Fabric Grain 101

This video from Rebekah Fox will show you everything you need to know about cutting fabric on the grain, fabric bias, and how to find a fabric's straight of grain 3 different ways. You'll even learn a bit about weaving vocabulary and fabric differences.

Video:

Instructions:

• Method #1: Snip and Rip. Cut a snip into the edge of the fabric a few inches away from the adjacent edge. While grasping both sides firmly, tear from one side to the other. Iron. The new edge you just created is your new straight of grain.
   
• Method #2: Single Thread. Cut a snip into the edge of the fabric a few inches away from the adjacent edge. Start picking at the cut until you take hold of one single thread. Grasp this thread firmly and start pulling it away from the fabric. You are essentially making a "run" in your fabric. Have this run extend to the other side. Cut along this run. This new edge is your new straight of grain.
   
• Method #3: Follow the Print. Some fabrics have obvious straight-of-grains. They could be stripes, plaids, in-line polka dots, boucle, or any fabric with large weaves. Use this to your advantage. Cut along one of the stripes or obvious lines and refer to this new edge as your straight of grain.