What are they?
DOGS – Direction of greatest stretch for a fabric piece. Usually it corresponds to the fabric width.
Grain-line – is exactly the opposite to DOGS. This line shows the direction the fabric is least stretchy or not stretching at all. The grain-line is perpendicular to DOGS. Usually it corresponds to the fabric length and/or the direction the fabric was woven, but not necessarily.
Why do we need to know about them?
Each sewing pattern must have one of these three lines shown on each piece. It tells you how to arrange the piece(s) on the fabric and then cut, and sew the garment.
For successful result, you must always look for these lines and consult sewing instructions; also, you have to identify correctly DOGS and grain-line line on your fabric;
otherwise you may end with an undesired result – the garment does not fit, the garment shape is different than the one presented in the pattern, etc
How to identify DOGS ans grain-line on knit / jersey fabric
I think, knit fabric is the easiest one. Knit fabric is made of loops. The direction the lops flow, is the grain-line. The other one is DOGS. Here are two examples on rather big loops:
Knit fabric is the one used for T-shirts, a lot of underwear, tops. Of course, on those fabrics the loops are tiny, but don’t worry, you’ll manage to distinguish them
How to identify DOGS ans grain-line on other types of fabric
When you by fabric:
- you ask the seller the length you need. The seller measures that amount and cuts the fabric along the width;
- you by a piece that is already cut – a coupon;
Most of the fabrics have a border alongside the length. On some fabrics it is less visible. Among fabrics that may not have borders are: lace and a lot of synthetics. Anyway, not having a border is not a bad thing. You just have to remember what side is the length and what side of the fabric is the width.
Now, there are a few cases to determine DOGS an grain-line. The main step is to stretch the fabric on its length and then, on its width.
- case 1: if the fabric stretches on one direction – that direction is DOGS, and the other one is grain-line;
- case 2: if the fabric stretches on both directions – the direction that stretches most is DOGS, and the other one (perpendicular to DOGS) is grain-line;
- case 3: the fabric doesn’t stretch in any direction – the best rule here is: to take as grain-line the length of the fabric. We do not use DOGS here, since there is nothing stretchy!
But I’ve had fabrics with patterns (like stripes or other repetitive patterns) that are not aligned with grain-line as we want the garment grain-line to be. Only for this type of fabric – the one that does not stretch neither on length of the fabric, nor the width of the fabric – we can choose the grain-line as we want our pattern to lay.
DOGS and Grainline on my patterns
On my patterns one of these lines will always be present. DOGS line will always be in blue color, and grain-line in gray color. The line width will vary. Also, the line will have a label attached, with “DOGS” or “Grainline”, in case you print the pattern in black-and-white
Grainline
DOGS
