hawaiilove

If I am shopping and I hear ripping fabric - I politely ask the staff to cut my fabric - I don't like losing extra inches due to ripping.

Donnasue

My best friend that taught me to quilt still does it. She has been quilting for over 29 years

Donnasue

My best friend that taught me to quilt still does it. She has been quilting for over 29 years

Airwick156

Just a couple of days ago I ripped some fabric. I had some blue fabric that there is 8 different designs and they had a little black line and I clipped a small spot and tore. Man I was hoping that it would tear right and it did and now I have 8 strips that are 5 1/2 inches wide. And I also had the same fabric that was in Mauves that I did the same thing to. I actually liked how it ripped.
Not sure whats up with my camera on my cell phone. The pictures don't seem to be as clear as they were and I have only had my phone 2 months.

jljack

Yes. I remember going to the department stores when I was a kid, and those ladies had that measuring device mounted onto the table, and they would push a button to zero it, then put the edge of the fabric into the slot and pull it through to the desired measurement. Then they would hit that lever and it would clip the edge. Then they would take it out of the measuring device, grab both sides of the clip, and riiipppp. I used to LOVE that sound!! And I was always fascinated by the whole process.

I kind of miss all that. Watching someone hold fabric along a yard stick nailed to a table and then cutting with scissors doesn't have nearly the same dramatic effect!!

FayZ

wow! I was thinking about how my mom would snip and rip to get a straight line just this morning. I've done it but allowed for the fringe it developes. I still have a few of her 2 inch strips. Fayz

Vat

Of course, some quilt shops still rip fabric. I personally don't want mine ripped because it ruins at least an inch of the end. I prefer mine cut with a rotary cutter.

KS quilter

When I was a kid, our JC Penny's run the edge of your fabric through a little black thing that was attached to the counter,
it measured the fabric as the clerk pulled it through. Then when
she had reached the desired amount she pushed a little lever]
and that clipped the selvedge of the fabric and then she tore it.
About 35 to 40 years ago I tried to clip the selvedge of a
large piece of muslin and then I tore it. From one selvedge
to the other side was a difference of three inches. I tried to
pull it a bit, but it was what it was. I have never...and will never
try that again. Problem is ,most fabric appears to not be woven
straight.

DeedeeSwift

OMGosh that reminds me of our bouffant lady in the fabric section of JC Pennys in my hometown - gosh I wish I could remember her name! wow that's right they had a meter thing that she slid the fabric in and ran it through and hands on a dial wound around like a clock to measure the yardage, then make the cut. They had this sort of ritual where my mom would always say ooh that's too much extra you don't have to do that and she'd say oh no deary I never rely on this thing to measure it right. haha everytime! I'll have to ask my mom about that because I think we also had a fabric store too. She had dresses and fabric.. her name was Mrs. Cleghorn but I can't remember for sure oooff! I feel old now.

I still rip strips for rugmaking.. they seem to fray less, especially since i use really cheap fabric for rugs, it'll fray like crazy if you cut it versus tearing.

Janquiltz

My LQS does the snip and rip. Only time they will cut (rotary) some of the fabric is when they are making quilt kits or BOM block kits.