BPS - I use pillow ticking both cut at the muzzle and precut from the same rifle and I didn't notice a difference. I normally cut at the muzzle at the range and use precut for hunting.
Maybe I'll give this a try and see if there is a real difference (when turkey season is over and the weather is nicer).
What I would also do if I were to test is, with the cut at the muzzle is to cut two ways. 1; Place the ball so that I would have to cut both sides of the patching to ensure they are equal (which is what I do anyway) and, 2; Leave one end intentionally longer.
That material that Jon is using looks a lot like bleached out denim!?