A Quick Look at Fabric Selveges

Fabric selveges are the right and left edges of the fabric. For most fashion fabrics, when being manufactured, the material is folded in half with the selveges together and then rolled onto the bolt in various yardages depending on how it is to be sold. For drapery and other home decor fabrics, the material is not folded. It is rolled onto the bolt in one wide piece. For both, however, when you purchase a piece of the material and it is cut, the cut is made from selvege to selvege.

Oftentimes though, during the process of rolling the material onto the bolt, the fabric gets distorted a bit and the selveges are not aligned evenly. This misalignment puts the grainline out of whack and, if you don't correct it before cutting your pattern, your finished project will wind up not hanging or fitting properly.

Once you get your fabric home, look to see if the selveges match up evenly along the edge. If they do. Great! Proceed with your project! If they don't, it will be visually apparent. You'll see it. Now what?? Relax, there is a simple solution.

Here's what to do when fabric selveges are misaligned.

• Pick up the fabric and hold it up with the selveges at the top in front of you.
• With your fingers, align them.
• Give the fabric a good shake and then carefully lay it down on a cutting table, your dining room table, ironing board or whatever you have available and like to work on.
• Pin the edges along the newly realigned selveges and smooth out the fabric.
• You'll now have a new fold line which will need to be ironed in place. Ironing also should remove the old, incorrect, fold line.

NOTE!!! Be careful when using your iron. Make sure your fabric is made to be ironed on. If it is delicate or a blend that cannot be ironed, lay a pressing cloth over it and lightly press or steam it through the cloth.