Here in the Pacific Northwest, we love our ecology. And since Earth Day is coming up (April 22), it's a fine time to talk about selvages.
I almost always trim selvages off when I'm ready to begin working with fabric. They get in my way and I don't like having to mess with trimming them in the middle of a project.
But now, instead of tossing selvage strips, I'm starting to collect them. I think they have a more realistic future than, say, string, or foil, or even rubber bands. Because you can actually put them to work. They already do double duty on the bolt or roll by bearing the name of the manufacturer, pattern and some color registration dots.
And fellow longarmers recently shared more nifty ways to reuse selvages.
--Use them anywhere you would use string in the garden ... tying up tomato plants, climbing roses etc.
--Use them to tie up remnants of batting or fabric.
--Use them in place of ribbon on a present ... brown paper packages tied up with selvages ...
--One quilter used a long selvage strip to replace the rope in her dog's Kong toy.
--Another reused them to create new fabric from scrap: "I made a bag from them by sewing them onto a background. Google selvage string quilts and you will see entire quilts made from them."
So I guess I'll probably have enough for a recycled dress!! in a decade or so.
PS: There are several spellings, but Merriam Webster lists selvage first, so that's what I'm going with.
Happy Earth Day!
