Cutting the selvages off fabic
 

I do not cut the selvages off of my fabric until the pieces cut from it are in actual use. Even when cutting strips width of fabric, I wait until my strips are cut before removing the selvages.

Because:

It minimizes fraying while the fabric is in my stack
I might have a clue as to who the manufacturer was

If/When I am ironing/pressing my fabric before cutting it (and after washing and drying it) and the selvages are puckering, I clip them the depth of the selvage (between 1/4 to 1/2 inch) so the body of the fabric lays flat

I have bath towels that the "trim" - or whatever it is - puckers badly - that is what some selvages do when/if used. One won't know what the fabric will do until it is washed - and I know that many people won't/don't wash their fabrics before cutting them.

So - I won't use selvages from an unwashed fabric - and I do not knowingly used unwashed fabrics (if they are washable).

I occasionally will use a selvage - if it is laying smoothly - on an outside edge piece or on a facing. But - it has to lay flat.

I cut my selvage off after the strip is cut from the body of the fabric. I have accidentally used it if the print goes to the edge and it lays smooth. How does that happen? Last night I trimmed the selvage from a 2 1/2" strip. The underneath edge wasn't even with the top. It's full price fish fabric and I have just enough, so it's going into the quilt. I should learn to trim my selvages wider, but it seems a waste of fabric to me.

I'm with bearisgray. I'm a non-trimmer. I might need the info and definitely don't need the fraying.

I keep my selvedges on until I cut the fabric even when it doesn't have any information as often happens with fat quarters. It lets me know which way is the direction of grain. It was beat into my head as a youngster to pay attention to the grain. It also lets me know whether or not I have full width of fabric, or if I've already cut along the long edge.

Sometimes I will write a message on the selvedge, like I have a piece of "scrub" fabric I like to use in my alphabet quilts because it has X-Ray on it, I wrote the poly content percentage on the selvedge. Other times I might date it, or other comments.

I'm a big believer in prewashing fabric, all you have to have is one project ruined to become a true believer! I mostly work with scrap/charm quilts and so it is important to me that the fabric is ready to go. LOL happens I have some fabric in the washer/dryer right now. In the picture below is the fabric that ruined a quilt I made, I had prewashed the fabric once and then didn't bother my mind about it because I'd never had a problem. Forget the maker but it was reputable, I used swirly print in blue with no problems. The maroon leaf fabric bled so much that it turned all the white fabric into baby pink -- not the sophisticated grey/silver, blue and maroon I had designed.

I found the swirl version (now orange) at a Goodwill. So far I've washed it 7 times and it still runs like an Olympian. Hard to believe they started out as the same color.

frequently the selvedge is woven differently, tighter, than body of fabric & thus, shrinks unevenly from body of yardage. in vintage fabrics i have, the selvedge is so narrow it's barely 1/4" or less wide. i have one piece that selvedge so narrow that the fabric maker info printed about an inch from the edge ..a treasure i'll prob never cut up :o ..but all that said, i always prewash with color catchers, sort by color and trim off the selvedge before i start cutting my patches. in some vintage precuts or patches, like a bow tie quilt i'm currently working on that i got from an estate sale comprised of feed sack & vintage dress fabrics, they included the selvedge. i snip at intervals to reduce chance of puckering after being washed and dried. yes this works ...i have been sewing with vintage & antique fabrics from estate sales/auctions for 30 years.

I trim selvages at different times but I always cut them off. I prewash all my fabrics. I don't buy pre cuts.

Seems to me that is a lot of thought and time being devoted to selvages. I cut them off as I cut the fabric.

I'm a non-trimmer until the fabric is to be used in the block. Always have been.

I only remove selvedges when using the fabric. I might need the information.

There was a thread a while ago when someone asked if he/she should cut the selvages off before washing the fabric. In my opinion, the answer to that is: No. No. No.

If I'm using part of a large piece I will cut off the selvage but I keep it in the fabric just in case I need to remember what it is.

Like almost everyone else I cut it off when I have to, and if it is a fabric I think I may want more of I definitely keep the selvages.

I've started saving selvages with enough fabric so I remember what it looks like. Helps if I need more too. OR if I decided down the road I want to use the same one on another project.

I cut the selvedge off when I use the fabric - I keep it in a bin and when there is enough I send it to someone that wants it. My fabric gets washed when it comes into the house. That way I don't need to do it when I start to use it. Ironing will wait until it is used though.

Same here.

I am also do not trim mine.

I don't trim the selvages until I'm cutting the pieces for my blocks.

Iceblossom, I've had red that ran and ran and ran, again, again and again. I discovered a product made and sold by Ritz Dye -- it stopped my bleeding problem, so I use it all the time. I also test all my fabric before I wash it -- if it bleeds, it gets treated. As you so correctly pointed out, it only takes one time -- I can't afford to have a quilt ruined by bleeding, and I can't afford to throw fabric away if it bleeds. So, I treat it, then test it again -- I've never had to treat fabric the second time, but discretion is the better part of valor, so I DO use color catchers.

Jeanette, what is the name of the Ritz product you found to prevent bleeding? Would you pm me the info please. Thanks.
I prewash all of my fabrics and had a DWR queen size I made for my daughter several years ago, bleed when it was washed. I had prewashed all of the fabric before cutting it out an thought all was good to go but the green still bled after the quilt was made and I could never get it out.
I never cut the selvage off until I am ready to use the fabric and save it sometimes so if I need more of the same fabric. I always leave a little on the piece to be sure of the grain of the fabric - old school teaching for me.
Funny to run across this thread after just reading about salvaging your selvage on Mayra at So Sew Easy with her free Romper pattern. You might want to check it out and read the article.