Salvaging Selvedges

The selvedge of fabric is the edge which is finished during the weaving.  Here's a diagram of a basic weaving: the black threads, which run up and down in the loom, are the warp threads.  The red thread, running back and forth, over and under the black threads, is the weft thread or woof thread. 

If you've ever tried your hand at weaving, then you know that if you pull the weft threads too tight, that makes the warp threads clench in the center, and your weaving turns out more like an hour glass than a rectangular strip!  This is how I remember the names for the threads... the up and down threads are the warp because they're the ones that'll get warped if you weave too tight.  The weft threads are the ones you weave through the others, so they get woven, or get weft. 

Now, since the weft thread turns and retraces its steps at the end of every row, that creates a clean-finished edge called a selvedge, which is a contraction of "self edge".  The selvedge is tidy and strong.  It's also useful! 

INFORMATIVE EDGES

The first use for the selvedge is to see if the manufacturer decided to write anything on there.  On wool fabrics, the percentage/quality of wool, or factory name, might be woven into the selvedge.  It might say "Super 140's" or "Worsted" or "Pura Lana".  On printed cotton, the colors of the print and copyright/pattern/other information might be printed on the selvedge.  The selvedge might tell you the fabric is by "Robert Kaufman" or that it's part of a "Chantilly collection" or that there were five colors used in the print.  Printed cotton also often has white selvedges, as the printed pattern doesn't go all the way to the edge. 

1912 John Pilling and Son loom. Photo by Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent. / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)

DECORATIVE EDGES

Some selvedges have decorative or fuzzy edges, which are kind of neat, and can be used for trim on garments.  Chanel was famous for using  the selvedged edges of her fabric to make decorative trims on the outside of clothing. I have sometimes cut skirts on the cross grain so the selvedge served as a ready-made hem. 

USEFUL STRIPS

Selvedges can be used in clothing construction anywhere that you might otherwise use non-stretchy tape:

• stabilizing a narrow waistband
• stabilizing a bias-cut seam so it doesn't stretch
• making locker loops or belt loops

Charles Frederick Worth was known to use selvedges inside his garments to finish things neatly. 

Or the selvedges can be used as ties for random household uses. 

THRIFT OR HOARDING?

Recently, my friend had a bunch of leftover selvedge after cutting a quilt backing.  I rolled it all up and stuck it in a drawer with my bias tape, twill tape, hem facings, and lace trims.  I know I will use it for something....

What is the difference, I wonder, between keeping a thrifty stash, and hoarding?  When I recently began embroidering something and didn't have any embroidery floss on hand, I was disappointed.  Yet when I had de-stashed my old embroidery floss I did so because I hadn't used it in a while, and I didn't want to "hoard".  Hmm... it's always a question of balance, isn't it? 

selvedge noodles