Ever go to a tailor and have no idea what word(s) she/he just said? Well, we are here to bring a little education into the wide world of tailoring with a little terminology talk. Check back every week for a new term.

Next up: Fabric Grain 

When you talk about the grain of fabric, you’re referring to the way that the threads of the fabric are arranged.  It is a small but important component, as how you cut the fabric  in relation to the grain can affect how the fabric drapes or stretches on a garment.

The grain is made up of two types of threads; the warp threads and the weft threads. Warp threads run lengthwise or longitudinal along the fabric, while weft threads are those that are woven perpendicular to the warp threads.

When fabric is cut “off grain” that means that it was not cut in line with the warp or weft threads; instead, it was cut at a slight angle. This makes a difference in the quality of a garment! Ever have a tank top or pair of jeans that just don’t stay straight? They keep twisting around your body? That’s the direct result of fabric being cut off grain. Manufacturers sometimes cut fabric slightly off grain so that they can make more pieces out of the same fabric and charge you less for the garment.

*picture from en.wikipedia.org