Selvage Edge: to trim or not to trim

[DuctTapeMessiah]

I’m curious what all you DIYers do with the selvage edge. I’ve seen some tutorials advocate removing it and others don’t. I personally leave it on all my fabric where it’s rolled in a hem.


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[kitsapcowboy]

I almost always trim it off; however, there are one or two DIY designs I make where the selvage is incorporated into a wide channel and the flawed/uncoated edges are completely hidden, so removing them is not mandatory for these specific applications.

[IRONFISH45]

Depends. On tarps if the selvage is nice and neat. On tarps Uncut selvage seems to add support/strength.

On things with curves or fitted I remove the selvage so it won't pull or destort.

How the fabric moves is influnced by the selvage, so I take that into consideration. When in doubt cut the selvage. Really selvage is waste. If you are into re-use selvages hook into rugs or mats. Pups and kitties love selvage mats.

[DuctTapeMessiah]

On tarps Uncut selvagw seems to add support/strength.

How does selvage have this effect?




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[MoldyFrog]

I usually trim it off. There's not many projects I've done where I've maxed out the fabric width and must use the selvage. For small projects that don't span the whole width I cosmetically prefer small hem folds so unless it just happens to line up with a large rolled edge or a channel where it's hidden I'll trim it there too.

[Otter1]

On hammocks, I just roll it into the hem.

[IRONFISH45]

Selvages are the tight woven edge of the fabric, the part the loom grasps. The selvage prevents fraying and revelling, it is densely woven. Since the selvage is dense the fabric behaves differently than the selvage. Puckering, twisting, shrinking and other odd things are likely to happen using the selvage. Selvages are meant as waste.

[hutzelbein]

I always trim the selvage for two reasons:

I don't like it, when stray threads poke out of an otherwise clean seam. I use a hot knife, so there are no loose threads when I'm done with trimming.

But more important, I can gain useable width by trimming the selvage. Sounds illogical? It isn't if you don't want those holes to show. For example if the holes are 1" into the fabric, I would need to make my rolled hem 1". Suppose the fabric has a width of 60". If I do a 1" rolled hem on both sides, I end up with a finished width of 56". However, if I cut off 0.7", the fabric is 58.6" wide after trimming, and I can do a 0.3" rolled hem. So I loose another 1.2" and end up with a finished width of 57.4". For me, a gain of 1.4" in width is substantial - especially with a hammock.

Edit: I fold my hems twice. You could get the same effect without trimming if you roll the hem more often.

[MikekiM]

On hammocks, I just roll it into the hem.

This^^^^^


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[Banjoman]

I always trim the selvage for two reasons:

I don't like it, when stray threads poke out of an otherwise clean seam. I use a hot knife, so there are no loose threads when I'm done with trimming.

But more important, I can gain useable width by trimming the selvage. Sounds illogical? It isn't if you don't want those holes to show. For example if the holes are 1" into the fabric, I would need to make my rolled hem 1". Suppose the fabric has a width of 60". If I do a 1" rolled hem on both sides, I end up with a finished width of 56". However, if I cut off 0.7", the fabric is 58.6" wide after trimming, and I can do a 0.3" rolled hem. So I loose another 1.2" and end up with a finished width of 57.4". For me, a gain of 1.4" in width is substantial - especially with a hammock.

Edit: I fold my hems twice. You could get the same effect without trimming if you roll the hem more often.

I agree with all the points hutzelbein mentions.

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