Nona

i zig-zag the raw edges very loosly and then wash. I have very little string problem.

Carol J.

Sewing the two ends together works for me, I have pieces that are yards long and don't have the threads coming loose. Usually I don't bother washing the fabric but in our charity quilting, some of it smells musty or feels dirty so it gets washed. My DD told me to sew the ends and it works.
Carol J.

Mitch's mom

I serge my fabric. Since I'm lazy I leave it folded with selvages together and serge up the side. It saves thread and time.

Deb watkins

For my longer pieces, I unfold it, then pin the 4 corners together with a safety pin, removing the pin for drying.

kapatt

I usually put mine in a mesh laundry bag and zip the bag up. The ends don't get all stringy when I use the laundry bag.

mtngrl

I had the same frustration and don't want to finish the edges of every bit that I buy. I got a blade for my cutter that does a ripple cut??not sure what it is called but it works like a dream. No more fraying and it just takes a second to trim off the cut edge. I fold the fabric so I have 4 layers first. You may get a tiny bit of fraying but they are just little pieces about a quarter of an inch long.

Dkm

Here's a crazy one. I'm saving mine for some type of art quilt, but I know what you mean. It can get messy at times.

sewmom

whether you're cutting off the reveled edge or a serged/zigzag edge-you are still trimming. I just wash mine and trimm the strings and edges, put them in a bag and i'm going to make pillows for my caTS

omt

If you sew close to the end, then you can just cut off the sewing (with all the thread pieces) when you take it out of the dryer. I also put my fabric into mesh bags when I wash

mimisharon

That's what I do, zig zag works great.