How to Make Selvage Fabric

I've only been saving the selvages cut from my quilting cottons for about a year or so. I thought it would take much longer than that to amass enough to make anything significant however, I was mistaken.  My selvage pile grew very quickly and much to my surprise, I was able to make these two 24" square pillows for my sewing room without putting much of a dent in it.

This was the perfect project on which to use my black and white scissor and pin fabrics.  I've been saving them for just the right occasion.

My hidden zipper skills are slowly improving.  This time, I only broke one needle and had one do-over.  Maybe next time I'll have it down pat.  I have realized is that it is much easier to install a hidden zipper if the zipper is over-sized, extending beyond the edges of my work.  That way, the zipper can be sewn in place without having to jockey around the pull.  Once sewn, the pull is slid  into place, the ends are bar tacked and the excess is trimmed.  My local store limited me to a 22" white zipper so I didn't have the luxury of using my preferred installation method.

Sewing the selvages into place was quick and easy.  I first sewed them onto muslin foundation strips, overlapping the upper edge, leaving the lower edge of the stitching exposed.  I then sewed the muslin/selvage units together, then added batting, backing and finally, some overall, freehand grid quilting.  Now, when I need a pillow or two in the sewing room, I'm good to go.

Selvage Tutorial

As soon as I bring home a newly purchased fabric, I cut off the printed selvages, including an inch or so of the print.  I keep the selvages in a basket where they stay until needed.

I use a foundation on which to sew the selvages.  For this project, I wanted a 6" wide finished panel so I rough cut a 7" wide piece of muslin to work on.

It is important to keep square while working in these.  To help with this, I squared off the end of my foundation.

This step is optional however, I know that the first selvage on a foundation panel will most likely be cut into for trimming or squaring or, it will be burred within a seam.  In light of this, I like to start off using a plain strip of fabric so as not to waste a selvage.  Whether using a selvage or a strip of fabric,  align the lower edge with the lower edge of the foundation.

Sew the strip onto the foundation close to the lower edge.  Keep in mind that your stitching will remain visible so be sure to use a thread color that you like and a stitch length that you like.

Place the next selvage onto the foundation, overlapping the previous selvage sufficiently to secure its raw edge.

Sew the selvage close to its lower edge, just as before.

Continue sewing on additional selvages.

Continue sewing on additional selvages, checking occasionally for squareness.  Unless you are way off, just correct your squareness on the next selvage if need be.  After-all, you are just working with selvages so being super perfect is not really necessary.

Keep going until you have enough for your project.  It goes faster than you might think.  This was enough for what I had in mind and just took a few minutes.

Press and trim to your desired width.  In my case, I trimmed to a 6" strip then cut it in half to make two, 3" strips.

Then I cut the strips into shorter sections.

Then I sewed the sections together.

Then I made this!!!  How much fun was that?  There is no end to what can be made with selvages.