How to Prepare your Fabric Before Sewing a Project

Denise Wild gives tips on how to prepare your fabric before sewing a project. First pretreat your fabric to preshrink and remove excess dyes. Next press your fabric to remove any wrinkles. Lastly make sure to put your fabric on grain. Denise gives four ways this can be done. For more information, please visit us online at Fabricana.com or call Richmond 604--273-5316 or Coquitlam 604-524-5454.

[@ashleebienert1651]

Do you have to do this on both sides of the fabric?

[@e.g.8060]

All the sewing books i have tell me that i must wash and iron my fabric before a project, fine I understand that.
What confuses me is this whole "fabric on grain" thing. None of the books i have mention this anywhere. And I don't understand: how tearing one side of the fabric makes the grain straight????

[@StudioFabricana]

Hi E.G.!
Fabric grain is the natural weave of a fabric. This can vary from fabric to fabric and what type of fabric is it.
Since fabric these days are processed through machines (woven or otherwise) the fabric can get pulled and pressed in an unnatural way. When the fabric comes out, sometimes it may -look- like we're cutting the fabric straight, but once the material is washed it straightens out and can show that the cut was actually crooked! When you tear a fabric (only some fabrics an be torn) that actually tears/cuts the fabric in a perfectly straight line. Since the tear follows the natural grain of the fabric it becomes easier to lay the fabric out, cut, and use for patterns.
Hope that helps!

[@e.g.8060]

@@StudioFabricana Thank you, I understand now!

[@BirdieGenny]

Very interesting, thanks

[@tecnica-de-voz]

Thanks for the video

[@FreeWilliams08]

What do you mean at 1:38 when you say: if your thread pulls out a little bit early?

[@StudioFabricana]

If your threads aren't pulling straight, or pulling out earlier as in breaking, seeming to "gather" and not pull away from the fabric cleanly. Does that make sense? Hope I explained well

[@missbrebre25]

Thank you for the tips.

[@fuhcue5792]

Thanks !:)

[@673logcabinlady]

cut across the Salvage. What is the salvage?

[@StudioFabricana]

the salvage is the bottom of your fabric that usually has a "frayed edge" or lacks colour/prints. It's the part of the fabric where the weave ends usually about 1"-3" inches.

[@brie190]

I love your shirt! Did you make it and if you did is there a pattern

[@StudioFabricana]

+MeDeniseWild someone is wondering if you made your shirt?

[@bryan_no_sabo]

Lol she never replied

[@SamCole]

Is this the same procedure on polyester fabric? Thanks

[@StudioFabricana]

Hi Sam Cole, as long as it's a woven polyester fabric one of these methods should work for you. If when you purchased the fabric, they tore the fabric, you can do the same on the opposite edge. If they cut it, you may want to try the second technique with the crosswise grain thread. Hope this helps!

[@lyndamelnicove8896]

The music is too distracting.

[@StudioFabricana]

Thank-you for letting us know!

[@jennieredrose5819]

so then how do you cut the fabric?

[@StudioFabricana]

Hi Jennie, we have a video with cutting tips here: th-cam.com/video/X5pPUut4g_o/w-d-xo.html

[@tamz0309]

The music makes this video unwatchable

[@零0-d6m]

I watched it.