Why should you not use the selvage edge in your sewing projects?

Sewing with Selvages: Reasons to Keep a Fabric's Selvage Edge. A selvage's edge is normally tough and difficult to sew through, which is why they're oftentimes deemed unusable and discarded.

What is the selvage edge used for?

A selvage (US English) or selvedge (British English) is a "self-finished" edge of a piece of fabric which keeps it from unraveling and fraying. The term "self-finished" means that the edge does not require additional finishing work, such as hem or bias tape, to prevent fraying.

Can I sew on the selvedge?

A selvage is the tightly woven edge of a fabric. It prevents the side edges of the fabric from raveling or fraying. Don't use the selvage in your project! The selvage, because it's densely woven, is sturdier than the rest of the fabric, so it can be more difficult to sew through.

Does width of fabric include selvage?

What is this? The usable width of your fabric is the measurement between the warp thread on the left edge to the warp thread on the right edge, minus any selvage.

Why is the grain line important?

Grainline is essentially the weave of the fabric: which direction the threads are running. It's important to understand because how you cut out a garment will change how the finished garment behaves.

What is the selvage? How to find the selvage edge of fabric? - Sewing terms and definitions

What grain line has the most stretch?

Bias Grain

Although we are talking about grainlines, the bias isn't really a grain. The true bias is 45 degrees to the selvedge. The bias has the most stretch 'give' (compared to the other grainlines) and a beautiful drape. Garments cut on the bias hang well due to the fabric drape and are comfortable to wear.

Why is the selvage important?

A selvage's main purpose is to prevent unraveling or fraying, which makes a fabric stable and secure. Some fabrics come with frayed edges for aesthetic purposes. A selvage's self-finished edge makes sure that this fraying won't come undone and affect or damage the rest of your fabric.

Why do you Preshrink fabric?

Preshrinking reduces the residual shrinkage to a much lower percentage, even if it cannot completely eliminate shrinkage. Depending on the material used in the fabric, preshrinking process can reduce the shrinkage.

Do you need to hem a selvedge?

Hems: If it looks fine after prewashing, go for it. Otherwise, you'll need to remove the selvedge and hem it. Note: even if you only plan to dry-clean the garment, it may still shrink the selvedge. Seams: You're ok if you make little clippies through the selvedge every 2-4″.

Should selvage be cut off when making curtains?

They should be trimmed off first as the selvages are sometimes woven tighter than the rest of the fabric, and this can affect the way the curtain hangs.

What happens if you cut a pattern against the grain?

Sewing against the grain can mean your fabric is trying to go in a direction it doesn't naturally like to go in. Following the grain will help your fabric look and wear the best. Fabric grain also affects the way fabric will hang and drape.

What does nap mean in sewing?

Put simply, the nap is the texture of the fabric and describes which way the fibres align. You can see the texture of the Liberty cords from Sewbox in the image above. Run your fingers over a corduroy and you can feel which way the fibres go smooth and flat and this is the direction of the nap.

What is notching in sewing?

Notching is similar to clipping, but instead of taking a single snip out of the fabric, you cut out a small amount of fabric. Notching is used on convex curves and exterior corners because the seam allowance is larger than the space it will be turned into.

How do you place the straight of grain line on the fabric?

The straight grain is the grain used most often in garments. The straight grain generally runs up the centre front and centre back of garments and up through the centre of sleeves and pant legs. In situations where a garment is cut slightly off grain, this may cause sleeves or pant legs to twist around the body.

Why is it called selvedge?

The shuttle is essential; it threads the weft through the warp shed. As the weft is continuously passed back and forth, the edges of the fabric are self-finished, which is why it's called 'selvedge. ' This tightly woven and durable edge can be included in the garment without additional processing.

What does Wof stand for in sewing?

WOF – Width of Fabric.