Tips on cutting selvage
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Va.
Posts: 5,752
Tearing is the way to go if you need to make long cuts. If I'm making a quilt back using a single extra wide piece of backing fabric, I will not only tear with the grain (to get the width or remove selvages), but I will tear across the grain as well to get the proper length. I've never had a problem with tearing causing any distortion on cotton fabric.
Rob
Rob
#35
I fold the fabric into a manageable size; so for a yard, I fold it in half lengthwise on the selvage, then pin the fabric and then line up a ruler up to an inch from the edge of the selvage, I then use a rotary cutter. if the fabric is more than a yard, make sure that the fold is no more than 24" so that it is manageable to use a 24" ruler. Any longer and it's bound to wiggle thus giving an uneven edge.
#36
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
I prefer to tear long pieces of fabric -- borders, binding, backing. For the backing, I will also tear from selvage to selvage, though some fabrics do not like to be torn that way. That way I am sure of getting them straight of grain. However, I have been known to leave the selvages on as long as they are wholly encased in the seam. Since I prewash my fabrics, I know if the selvages are going to shrink (and I have only had one piece of JAF where the selvages shrank). I know - heresy but the quilt police would have to open up the quilt to find the selvages.
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 2,490
After reading everyone's posts I thought I was the only one to do it this way!!
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