Find crosswise and lengthwise fabric grain

Quilters cotton is a woven fabric.  Like all woven fabrics, it is made on a loom. How the threads are woven on the loom determines the crosswise grain and lengthwise grain. 

​Often, instructions simply state to cut "on the straight of grain." Both crosswise and lengthwise are considered 'straight of grain'.

Lengthwise grain
The fabric threads run parallel to the selvage edges. This direction is very firm and has no give, or stretch.
​This is the length of fabric purchased off the bolt.

Crosswise grain
The fabric threads run the width of the fabric, perpendicular to the selvage. This direction has some stretch.
​Fabric comes off the bolt folded selvage to selvage.

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​How to find the grain in fabric purchased off a bolt
Fabric with the selvages in place make finding the grain straightforward. As the drawing shows, the crosswise grain runs from selvage to selvage — the width of fabric (WOF). Another term often used is  'usable width of fabric', that means the width of your fabric minus its selvedges. Lengthwise grain runs along the same direction as the selvages — the length of fabric. 

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How to find the grain in a pre-cut or scrap
​Pre-cuts and scraps don't have selvage edges to help you identify the fabric grain. Pulling on the fabric straight of grain will tell you what you need to know!

Here's how to test — 
Grab the fabric, one side in each hand, and pull your hands apart.
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What do you feel?

• Give? Crosswise grain
• Firm with no stretch? Lengthwise grain​
• Very stretchy? You must be pulling on the diagonal, called Bias

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Need an easy way to remember?

Crosswise  —  ss =  selvage to selvage
Lengthwise  —  ns =  no stretch

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Fabric grain matters...
QuiltSandwich gives you control of fabric grain

Every project is unique, and quilters use fabric grain to their advantage.

Rectangle shaped pieces: Fabric grain can make a difference.
For both 'Rectangle or Square' and 'Half Rectangle Triangle', QuiltSandwich gives you the choice of 'Find Best' where it chooses how to layout pieces to use the least fabric or 'Force Layout'. Putting the piece Length on the lengthwise grain will make it easier to assemble strip sets that lay flat. If you are using a die cutting, setting 'Force Layout' allows you to cut strips that will feed into the die cutter as recommended. 

Border and Bindings: Sometimes you want to choose the grain.
QuiltSandwich creates cutting diagrams for Horizontal, Vertical, Mitered Borders and Straight Binding. QuiltSandwich lets you set Binding and Borders to either Crosswise or Lengthwise grain — because sometimes you need options!

Straight, double-fold binding in CROSSWISE cut direction. (Note the fold is across from the selvage ends.)

Straight, double-fold binding in LENGTHWISE cut direction. (Note the fold is across from the cut ends.)

Backing and Batting pieces are so big they'll run the length of fabric, so fabric grain is not an issue.
QuiltSandwich doesn't bother you with grain setting for these pieces, however, if your quilt is larger than a single piece of fabric, the backing and batting will need to be pieced. QuiltSandwich lets you choose horizontal or vertical — or you can let QuiltSandwich run it both ways and suggest the direction that will use the least yardage.