Grainline....

[Mule]

I just preshrank a piece of seersucker, and laid it on my cutting table. I aligned the edges cut by the store, and it lined up nicely along the selvedge edges. The fabric was laying nice and smooth. Then I decided I really shouldn't rely on the edge cut by the store, so I made a snip and ripped a new edge. However, if I line that edge up, there's no way the selvedge edge will line up without creating lumps and bumps in the fabric. Obviously that won't work, so I guess I'll just line up the selvedge edges in such a way that the fabric lies down smoothly, and disregard the new edge I made. This doesn't make sense to me though....has this ever happened to anyone else?

[Sancin]

I think it may be the nature of the seersucker. I have run into this before, but many years ago. How it will turn out will depend upon the style of whatever you are making - for example if you are making something like a skirt that needs to drape in a certain way.

[sewingmom]

I'm sure you steam pressed th torn edge after tearing. That will help realign the grain if pulled out of square when tearing.

[Mule]

Yeah, I pressed the edge first. I don't know why it did that....

I just matched the selvedge edges together and let the fabric fold where it naturally wanted to. When I looked closely, it looked like the threads were parallel to the fold. So I cut everything out, and it's hanging just fine.

[bridesmom]

I've had that happen and it's totally frustrating, not sure why it goes like that but I've had a terrible time, and like you, gave up and went with the selvedge.

[DorothyL]

I never bother to line up the cut edge. The selvages and a nice flat fold is all I worry about.

Dorothy