There are a bunch of ways to use fabric selvages. My favorite way to use selvages is to turn my selvage collection into fabric, selvage fabric that is! In this post, I’m going to show you what I think is the best, and most colorful way, to cut and save your selvages for later use.
Remember this quilt? This is my Lucky Selvage Medallion I made a few years ago. Awwwww, memories! Isn’t she sweet! I had SO much fun making that quilt! Not only can you use selvages to make quilts, you can use selvages in all sorts of projects. Think tote bags and garments!
Before you use selvages in your projects, you need to build a selvage collection. Maybe your selvage collection is waiting for you in your stash as you read?
In this YouTube video, I’m show you my favorite method for cutting the selvages from quilting fabric. My method shows you how to get the most color from your selvages while salvaging (see what I did there?!) your usable fabric for your quilt patterns. At the end of the video you’ll know how to cut and save your selvages to use for a future, scrappy project.
See my jar of pretty selvages? 🙂
Once you’ve started your collection, you can store you selvages in a pretty jar in your sewing room. I’m all about storage that is also decorative, right?
Tutorial Take Aways:
- Ideally you’ll want to cut and save your selvages from fabric that is brand new, or never been cut. It’s just easier that way.
- You can still cut selvages from fabric that isn’t so fresh.
- When cutting from yardage, leave yourself at least a 40” width of usable fabric! Most quilt patterns assume 40” of usable fabric width.
- When cutting from a fat quarter, leave yourself at least a 18” x 20” of usable fabric! Most quilt patterns assume a usable 18” x 20” of fabric.
- Choose your favorite selvages with your favorite colors and text elements! Don’t throw them away!
- Store these pretty strips in a large jar and display them in your sewing room! They are too pretty to hide!
Related Tutorials
Explore my entire series of selvage quilt tutorials:
I have been saving selvedges and need a little push to start a project with them. I will start sorting into color groups. Should I fussy cut the text and color dot sections? How long do you cut your selvedges for the made fabric?
Yah! Great timing!
Mainly, I keep my selvages in the size they came in. So generally, I order fabric in fat quarters and in half yards for the most part. So when I cut the selvages they all end up about 18” long. Then I can use those 18” long selvages to make the selvage fabric. (I’ll be posting that video tutorial, hopefully by Friday!)