Sewing the backing of your quilt together
 

Do you cut the selvage off the sides of the fabric of the back of your fabric before you sew them together? I usually do but I'm making a huge king quilt. I'm trying to decide if I want to cut them off since the backing is in three very long pieces and it will be a lot of work to cut them all and I am wondering about just sewing the seams to about 1" to cover the selvage and have all that bulk or cut all the selvages and sew them 1/4"? And how do you keep your cutting straight when you cut long cuts of selvage? It's always so wonky. Any tips on how to cut long strips of selvage?

I've learned to never leave the selvage, on something I'm sewing. It usually doesn't behave, like the rest of the fabric.

I would not leave selvage. On long strips, I would (Oh horrors!!) rip. I will always come out even that way.

I cut the selvedges off. I fold my fabric and use my 6x24 ruler and my rotary cutter to cut it. As long as your edges are even and you check to make sure the folded fabric is laying squarely on the cutting mat you have one long even cut. Good Luck!

You do not want to leave a selvege on because it is a tighter weave and will make the seam pucker. Also, for the backing, you should have a half inch seam for each section. This allows for more give and wear and tear with the finished quilt. You could measure the selvege width add 1/2" and sew that amout as your seam width. After the seam is sewn, you can go back and trim off the selvege width.

I agree to always remove the selvage. It is easy to do with a rotary cutter. I also agree that the seam allowance should be 1/2" or more.

The fibers used in the selvege edge are not the same as what in in the body of the fabric. It is there for the strenght as its pulled and rolled through the process. These fibers will likely shrink at a different rate that the rest of the fabric causing puckering.

I clip and rip. Then I sew them together with a good half inch seam.

if you leave the salvages on the fabrics there's a good chance when the quilt is laundered you will have a puckered seam- the salvages shrink/behave differently than the rest of the fabric & should always be removed. you could just snip next to the salvage & tear your fabric for a straight edge...sometimes it is easier than trying to cut.

Remove the selvedges. You can make a snip in the fabric and just rip the selvedge off. This will leave you with an edge that is on the fabric grain.

I usually rip the selveges off, but if I don't, I sew them together in a wide seam and trim both selveges at once.

That's what I do as well....

I have always cut off the selvages and plan to continue doing that. However I recently longarmed a quilt for the owner of a LQS, and she left the selvages on! She did use a very wide seam allowance. I figure this lady has much more experience in quilt making than I do, so I didn't question her on this. (But I'm going to continue to cut off my selvages.)

My boss (our LQS owner) also longarms quilts. Often we have to piece the backings for her. She has me cut off the selvages with the rotary cutter and 24" ruler BEFORE seaming them. I've always cut my selvages off, just sometimes after I seam the back!

I never leave the selvages on...... as stated above.. cut or tear..... seems more important on long/large pieces than on smaller in my experiences

I've left the selvages on before and really did not like the results even though I sewed a wide seam. When I cut selvages off of long yardage I lay the fold of the fabric on a straight line and fold the yardage over itself until I have a manageable length that I can then lay a ruler horizontal and cut the selvage off.

As a longarm quilter I always prefer the selvage is removed. It can cause puckers in the backing as the selvage does not stretch like the rest of the fabric. After going to all the work of piecing a king size quilt why take a short cut now when you may live to regret it later.

I usually just snip and rip. If you don't like that method make a really wide seam (1") and then trim the selvages off leaving a 1/2". Everyone is right, the selvages are more tightly woven than the rest of the fabric and once the quilt is washed you most likely will notice puckering. I haven't read in any book where they were left on.

OMGoodness this is me to be sure, never nevr leave the selvages on and always rip them off.

I like the idea of sewing first then trimming the selvage. I have been trimming then sewing. This sounds better. Always get a good idea each time I log on.

I sew the back with a 1" seam then go back and trim the selvage off. It's easier for me to sew and then trim than it is to trim and then sew.

I sew with about 1 1/4"-1 1/2" seam and clip and rip. Because the selvage is along the length of grain, which has no give like cross grain or bias grain, it will always rip straight. Another thing i do is cut the fabric in half WOF then sew the two big pieces together along the selvages. rip off the selvages and clip one of the big pieces along the length of grain then rip that too. Backs just go so quickly if you just grit your teeth and rip :). Good luck!

I alway remove the selvedges.

I always cut the selvage off. It puckers when you wash it if you don't. I usually sew the pieces together and then cut the selvage off later. I also sew with at least 1/2 in. seam. Looks like great mind work the same!!!
Sue

I agree with the rip answer.Also,you need a good 1/2 in seam allowance.I'm a long armer,and the 1/2 in. seam allowence keeps the seam from popping up when you quilt it.You don't have enough control over the seam. At 1/4 in.,they almost stand at attention if they are only 1/4 in..Press the seams open.That is important also.They stay very flat that way.Good luck,take your time.

I agree with everyone else, cut the selvage off

I asked the same question on a longarm forum. The answers I got was to leave them on the OUTSIDE edge of the backing. If you sew the backing together (say one long seam down the middle) leave them on until you have it sewn, then cut it off. I now sew that seam with a 1" allowance, then trim to 1/2"...I then iron the seam open.

Yes, get rid of those pesky selvages. They have a different density than the body of the fabric and will give you major problems later. I snip and tear the narrowest possible selvage, (doing a very small sample first, as some fabrics don't tear nicely.) but at the last minute, so they won't have loose threads to get in my way. For very large quilts, however, I often prefer to buy extra large backing fabrics. I sometimes buy them on sales at very low prices.

I always cut the selvage off. It shrinks at differently than the fabric. I use 1/2" seams. And tear it. You get strings, but you have a nice long strip.

Anita in Northfield, MN

Exactly what I do, same as Rose.

I sew clothing more than quilts so I'm comfortable using my long shears to cut away the selvedge in a straight line. That is quicker for me than folding about 100" of backing fabric squarely for the rotary cutter. If I need to cut more than an inch away from the edge of the selvedge, I will tear.

Always remove the selvedge. I try to keep the number of layers I cut through at 4. Any time I cut long strips I fold the fabric to not more than 4 layers, making sure the selvedges are even. Then I use the 4' T-square I bought at the hardware store for cutting drywall. The T-square is aluminum and works just like a quilting ruler - run the rotary cutter along it. The big T-square is one of the best tools I ever brought into the sewing room. I also use it to mark a cutting line on the roll of W&N; mark with a fine Sharpie and cut a straight line with scissors.

I was taught by a quilt shop owner years ago to sew your seam with a 1" seam and then clip 1/2 inch into the selvage every 2 inches or so along the entire length....it seems to work for me just fine...I am now thinking that I am the only one that does this....I have to remember--there are no quilt police LOL

I sew at 1" seam and then cut off half so I have about a 1/2" seam which I the press open.

Good advise all thanks

I cut it off

Rip selvage off, sew 1/2" seam, press open, BUT leave selvage on outside. That gives the LA a little extra length or width and it will come off when I square up after back from the LA.

One of the first things I learned about fabric in Home Ec class in 1959 was...........ALWAYS cut off the selvage.

I would remove the selvages before sewing the quilt back together. They don't play well with the rest of the fabric.

I also use the "clip and rip" method and a half inch seam. I have had other quilters gasp when I tell them I rip the selveges instead of cutting, but that's how I learned way back in Home Ec in junior high and it has always worked for me...