Selveage placemats in the Keepsake catalog
 

I just went through my new Keepsake Quilting catalog and fell in love with the selvage placemats pattern. Has anyone made anything out of selvages? Do they pucker when washed? Do you sew them onto muslin and cut the pattern? I am almost tempted to buy the pattern - but it looks so easy. Or am I just getting cabin fever?

http://www.keepsakequilting.com/productdetail/7722.htm

All things selvage related (and your answer about sewing them is on the most recent post):
http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/

I am going to save my selvages this year. My goal is to make the placemats. thanks for the blog.

Since I first realized that selvages could be really useful, I have been keeping a list of blogs and websites. Here's one you may like. She does a lot with scraps and if you look at other posts you will find even more selvage items. http://brunerwoman.blogspot.com/2010...placemats.html

This brings up a question, if you'll educate me. On the selvage blog she states, "...Lay your selvages on a foundation and then sew along the bound edge of each selvage, being sure to cover the raw edge of the selvage underneath..."

So when you trim your selvages - how much are you actually trimming? I trim up just past the change in weave or the first row of the teeny holes - I don't recall having enough width on that selvage trim with fabric width to ever have enough to do anything like this. Am I missing something or is the writing and just a smidge of color from the selvage edge all they're really using?

Thanks in advance!

Click on the Brunerwoman blog: http://brunerwoman.blogspot.com/2010...placemats.html

She leaves a 1/4" overlap in making her projects. The directions for the tote I am doing is also a 1/4" overlap although the designer says you can put them closer together if you just want to see selvage. I try to cut mine at least 1.5" wide-sometimes they have to be thinner especially if all I have to start with is a FQ and I need the most fabric out of it. I also use the unprinted selvage (the one with just the print) for the beginning of the layered selvages. Hope it makes sense.

You certainly don't need to BUY a pattern!!! Just stitch onto a foundation, overlapping raw edges!! I make cushions from them!!USED A FEW SELVEDGES!!!!! m/pwww.quiltingboard.coictures-f5/used-few-selvedges-t153430.html meant to click on here!!:o

When I trim my selveges off, I most of the time just trim 1.25 (1 1/4 inches) in from selvege edge of fabric to where the 'good stuff starts. For most of my projects, that is sufficient to do what I want. When others give me the ones they have cut off, some just cut off the words, which is about 3/8th of an inch and not nearly big enough to do anything with. I save these in a box and when I have enough to make it worthwhile, I will offer them to someone who wantes to use them for braiding or making a toothbrush rug etc. I hate to throw anything away. I think there are several topics on here where folks have used selveges and I have learned a lot from them. Just put selvege in the search box and see what comes up. I know I have a selvege sweat shirt jacket on here somewhere, too. :-)