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?

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

That's a good idea!

I also just let it fray and just rip off the threads. When I wash fabric, I open it all the way up. I find that some manufacturers don't get it rolled on the bolt completely straight. So, I open it up completely, wash and dry it, refold it so there are no diagonal waves when held selvage to selvage, (I usually lose 1-2 inches here - but it has been as much as 3.) Then I trim it with the rotary cutter and iron it and it gets either used then or stashed for future use.

Ditto. I have had very expensive fabric fray and less expensive fabric not fray. Just go with the flow. It is going to do what it's going to do. There may be a fail proof way to stop the fraying but I don't know what it is. Of course there is a lot I don't know. If someone does I am sure they will tell us about it. BrendaK

I do a zig zag stitch along the edges . It really does not take long ( no need for prescise sewing) and is worth the effort .
Before sergers became readily available thats how we "overcast" garment seams to prevent fraying.

I just stitch the bottom, toss in one of those laundry bags and use gentle cycle on machine

I finally learned to either serge the raw edge or overcast the raw edge with a long, narrow zigzag stitch before washing.

I lose - at the most - about 1/8 inch of fabric when I zigzag the edges - none when I overcast if I remove the stitching.

Two other advantages: I can tell which fabrics have been washed - or not

It totally eliminates all those threads and wads and fabric loss.

Me to. I just let them fray. Clean it up later when I rip the fabric.

If one has a piece of $12.00 yard fabric - and lose 2 inches of it due to fraying (one inch from each end) - That's about $0.67 of fabric that was lost.

At $10.00/yard - That's only about $0.55 of fabric that is lost.

Doesn't make sense to me to waste fabric like that - especially when so many people are crying about the high cost of cotton fabrics.

I have no trouble trimming the strings from frayed fabric edges. It is still faster than spending time edge-sewing a piece that will be cut off anyway. To me that's a waste of thread.

I got a few spools of super big serger thread "cheap" years ago.

To itch his own. (Depending on where the itch is, or course. :mrgreen: )

Yup. That's me to a T.

I've tried snipping the corner and noticed no difference at all.

i am one of the new people, however, i mind ya, not just yardage, i rip off the selvages, and rip the top and bottom edges,if they are small i put them in a net bag and wash, rinse, what ever is required, and that is that, bye

jan

Well, thanks, ladies. I guess I'll just go with the flow and let it fray and cut off the tangles later. I do like the idea of pinking the edges so you can always tell if the fabric was washed. Trouble is my pinking shears are hard to open and close.

i fixed my pinking shears with pb blaster (auto dept in wally world), let them sit for a couple of hours and then cut up every rag i could find, the stuff is greasy, and wiped them down really well, it took some time to loosen them up and get all the smelly pb off them, but it worked. and the nasty stuff will help with tools too. (had to hide mine from bob, bf, as he keep thinking it was his, he has his own, lol) but i have also used it to get adhesive off stuff. it will take the finish off paint, so if you have any be careful. silicone spray will also help. (i do upholstery on boats, that is why i have some really wierd things under the cabinet.

happy quilting

jan in palatka

I put my small cuts (1 yd and under) in dollar store lingerie bags and prewash that way. No fraying. My bigger cuts I run off on the serger before washing. Again, no fraying.

I wonder if it would work to lay a line of glue down the edge. Fray check would be too expensive but maybe another household glue that doesn't wash out.

The only thing that's worked for me is serging so I usually just wash the fabric and don't worry about it. If I had 'just enough' fabric then I probably would serge before washing

There are some folks that are adamant about NOT washing their fabrics before cutting and that completely eliminates any fraying.

For the record - I started overcasting/serging the raw edges before washing AFTER I had struggled for years with raveling/frayed ends. Learned to do that from another member of my group. It was a "light bulb" moment for me.

I don't wash my fabric, and many of my friends do not. I was told that if you buy quality fabric, it will be fine. I'm feeling doubtful after reading all of your comments.

When I bring fabric home I always serge the ends and then wash it, then goes in my stash and I know it is ready to use anytime I am ready for it.

Sometimes you can just tell from looking at a fabric that it's got to be washed before using. Other times, I use it unwashed too.

How much washing does new fabric really need? I soak fabric in the wash water, agitate a couple of seconds and then dial in a quick spin. Do the same with the rinse cycle. Minimum fray. Small cuts are swished in the sink or a pan, rinsed and without wringing, hung or laid on a towel to dry, all by hand. A white towel will really let you see any bleeding.

I find hand washing fabrics minimizes the fraying, But I count on fraying to rip my selves straight. Pinking or making some kind of mark to tell washed from unwashed is a great idea. Thanks

I take pinking shears to all my fabric. I don't have my own washer yet so to laundry mat I go so when laundry time comes I just pink the fabric that needs washing. While it doesn't completely eliminate fraying it cut down on it enough.

I just bought a cheapo lingerie bag that I will be putting my fabric into so it doesn't just get lost with the rest of the laundry.

Everything has "quality" - good, bad, and/or indifferent.

As far as I know, Michael Miller is considered "good" - at any rate, I purchased some of the black - which is a lovely inky black, even if I consider it to be a bit coarse - and that has a bit of excess dye in it. It also shrinks - over two inches in width.

I used somone's advice on here and folded and pinned pieces of fabric (over 1/2 yard) and it seemed to no fray as much.

PB Blaster now has a "dry" one that leaves no greasy residue and works as well. don't remember the exact name but PB Blaster is on the label.

All I can say is that, when I don't trim the edges, I have threads wrapped around the whole fabric. It turned out much better when I clipped the corners.

I always serge or zigzag the raw edge, NO fraying, have done this for years.

This is why I started pinking the edges.

fraying happens i've learned to live with it. If I don't want it to happen, I wash in the sink, let dry a little and iron it dry. This, of course, doesn't work with yardage.
I had rather clip the mess off the edges rather than take time serger and zig zagging. I do clip corners tho. If I should pink, i get one of the pinking blades for my rotary cutter. Is faster than with pinking shears.