Cutting the selvages off fabic
09-28-2018, 08:39 AM
#1
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,406
Cutting the selvages off fabic
I do not cut the selvages off of my fabric until the pieces cut from it are in actual use. Even when cutting strips width of fabric, I wait until my strips are cut before removing the selvages.
Because:
It minimizes fraying while the fabric is in my stack
I might have a clue as to who the manufacturer was
If/When I am ironing/pressing my fabric before cutting it (and after washing and drying it) and the selvages are puckering, I clip them the depth of the selvage (between 1/4 to 1/2 inch) so the body of the fabric lays flat
I have bath towels that the "trim" - or whatever it is - puckers badly - that is what some selvages do when/if used. One won't know what the fabric will do until it is washed - and I know that many people won't/don't wash their fabrics before cutting them.
So - I won't use selvages from an unwashed fabric - and I do not knowingly used unwashed fabrics (if they are washable).
I occasionally will use a selvage - if it is laying smoothly - on an outside edge piece or on a facing. But - it has to lay flat.
Because:
It minimizes fraying while the fabric is in my stack
I might have a clue as to who the manufacturer was
If/When I am ironing/pressing my fabric before cutting it (and after washing and drying it) and the selvages are puckering, I clip them the depth of the selvage (between 1/4 to 1/2 inch) so the body of the fabric lays flat
I have bath towels that the "trim" - or whatever it is - puckers badly - that is what some selvages do when/if used. One won't know what the fabric will do until it is washed - and I know that many people won't/don't wash their fabrics before cutting them.
So - I won't use selvages from an unwashed fabric - and I do not knowingly used unwashed fabrics (if they are washable).
I occasionally will use a selvage - if it is laying smoothly - on an outside edge piece or on a facing. But - it has to lay flat.
09-28-2018, 09:42 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,867
I cut my selvage off after the strip is cut from the body of the fabric. I have accidentally used it if the print goes to the edge and it lays smooth. How does that happen? Last night I trimmed the selvage from a 2 1/2" strip. The underneath edge wasn't even with the top. It's full price fish fabric and I have just enough, so it's going into the quilt. I should learn to trim my selvages wider, but it seems a waste of fabric to me.
09-28-2018, 10:19 AM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,066
I keep my selvedges on until I cut the fabric even when it doesn't have any information as often happens with fat quarters. It lets me know which way is the direction of grain. It was beat into my head as a youngster to pay attention to the grain. It also lets me know whether or not I have full width of fabric, or if I've already cut along the long edge.
Sometimes I will write a message on the selvedge, like I have a piece of "scrub" fabric I like to use in my alphabet quilts because it has X-Ray on it, I wrote the poly content percentage on the selvedge. Other times I might date it, or other comments.
I'm a big believer in prewashing fabric, all you have to have is one project ruined to become a true believer! I mostly work with scrap/charm quilts and so it is important to me that the fabric is ready to go. LOL happens I have some fabric in the washer/dryer right now. In the picture below is the fabric that ruined a quilt I made, I had prewashed the fabric once and then didn't bother my mind about it because I'd never had a problem. Forget the maker but it was reputable, I used swirly print in blue with no problems. The maroon leaf fabric bled so much that it turned all the white fabric into baby pink -- not the sophisticated grey/silver, blue and maroon I had designed.
I found the swirl version (now orange) at a Goodwill. So far I've washed it 7 times and it still runs like an Olympian. Hard to believe they started out as the same color.
Sometimes I will write a message on the selvedge, like I have a piece of "scrub" fabric I like to use in my alphabet quilts because it has X-Ray on it, I wrote the poly content percentage on the selvedge. Other times I might date it, or other comments.
I'm a big believer in prewashing fabric, all you have to have is one project ruined to become a true believer! I mostly work with scrap/charm quilts and so it is important to me that the fabric is ready to go. LOL happens I have some fabric in the washer/dryer right now. In the picture below is the fabric that ruined a quilt I made, I had prewashed the fabric once and then didn't bother my mind about it because I'd never had a problem. Forget the maker but it was reputable, I used swirly print in blue with no problems. The maroon leaf fabric bled so much that it turned all the white fabric into baby pink -- not the sophisticated grey/silver, blue and maroon I had designed.
I found the swirl version (now orange) at a Goodwill. So far I've washed it 7 times and it still runs like an Olympian. Hard to believe they started out as the same color.
09-28-2018, 11:58 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: over here
Posts: 1,113
frequently the selvedge is woven differently, tighter, than body of fabric & thus, shrinks unevenly from body of yardage. in vintage fabrics i have, the selvedge is so narrow it's barely 1/4" or less wide. i have one piece that selvedge so narrow that the fabric maker info printed about an inch from the edge ..a treasure i'll prob never cut up 
..but all that said, i always prewash with color catchers, sort by color and trim off the selvedge before i start cutting my patches. in some vintage precuts or patches, like a bow tie quilt i'm currently working on that i got from an estate sale comprised of feed sack & vintage dress fabrics, they included the selvedge. i snip at intervals to reduce chance of puckering after being washed and dried. yes this works ...i have been sewing with vintage & antique fabrics from estate sales/auctions for 30 years.
..but all that said, i always prewash with color catchers, sort by color and trim off the selvedge before i start cutting my patches. in some vintage precuts or patches, like a bow tie quilt i'm currently working on that i got from an estate sale comprised of feed sack & vintage dress fabrics, they included the selvedge. i snip at intervals to reduce chance of puckering after being washed and dried. yes this works ...i have been sewing with vintage & antique fabrics from estate sales/auctions for 30 years.
09-28-2018, 12:30 PM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,462
My selvages stay on until I cut my fabric. I sometimes cut large borders extra wide and put the selvage to the outside if a top is going to sit for a while. The edge stays nice and I trim them off after quilting. When doing backing with a center seam, I leave the selvages on and sew a 1 inch joining seam. Once the backing is ironed I cut away the selvages.
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