It is very important to follow the grain line so that the garment will hang properly.  The entire style of the garment can be ruined if the grain line is ignored.

To determine if the fabric is on grain is essential to the fabric preparation and layout of your project.   GRAIN is the direction in which the fabric threads run. Fabric is on grain when the lengthwise threads and crosswise threads intersect one another at perfect right angles.  If the intersections of threads do not form a perfect right angle, the fabric is off-grain  If fabric is cut off-grain, the garment will not hang or fit correctly. 

Begin by selecting good fabric. This will increase your chances that the fabric will be on grain.    Many man-made fabrics have been developed and have and has given us so many more choices.  As new fabrics continue to be developed and combined with natural fibers, we will continue to see new and diverse fabrics. The new fabrics are faster drying, crease resistant, soil and stain resistant,  easier to take care of and longer wearing.  Many modern fabrics are on grain and ready to cut right from the bolt.

WOOL

 
When buying fabric on sale, make sure to check as these fabrics may have come from a manufacturer.  If not indicated, test a piece of fabric at home before cutting to make sure it is preshrunk.  In the event your fabric is not preshrunk, the store may offer this service for a small extra charge per yard or take it to the dry cleaner and for a small fee will put it through the press and get your fabric back on grain.

Wool crepe

Wool crepe should never be sponged.  Some manufactures guarantee their fabric against shrinkage and are labeled.  Do not treat these fabrics before cutting or the guarantee will be void.  Before cutting fabric be certain it is on the grain. 

How to get the grain straight

To get the grain straight clip the salvage at the short edge and tear across the fabric.  If the fabric does not tear easily, pull a thread across the fabric and cut carefully along the pulled thread.  If the ends are uneven after laying the fabric flat on the table, this means it has been stretched off grain in finishing.

The dry cleaner can stretch the fabric back as he steams and presses it.  You can also do it yourself.  It must be damp.  If only slightly off-grain use a steam iron and stretch the fabric as you press it.  If it is significantly off-grain, then it will need to be treated by wetting a sheet and wringing it out.  Place half the sheet lengthwise on a flat surface and place half the lengthwise fold of wool on it and fold the other half of the sheet over the wool and the remainder of the wool on top of the sheet.  Roll it carefully with the sheet covering the outside of the fabric.  Let the roll stand several hours or until the moisture penetrates the fabric evenly.  Unfold smooth and stretch the fabric until the ends are even and on grain.  Dry and lightly press with a steam iron.  Now you are ready to cut that wool fabric.

LINENS

100% linen is often treated for crease resistance, but this may not affect the shrinkage. This can be corrected by steam ironing.  Make sure the grain is straight by pulling a thread across the end and cut on this line.  Linen cannot be torn.  Pulling and smoothing with your hands on a linen fabric is sufficient to straighten the grain of the fabric.  Today half of the linens are a blend of linen and rayon or linen and polyester which eliminates a lot of the creasing.

Not very long ago all cottons had to be preshrunk before cutting.  Like wool most cottons are now preshrunk so shrinkage should not be a factor with good quality fabrics.  Shrinkage is also prevented by the many finishes used on cotton and also a blend of 35% cotton and 65% polyester provides safety from shrinkage.  If you purchase inexpensive cotton or a cotton on sale then it is best to preshrink.  Before cutting check the grain line by tearing across the end.   If your cotton fabric has a print and the design of the print is not distorted by being off grain you can safely cut your fabric.

Fabrics that will not loose shape

Before cottons were treated with resin, garments that were cut off-grain lost their shape in washing or dry cleaning.  However, cotton treated with resin, as most cotton is today, will not loose its’ shape because resin does not wash off and helps maintain garment shape.

Pre-test fabric

Pre-test your cotton fabric for shrinkage by cutting off a small piece.  Measure it, wash it and let dry.  If the sample is smaller after drying then the entire piece needs to be preshrunk.

To shrink cotton

To preshrink leave the cotton folded.  Roll it up and place in warm water.  Let the cotton get thoroughly wet.  Squeeze it gently, don’t wring.  Try to remove as much water as possible.  Hang out to dry.  Smooth it with your hands as it hangs.  Stretch it if the fabric is off grain when it is almost dry.  The fabric should still be folded on the lengthwise fold and should be ironed while slightly damp.  Iron one side, then the other to smooth completely.  Your fabric is ready to cut.