I need to do that when I use
Bottom Line. Also a thread net on the cone might help.
Great purchase...you'll wonder how you lived without it!
Barbara
I purchased fabric at Eleanor Burn's store Quilt in a Day and they tore the fabric. I was really surprised. I worked at a large fabric store in the '70s and we tore all cottons. Some clerks take care when cutting and others not so much. If I buy a half yard, I want a true half yard without crooked cuts.
I have also had fabric torn by a ship and not had enough by the time I squared it up. I prefer careful cutting.
Haha -- you know I meant "shop"!
Harriet Hargrave made us tear and then pull on grain, then iron to set. We did that in her machine piecing class. She only tears at her quilt shop. I now tear yardage but cut fq's.
Sarah's quilt shop in Lawrence Kansas makes a small cut on the selvage and pulls a thread from the cut that creates a straight cutting line on the fabric. I was so impressed with the care they took to cut the fabric. They taught us to do this in my home economics class in high school. I think that tearing does the same thing. It makes the weave on the torn edges seem a little distorted to me but I know several shops that do tear.
I actually having a hard time ripping a fabric good to see that I saw this post.
I have also had fabric torn by a ship and not had enough by the time I squared it up.
http://www.cheapcolumbiajacketsale.com
Definitely tear when the fabric is a natural fiber. By tearing it, you can pull it back on grain if it is put on the bolt incorrectly. In the past, I am a smocker (no, not smoker!). When running fabric through the pleater, it is important for the fabric to go through the pleater with the grain. If it doesn't, the pleats don't lie right and could look rippled.
B.
I tear when I'm getting a backing ready, but rotary cut for everything else. I find I lose about a 1/4" of fabric that is too damaged to use (even for a seam allowance) every time I tear.