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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.
What’s a selvage edge?
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.
What does a selvage edge look like?
In some areas of the cloth, selvages may look exactly like the rest of the fabric, but they are thicker and more tightly woven. Some selvage edges are wide and a totally different color than the fabric (pictured). Selvages nearly always include little dots that show us the colors that are included in the fabric.
What is the salvage of material?
Salvaged or reclaimed building materials are materials that are recycled for reuse. They originate from buildings that have been deconstructed, rather than demolished. Typically, there is little left that is salvageable after a building has been demolished.
What is the edge of fabric called?
A selvage is the tightly woven edge of a fabric.
Do you cut fabric selvage to selvage?
At the fabric store, the length of the fabric (in yards) is measured along the selvage edge and cut perpendicular to it (cut edge). It is incorrect to cut a fabric piece along the selvage edges as this edge should remain intact and is an essential tool for aligning your sewing patterns in the sewing process correctly.
Is the selvage the Grainline?
It’s something we all must learn and is incredibly important in sewing. This first post will help you understand the terms used to describe grain and what it is. Woven fabric has two finished edges, which is known as selvage. In sewing, the weft is mostly referred to as the crosswise grainline.
Which way do you cut fabric?
Tip: If the fabric has a raised surface like velvet, corduroy or a synthetic fur type fabric, always cut from top to bottom going with the direction of the nap or furry surface. If you pass your hand over the fabric and it stays flat and smooth this is the correct direction of the warp.
Is the selvage edge always straight?
And generally, selvage edges are always straight. It is important to find the grainline for your fabric. Grainline is the direction of threads running parallel to selvages. In different words, grainline is the lengthwise direction of the piece of the fabric.
Do I need to cut off the selvage?
Before you start cutting into your fabric, trim off the selvages first. You want to cut about 1-2″ from the edge so you can see the selvage and a piece of its pretty fabric. This will make any selvage-centric project, like a strippy selvage block, more colorful.
What does selvage mean in fabric?
1a : the edge on either side of a woven or flat-knitted fabric so finished as to prevent raveling specifically : a narrow border often of different or heavier threads than the fabric and sometimes in a different weave. b : an edge (as of fabric or paper) meant to be cut off and discarded.
How should you lay out pattern pieces to avoid wasting fabric?
Tell you what direction your pattern piece should be placed on your fabric. Your grain line is always parallel to the selvage. If your pattern piece should be lay lengthwise, crosswise or on the bias, the grainline will tell you (as well as the layout guide).
Do you cut fabric with the grain?
Cutting fabric on grain is important because it will ensure that our garment stretches out and wears evenly. It keeps the fabric’s threads happy and level. You see, each pieces of fabric is made of thousands of threads. Some go parallel to the ground and some perpendicular.
How do you finish the edges of fabric without sewing?
Fabric sealants are clear plastic liquids in a tube that seal the fabric edge and stop fraying without sewing. Fabric sealants, which are made by several different companies, are available in craft stores. To apply fabric sealants, trim any loose threads from the edge of the fabric.
What is the wrong side of the fabric called?
The face of fabric, also known as the right side, is the side of a fabric that is meant to be seen. The face is what you see on the outside of the garment when it is finished; the other side, the wrong side, is hidden.
Will a zigzag stitch prevent fraying?
A zigzag seam finish can be used on almost any seam to enclose the raw edge and prevent fraying if you have the option of sewing a zigzag stitch with your sewing machine.
Does fabric width include selvage?
Cuttable width is the measurement of fabric from side to side, less the selvedge. The cuttable width is the width of the fabric, less the woven edge. Whoever makes your marker (usually the pattern maker or pattern grader) will need this measurement.
What will happen if you haven’t prepared your fabric before cutting and sewing?
If you haven’t pre-treated your fabric or if you haven’t put it on grain, your seams will shift over time. So that’s when you notice the sides of your shirt or the sides of your garments twisting around to the front, and we don’t want that.
Which way is the Grainline?
On fabric, when you say grainline, it refers to the direction of the yarns along the warp thread ie lengthwise yarn. This is the lengthwise grain. The weft thread is referred to as the crosswise grainline. The crosswise grain is perpendicular to length or warp grain.
What happens if you cut fabric against the grain?
The grain will affect how the fabric moves as it’s pulled. It’s not uncommon to be given a direction like “cut against the grain”. If you make a mistake and sew along the bias or against the grain, then you could find your fabric starts to pucker in places. It may also start to stretch in areas that shouldn’t stretch.
Do you cut patterns on the wrong side of fabric?
Carefully refold the fabric for cutting, following the grain. Fabric is usually folded right sides together for cutting. The only time it is cut right side out is if it has a design that must be taken into account and that does not show through to the wrong side.
