Selvage: On the Straight and Narrow

You’ve bought some fabric, you’ve got your pattern pieces ready but you ask yourself what ‘straight grain’ means. Your pattern pieces have it all over them, with a big long arrow.

When you buy your fabric, it is usually unrolled from what is often called a bolt of fabric. There are 2 edges that are finished, that run perpendicular to the cut edge. These are called the selvages and are where the fabric is attached to the loom when made. I like the selvages – some fabrics have printed names and other details on (see image above) but most fabrics aren’t quite as interesting.

I don’t know if there is a better way of making sure you align the selvage with the pattern piece straight grain arrows, but this is how I was taught:

Check your pattern layout to see if you need to have a single or double layout of fabric for laying out your pattern pieces and lay out the pieces as shown. This ensures they all fit!

For each piece with a straight grain arrow, pin the pattern piece to the fabric with a single pin in the middle of the arrow. Measure the distance from this pin to the edge of the selvage. Write it down or make a mental note of this measurement. Move the tape measure to the end of the arrow and mark the same distance out. Slowly slide the pattern piece until the tip of the tape measure and the arrow match. It should now be the same distance from the selvage as the middle pin. Place a pin in position. Repeat at the other end of the arrow.

The arrow is now pinned parallel to the selvage. Repeat for the remainder of the pieces and then secure the perimeter of each pattern piece, mark, and cut out.

Easy!