Hi! I am Sandy and I am a selvege saver! :-) I have made two quilts, two jackets and various little projects, hot pads, little bags, those funky chickens from the great pattern posted here. I figure if I pay $8-10 per yard of fabric, I am going to get my money's worth. I usually don't save the pieces smaller than 3 inches. Those go in the scrap bag for a dog bed and as soon as I can find someone who can use the big bag of scraps, off it will go. For the quilts, I cut up cheapo fabric into squares and sew strips of selvege onto them as leaders and enders while I am sewing other things. In a few months, I have enough blocks for a quilt.

Sorry dublb they aren't mine--just a picture from the tute!

SandyinZ4--any pics to share?

I too save them. I'm a bit of a hoarder though, not much gets thrown away here. I save them in part because I think it will be fascinating history, yes. Also because each bit of fabric brings back memories. I like some of the neat things I've seen people make from them and I hope to do something with mine some day. I generally cut about 1" off the edge of all my fabric - selvage and into the fabric itself so I get just a bit of the print too. I save them in a zip lock baggie...unless I'm feeling lazy, and that's almost always, and in that case they get tossed into the scrap bin. :)

Hum, I may become a SS after reading all the neat things I could make with them. But, then again.......:D

pictures of your needlebook etc..would love to see them..

I I went to James Stitching Sisters event here in Columbus and met a lady who made dog beds filled with scraps. NOW I too will be saving everything for her. She was such a sweet lady. She make 50 some quilts for the James Cancer Hosp. and dog beds. She was amazing.

There are a lot of really cute examples of projects you can sew from selvages. If you look on Etsy and Pinterest you can find lots of great things made with selvages. Love those funky chickens OKSewGlad!
I've been in love with those colored dots on the edge since I was a kid. You are right - it is a bit of history. But I've never really saved them until my last quilt.
Recently I made a Kaffe Fassett strip quilt from more than 82 different fabrics. I knew it wouldn't take away from the strips I needed to cut for the quilt, so after the fabric was pre washed and ironed, I cut the selvages off in nice long strips with 1 inch or more of fabric still attached. Not all the fabrics had pretty selvages though. Then I folded them all up and mailed them to a friend on the QB who is a huge Kaffe Fassett fan and selvage user. She really liked them.
I'd say saving selvages is worth it because even if you don't plan to use them, you can always find someone who would love to have them.

I am a selvage saver - did a great tote bag from them. And a friend did a badge holder bag from them for me that I always get comments on. I have seen several really cute projects and have 2 books that give patterns using them. I love the chicken pin cushions!

If anyone wants to send me selvages, I will gladly pay postage on them! Just PM me.