OT-ish: Fleece help

What's the best way to square up (trim edges) on a piece of printed
fleece? I'm planning to do one of those no-sew kid's blankets. The gal
at the fabric store butchered the edge of the fabric. For the plaid
piece, I went on the assumption that the pattern was printed reasonably
square and just cut along the first line of the plaid that went clear
across the fabric. Not sure how to fix the second piece...

BTW, can someone tell me how fleece is made so that the edges don't have
to be sewn to stay neat? Interesting stuff.

--
Brenda

Do you have a square in your basement or garage? Or a triangle? I hate
when I have to make something square. No matter how carefully I measure
.. . . . There's always the "fold over a corner" option, but only if
you're not working with a big piece.

How do they make fleece? It's a secret patent. :-) Yes, it is
interesting stuff. I think the originator was finally forced out of
business by the lesser quality produced Asian manufacturers.
Dianne

Brenda wrote:
What's the best way to square up (trim edges) on a piece of printed
fleece? I'm planning to do one of those no-sew kid's blankets. The gal
at the fabric store butchered the edge of the fabric. For the plaid
piece, I went on the assumption that the pattern was printed reasonably
square and just cut along the first line of the plaid that went clear
across the fabric. Not sure how to fix the second piece...

BTW, can someone tell me how fleece is made so that the edges don't have
to be sewn to stay neat? Interesting stuff.

--
Brenda

I don't have anything sizable and sturdy (square or triangle). I
thought about the fold over option but the piece is too large. I've got
one edge closer to straight by taping a metal tape measure to it and
cutting along that. At least it doesn't have the over 2" variance any
more!

At this point I have the selvages (or the unprinted edges) cut off and
am satisfied with three sides of the piece. Now I'm trying to get the
roughly 60" length I need cut off from the 3 yd piece. I seriously wish
I had the budget for a gigantic self-healing cutting board and rotary
cutter because my knuckles are killing me. It would also make cutting
the fringes easier when I reach that point.

And all this just because I can no longer find a local source for the
DMC Stitch-A-Teddy critters and don't have time to mail order one before
we leave for Thanksgiving! I thought this project might be a better
choice than some others since I only have to keep my toddler away from
the scissors with this as opposed to a bunch of needles, pins, power
tools...

Dianne Lewandowski wrote:
Do you have a square in your basement or garage? Or a triangle? I hate
when I have to make something square. No matter how carefully I measure
. . . . There's always the "fold over a corner" option, but only if
you're not working with a big piece.

--
Brenda

Dianne Lewandowski wrote:

How do they make fleece? It's a secret patent. :-) Yes, it is
interesting stuff. I think the originator was finally forced out of
business by the lesser quality produced Asian manufacturers.

Nope, the originator is still in business in Lawrence, MA. Malden Mills
is no longer owned by the man who invented Polartec, but it hasn't gone
out of business, yet.

Elizabeth
--
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate
and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thanks. I'm thrilled to hear the news that is is still going. I'll
keep my fingers crossed it continues. Sorry to hear that the original
owner has lost his seat at the helm.

I had to purchase large amounts of muslin, recently, for a guild class.
Got talking with the clerk, since I commented on the price of about
$4/yard (thought that quite low). She said women won't pay more. To
which I replied that price - or close - has been around since I've been
old enough to purchase muslin. She looked at the manufacturer on the
side of the bolt. Some country neither of us had heard of. I mentioned
this is why jobs are being lost in this country . . . so that women can
buy muslin for the same price they paid 30 years ago. And maybe partly
because wages are so depressed in this country (in many areas) that they
really can't afford any more. It's just plain sad all the way around.
I try to buy "American", but it's getting almost impossible these days.
Dianne

Dr. Brat wrote:
Dianne Lewandowski wrote:

How do they make fleece? It's a secret patent. :-) Yes, it is
interesting stuff. I think the originator was finally forced out of
business by the lesser quality produced Asian manufacturers.


Nope, the originator is still in business in Lawrence, MA. Malden Mills
is no longer owned by the man who invented Polartec, but it hasn't gone
out of business, yet.

Elizabeth

On 11/17/04 4:30 PM, in article
t, "Dr. Brat"
wrote:

Dianne Lewandowski wrote:

How do they make fleece? It's a secret patent. :-) Yes, it is
interesting stuff. I think the originator was finally forced out of
business by the lesser quality produced Asian manufacturers.

Nope, the originator is still in business in Lawrence, MA. Malden Mills
is no longer owned by the man who invented Polartec, but it hasn't gone
out of business, yet.

Elizabeth


I have to hit that mill store some day!


Cheryl

Thanks, Dianne! I got the big piece cut down to approximately the same
size as the plaid fleece. I'll still have to lay them out, pin them
together, and cut them to know for certain. Since the fabric gets
pulled so much when knotting the fringe, I do have some room for error.
I also got both pillows made (one in each fabric) which is how I know
there is some room for error. I made my DD go take a nap since it was
impossible to work on the fabric when she kept coming in and putting
toys on it or dropping (painfully) hard toys under my feet. Between the
fabric cutting and knotting the fringe on the pillows, my arthritic
knuckles are really feeling it tonight!

--
Brenda

I can hear you - even though I only see the words. It must be *that*
time of year. My daughter is calling daily, sometimes more than once,
and venting. She's up to her eyeballs in wanting to do some things and
babies interferring and wondering when there is ever time for herself -
or at the least focusing on a task that needs doing.

Answer: There isn't. :-) Only time cures this problem. Hang in
there! You will be wistful in about 20 years. Hugs!!!
Dianne

Brenda wrote:
Thanks, Dianne! I got the big piece cut down to approximately the same
size as the plaid fleece. I'll still have to lay them out, pin them
together, and cut them to know for certain. Since the fabric gets
pulled so much when knotting the fringe, I do have some room for error.
I also got both pillows made (one in each fabric) which is how I know
there is some room for error. I made my DD go take a nap since it was
impossible to work on the fabric when she kept coming in and putting
toys on it or dropping (painfully) hard toys under my feet. Between the
fabric cutting and knotting the fringe on the pillows, my arthritic
knuckles are really feeling it tonight!

--
Brenda

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 11/17/04 4:30 PM, in article
t, "Dr. Brat"
wrote:


Dianne Lewandowski wrote:


How do they make fleece? It's a secret patent. :-) Yes, it is
interesting stuff. I think the originator was finally forced out of
business by the lesser quality produced Asian manufacturers.

Nope, the originator is still in business in Lawrence, MA. Malden Mills
is no longer owned by the man who invented Polartec, but it hasn't gone
out of business, yet.

Elizabeth



I have to hit that mill store some day!

They have some pretty good online specials and very good service.

Elizabeth
--
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate
and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On 11/17/04 9:03 PM, in article
t, "Dr. Brat"
wrote:

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 11/17/04 4:30 PM, in article
t, "Dr. Brat"
wrote:


Dianne Lewandowski wrote:


How do they make fleece? It's a secret patent. :-) Yes, it is
interesting stuff. I think the originator was finally forced out of
business by the lesser quality produced Asian manufacturers.

Nope, the originator is still in business in Lawrence, MA. Malden Mills
is no longer owned by the man who invented Polartec, but it hasn't gone
out of business, yet.

Elizabeth



I have to hit that mill store some day!

They have some pretty good online specials and very good service.

Elizabeth


I saw a scarf the other day - polar fleece with hockey players - the mom
couldn't remember where her mom had found the fleece.... I saw gifts!
Cheryl