Joyce DeBacco

I'd heard or read somewhere that if you clip the corners of your fabric before washing it would prevent fraying. I always do that, but they still fray. Would they fray even more if I didn't do that?

auntpiggylpn

I also tried the "Clip the Corners" method and my fabrics still frayed, didn't seem to be any less or more than if I did nothing to the edges. This was also LQS type fabric. I tried the pinking shears trick and it didn't stop the fraying. I've also sewed along the edges prior to washing but it still frayed. Some fabrics don't fray at all and then some others I will loose at least an inch off the total cut. I ALWAYS was in cold on a delicate cycle and only put in the dryer until damp them iron. sorry, I don't have any positive answers for you!!

dunster

Probably. Some people pink the edges, others sew or serge them, some even sew the two raw edges together. Me? I just let 'em fray, and then rip off the strings. Sometimes I get civilized and use the scissors. I figure the last inch or so of fabric is going to be cut away anyway.

auntpiggylpn

I agree that there is always fabric to spare to cut off the fraying. I have learned to never get just a 1/4 yard of anything because a lot of times, you will loose an inch or two and no longer have the 1/4 yard required by the pattern.

Grammashel

By clipping the corners the fraying is limited. When I don't clip the threads will keep pulling from one side to the other. Clipping stops that. I always clip.

Rebecca VLQ

I've found if you don't clip far enough in, it still frays the same (or nearly the same) as if you didn't. If I clip past the selvedge, it seems to do better. Like 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch triangle might not be enough, but 3/4 x 3/4 might, kwim?

MaryAnnMc

I agree, everything I've tried still frays. But I've decided to stick with pinking: it does cut down on the fraying considerably, and I can always tell which fabrics in my stash have been washed. that alone is a good reason.

catrancher

I use a pinking blade in my rotary cutter. It reduces fraying, but doesn't eliminate it.

gaevren

I always serge the very edge of my fabric before washing and since I started that I haven't had a single fraying issue with washing.

Pinking shears would also work very nicely and are much much faster than clipping. Also a lot cheaper than a serger! I was making a satin dress for a friend a few months ago, and although I serged the edges of the fabric before washing (yes, it was a washable satin, but it did not go in the dryer!!) when I cut out the pattern pieces they immediately began to fray. So I took my pinking shears and carefully pinked the very edges and didn't have another fray at all the entire time I sewed the dress together.

shnnn

That's a good idea!