Understanding Fabric Grain Improves Your Quiltmaking Skills

An Easy Stretch Test Illustrates Fabric Grain

You can see the difference in stretch when a square of fabric is stretched along the lengthwise grain, the crosswise grain and the bias.

© Janet Wickell

Fabric Grain Stretch Test

1. Cut a small square of cotton fabric with edges parallel to the straight grains.

2. Tug on the fabric side to side, along one straight grain, then tug from the other direction. Do you feel and see a difference? Did you notice slightly less stretch in one direction? That was the lengthwise grain.

3. Now tug on the square from corner to corner--along the bias. It probably stretched quite a bit, and if you tugged too hard it may have become permanently distorted.

Experiment with fabric grain. It won't take long until you understand the best ways to place grain in your quilts in order to achieve the results you're looking for.

Index: Understanding Fabric Grain Improves Your Quiltmaking Skills

1. Fabric Grain in Quilting Cottons
2. Advantages of Straight Grain Cuts
3. Using Bias Cuts in Your Quilts
4. An Easy Stretch Test Illustrates Fabric Grain