"Cutting on the bias" means cutting fabric at a 45-degree angle to the straight grain. This technique allows the fabric to have more stretch and drape, making it more fluid and flexible compared to fabric cut along the straight grain.
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The diagonal direction of fabric is called the "bias." It runs at a 45-degree angle to the threads of the fabric, allowing for greater stretch and flexibility compared to the straight grain or cross grain. This characteristic makes bias-cut fabrics popular in garment construction, as they can drape more fluidly and fit the body's contours better.
The word is "bias." It can refer to a form of prejudice or a fabric that is cut diagonally across the grain to have more stretch and flexibility.
A grain of fabric refers to the direction of the threads in the fabric. Fabrics have three grains: lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvage edge), crosswise grain (perpendicular to the selvage edge), and bias grain (45-degree angle to the lengthwise or crosswise grain). Each grain behaves differently when fabric is cut or manipulated.
Cutting on the bias means cutting fabric at a 45-degree angle to the grain. This allows the fabric to stretch and drape more fluidly compared to cutting along the grain. The bias cut creates a softer, more flowing look as the fabric follows the natural curves of the body.
Cross grain binding has a little more flexibility. If your borders are cut on the straight of grain, cross grain binding is a good choice. It is probably the most common type of binding used as it is both easy to make and an economical use of fabric. Bias binding is binding that is cut at a 45 degree angle from the selvedge.
That is the bias. When you have a pattern that states "cut on bias" the pattern piece would be placed in a fastion that would be a "diagonal line against fabric grain". Pattern pieces cut in this fashion are sometimes more difficult to sew because when fabric is cut on the bias it gives the cut edge more of a stretch.
Cutting fabric on a bias means cutting it diagonally across the grain instead of straight. This allows the fabric to stretch and drape more easily, creating a fluid and drapey effect in your sewing projects. To do this, lay your fabric out on a flat surface, then fold it diagonally so the selvages meet. Cut along the fold to create bias strips or pieces for your project.
The way the fabric is woven gives it different properties in different directions. When you are cutting a pattern you want to get all the pieces on the same "grain", i.e. a piece that will be vertical on your body should not be cut diagonally on the peace of fabric (unless you cut all the pieces diagonally or on the bias). The grain of the fabric is the natural direction of the fabric. The selvage is the edge of the fabric. When you buy a piece of fabric from the roll, you get two cut edges that fray and two factory edges that look different from the rest of the fabric and don't fray. These edges are the selvage. If the grain of the fabric runs from selvage to selvage that means the natural direction of the fabric (that you should use to line up your pattern pieces) runs straight across the fabric from factory edge to factory edge.