What do the dots on the selvedges mean?

Interpreting dots on fabric selvages correctly: In this post, you'll learn what the markings mean and how you can use them. Plus, there's a sewing idea specifically for selvages.

The most important points at a glance

• In this post, I explain what selvages are and what the symbols on them stand for
• The dots on the selvages not only look beautiful, they are also very useful
• You can use the selvages perfectly for orientation, because the grain of the fabric corresponds to the direction of the selvages
• Fabrics where you find printed selvages almost throughout are often manufactured in Japan
• You can sew beautiful one-of-a-kind items out of the selvages

Many fabrics, especially patchwork and cotton woven fabrics, have beautiful dots on the selvages. These dots don't just look great; they are also useful!

Find out now what these mysterious dots on the fabric edges are all about!

What are selvages?

Let's start with the basics: What are selvages actually?

Imagine a fabric bolt of woven fabric^*. For example, cretonne^*, poplin^*, or patchwork fabrics^*:

The fabric is folded lengthwise and rolled up. When you unroll and unfold the fabric, the selvages are on the left and right. This means that woven fabric is truly made on looms.

Sometimes small holes in the fabric edges show where the fabric was hooked into the loom during production.

If you catch the right piece of the repeat, the designer's name is often printed there, sometimes also the fabric name, the series, the year of production, and the country where the fabric was made.

Where can I get fabrics with printed selvages?

That is actually not that easy! Because for most fabrics in online shops, you can't even see the selvages in the photos.

The fabrics where you find printed selvages almost throughout are usually manufactured in Japan.

My Japanese fabrics^*, for example, I buy almost all online.

Quick tip: Usually, there are also one or two booths with very high-quality Japanese fabrics at fabric markets. It is definitely worth taking a look here.

What can you use the selvages for?

Quite simply: For orientation! The grain of the fabric corresponds to the direction of the selvages. This also applies to the fabric fold. As long as you align a pattern or a fabric fold along the selvage, everything is fine! :)

What do the markings on the fabric edges mean?

Recently, the topic of selvages came up in my Facebook group. It quickly became clear: many sewing fans don't know what the dots on the selvages are for. And yet, those pretty markings have their purpose!

Washing & care symbols on the selvages

Some selvages are printed with care or washing symbols. These give you a hint on how to wash a fabric and at what temperature it can be ironed.

Colorful dots on the selvages

The mysterious colorful dots have several meanings.

First of all, for the person who manufactures the fabrics. The colorful dots give an indication of which colors were used in the fabric printing process.

The more dots, the more colors were used for printing.

But that's not all: You can also use the dots yourself. For example, for choosing matching fabrics. All solid-colored fabrics that correspond to the fabric dots go perfectly with the patterned fabric itself!

In addition, you can orient yourself by the color dots when choosing your sewing thread. As a rule of thumb: the color that predominates on the fabric should be preferred.

What can you sew out of selvages?

Beautiful things! How does that work?

Collect all the pretty selvages from non-elastic cotton fabrics for a while. Once you have enough, place the selvages slightly overlapping on a piece of fusible interfacing^*.

Then, sew them down close to the edge with a straight stitch so that the lower edge of the last selvage and the upper edge of the next selvage are always caught in the seam at the same time.

Adjust the size of your pretty selvage fabric to the planned size of the sewing pattern.

I conjured up a practical pyramid pouch this way! :)

A dreamlike one-of-a-kind item, right?

Have you gotten the urge to sew something great out of selvages now?

Then let's get started!

Feel free to leave me a comment if you like!

Happy simple sewing,

your Sabine

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