Now any seamstress or hobby sewist will undoubtedly have discarded that little white strip along the fabric edge without a second thought, probably a few hundred times or more. You know that “useless” strip where the manufacturer’s branding is printed…along with a few strange colored circles? Well, there’s more to it than just branding! That printing along the fabric edge is known as the fabric selvage marking and, together with keeping the fabric from fraying or unraveling, it actually contains more useful info than you’d previously imagined.
What's in a name?
Before you learn the secrets of the strip: how about that weird name?! Well, the name selvage or selvedge originated from the term self-edge, meaning a self-finished edge of the fabric. You will find that the specific weave in the selvage strip stops it from fraying entirely. It is “self-edged”.
The colored circles (or whatever other shape the manufacturer uses) contained in the selvage strip offer a wealth of guidance when it comes to color matching of fabrics for a larger project and, when placed alongside each other, the selvage markings of two different fabrics can tell you whether or not the fabrics really match, color-wise.
For example…should you be looking for a solid color match for a complex and colorful print, the selvage dots will allow you to tell whether or not your eyes are deceiving you as we often lose perspective of individual tones when a print is complex and color-rich. When dealing with two complex prints, matching more than two of the circles in each fabric up should tell you whether or not the fabrics will complement each other.
What’s even more exciting about the selvage strip is this: once you’ve used it to help you pick out colors for your project…save it! There is actually what I can only call a movement of sentimental sewists, quilters in particular, out there who religiously save their selvage strips. You’ll be inspired and utterly amazed once you’ve had a look at what some of these artists have done with their collections!
Plus, it’s not only because the sturdy, un-fraying weave makes for great pincushions, pencil pouches, and seat-covers, it’s also because there, on whatever you chose to construct out of your saved up selvage strips, stands a history of the brands you’ve used and your choices and experience of every project you’ve undertaken since you started selvage-saving! In the end, you can produce an item that's bright and detailed, a color-coded history book telling the tale of all your hard work in front of the machine! One thing’s for sure: undertaking a selvage project of your own is bound to be a rewarding and sentimental experience!
The wide variety of fonts, colors, and patterns used in different selvage strips make for incredible detail and what’s more…no one’s item, even if they use your selvage pattern, will look remotely the same.
When sewing together strips for your project, consider this: the cut edge of the selvage won't fray…instead, it may well create ribbons of the most adorable fluff, adding even more texture and detail to your piece. Keep about an inch of the actual fabric attached to your strip (to play around with) when you trim it off the main fabric. Use topstitching to sew your strips together: just within the finished edge.
You may not have noticed it in the project pictures, but I made the handles of the Gleam, RFID Shielded Handbag from the selvages of the Marimekko fabric I used for the bag. If you look closely, you'll see the markings. I used the technique detailed in the tutorial and video about Making Bag Handles from Twisted Fabric Scraps to make the handles.
Not only were these handles very strong because of the more robust nature of the selvages, but the subtle display of a brand like Marimekko was fantastic. So many people have asked me about it and assumed the bag was a designer item. And all this with something sewists would often just throw away!
So Salvage your Selvages!
I’m pretty sure this has given you a little bit to think about, a little colored, printed strip to think about…happy sewing and happy selvage salvaging!
What sort of things have you made using selvages? Please share your ideas with us in the comments below.
Selvages can also be a great resource for knitters when picking out combinations for colourwork! Save a scrap of the print itself so you can see the proportions of the different colours. This way you don’t waste time on a project that’s beautiful in your mind’s eye but just too outlandish to wear.
All that time I thought it was the frugal ions in me…..saving and using salvages as stay tapes,reinforcing tapes and many other uses. I could never bring myself to throw these edges. Thank you for this article.
Keep selvage on clothes ? My grandmother who teached me about sewing never did that. Instead of that, she told me it warps the garment.. Othee times, other customs
I am so glad that I joined this site yesterday. Thought I was an experienced sewer – but who knew about the great selvage uses, and especially about the colour matching tips. Thanks foe the great tip!
Welcome to So-Sew-Easy, hope you stay for awhile 🙂
Would you please do an article with pictures. The bag was great, but pictures of some of the other ideas would be very helpful.
I am collecting more selvages when I have enough I will post another tutorial. Stay tuned:)
A really great article. Thanks so much Myra
We have a group of us ladies of a certain age, who get together and sew on Fridays. One of the things I have been seeing is salvages saved, then sewn on to muslin and made into all kinds of neat totes and handbags, binding for clear plastic project cases.. there are many uses as many as you imagination can come up with! I find myself cutting them just a tad wider now so I get a bit of extra colour in my salvage projects.
I use selvage edges to reinforce shoulder seams when making knit garments. I also knot them into long lengths and use to bind up trimmed branches for the trash. So happy to see all these ideas, have been concerned what my family will think when I pass on and they find my stash of selvages!
I never thought about saving selvages until a pattern from Craftsy for a sewing machine cover/mat/organizer used them to make one of the pocket fronts. It looks so pretty with all the colored dots lined up. I have since started saving my selvages!
I save the salvages especially on my silk to use for stay tape – it makes the BEST stay tape 🙂
I save the selvedges as they come in handy for stabilizing the back seam in pants and pjs. If I am making a shirt from “precious” novelty prints I save the selvedge with enough width to sew it into the side seam so that I, or the recipient of the shirt, can have the “history” of the fabric sewn in. It’s interesting to open the shirt and examine the selvedge looking at the date, name of the pattern, manufacturer, and colors needed to create the fabric.
I roll the sheets and comforters for our bed for storage as it saves space. Strips of selvedge make excellent ties.
Very interesting… I’ve been doing the same thing with selvege strips for quite awhile to tie shower curtains into a roll so they don’t slip and slide out of the bathroom cabinet. Also use them to bundle craft items and tie electrical cords etc. It’s a never ending list of ideas for them!!!
I have never made anything out of them; however, in a Craftsy class I took we had to turn a strip after sewing it. The instructor used the selvages as a tube turner by sewing it to one end and then stitching the long edge (making sure you don’t catch the selvage strip as you sew). Then pull the selvage strip and you have a tube turned right side out. Now you just cut off the end with the selvage attached.
I started saving selvedges but have wondered how much do other people save (length and width). Would love to hear what others are doing!
I have a selvage “ball” to keep them in order.
When quilt will be a gift, I sometimes use selvage as the ribbon.
I have never considered using selvages before, guess I will give it some serious cosideration now. thank you
Indeed! wait to see the bag I am making!
Now if only they had care instructions, too!
They also make wonderful plant ties.
What’s a plant tie?
It’s the thing used to secure a plant to a stake during growth. Tomato and pepper plants often need to be stakes, for example.
I also have been saving selvages for years. I have made 2 small quilts, but have the strips made out of selvages and scraps to make a queen size and a full size quilt out of them. I gave a demonstration on making projects out of my selvage fabric, selvages sewn to a fabric foundation and used just like regular fabric. The ladies in my guild were very surprised by all the things I had made…including pincushions, potholders, soft toys, stuffed animals, mug rugs, Appliques for other things, small bags, larger bags, gallon size and smaller can covers, bottle covers for hiding things inside, notebook covers, cosmetic bags, small zipper purses, Coin purses, pencil carriers, shoe bags, small purse with long straps to hang around neck to use while shopping without carrying a purse, and of course zipper bags of all sizes for our sewing “notions” for meetings and classes…I was amazed with other things on the internet like stool tops, chairs covered with selvages, even a fitted woman’s dress and the biggest surprise was the old VW that was covered with selvages and fabric all over and was being used as an advertisement for a local fabric shop in a big town(used for deliveries)…My quilt ladies now realize that I am not the only selvage ‘crazy’ lady that is alive and well still collecting and saving selvages….Really enjoyed your article…thanks.
WOW! Diane, i would love to see some of your pictures to add to the article, with full credit of course.
Wow! I LOVE this bit of info! I usually toss them in the trash but I won’t anymore. Bag handles? That’s pretty ingenious! Thank you for sharing!
Wonder if there is a place to purchase unwanted selvage.
Excellent question. I’ve never seen or heard of a place but makes sense!
Need some? My selvedges are piling up.
ask a quilter friend or a sewer to save them for you.
I use mostly orezcuts so never get selvages.
I learned this purely by experience, but thank you for affirming my beliefs!! In the beginning, I thought I should keep the shelved strip in case I ever needed more of this same fabric, I could go online and using the makers name to find more. I knew the little colored circles were the true colors of each color used in the fabric. Thank you so much! You provide so much valuable information.
I am not not a creative person and color coordination is not my forte. I wish I had known this information years ago. It would have saved me time and frustration on coordinating colors. Thank you for the great tip. I will be using the information in future purchasing of materials. Thank you wodehousegirl for the info.
You are welcome Rita!
Have been sewing since I was about 10 and am now nearing 79 – wish I had known about using the color marks for matching fabrics, duh! I will now start using the selvedges before I leave the fabric store and look for more uses at home
Mary Jane
The selvages could be use as facing for the neckline, too!
Ciao from Italy!
Carmen
Yes, I was taught to always work the salvages into the hems for strength and durabitly, to not cut them out but always save them in the work.
There is a pattern on Craftsy by jessicaquilter that is a bookshelf quilt using selvages as the book titles!! I have also seen a mug rug pattern use the same idea. Have fun
Wow how interesting learning about the history of the selvage. Never have I considered saving them for a project – how unique. Hope people post their projects.
I do too!
Awesome post Myra! Thank you for the inspiration. Your bag definitely looks designer! Fantastic finish!
Thank you Zenia!
I have been saving them to create “yarn” and will crochet them into rugs, throws, hot pads or ??? whatever else I can think of. Got the idea from when I strip old sheets and use in rag rug making.
My mother made a pillow from them–just the front. The back was plain. It was very pretty!
I am going throuh my garbage can as soon as I am done reading this! I started a new Christmas project today and have tossed several! No more tossing for me! Thank you so much for the info on selvages and the cool ideas!
I’ve used them to trim and “brand” denim bags.
I have never thought of keeping selvedge. Can’t imagine how many of them I have thrown away.
I use them when I wrap gifts….no more buying ribbon, since I have an almost endless supply of selvedges.
I have made pincushions, and several bags from selvedges. Wish I could upload a picture to share. I love using my selvedges!
Hi Tina, if you email some pictures, I would love to see them and share them on the article. My email is mayra@so-sew-easy.com
I have made sewing chair seat before. I have a purse to take to a quilt show and everyone knows what it’s made from. My friends even save the selvages for me
I’ve been saving selvedges for years. Love them!!! I am making 8″ blocks constructed with the selvedges to turn into a quilt. I think I have enough made now but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop saving! It’s addictive!!
About 5 months ago I saw (and photographed) a purse tote made entirely of selvages, while attending a quilters luncheon. The selvages sewn together from numerous projects were impressive!
The selvage can also be a very decorative and color coordinated trim, Some of the fringed ones are especially pretty. They are also useful for stay strips if you need them if the fabric is woven. With knits the selvage can be used as neckline banding by turning the decorative edge to the outside.
I used a triple stitched denim seam to make tote bag handles. I cut them close to the edge of the seam, cutting away enough fabric to make a bit of raw edge fringe. Really easy and really cute.
I have been saving my selvages for years! I have a huge bag of them. Can’t wait until I find the right project for them.
Love this idea! I have noticed how pretty the selvages can be sometimes but never thought to use them. Thanks!
You are welcome!