Sunday, June 30, 2013

Do You Save Your Selvages?

 Do you save your selvages?
 You know, those little sides that run along the edge of your fabric?
They tell you a lot about the fabric you are using:
 designer's name
manufacturer
color codes
 I began saving my selvages several years ago 
when I started following Karen Griska's
It's called the place for 
EXTREME SCRAP QUILTERS
(after all, who but the extreme would save those selvages?)
She gives daily ideas for uses of selvages 
from quilts to dresses....
 ...and even furniture.
I thought it would be so fun to recover a chair
for my sewing room.
So I began saving and saving and saving with each project.
And the pile grew and grew.
Looking at them brings fond memories
of some of my favorite fabrics.
Have I made anything with those selvages over the years?
Nada
 I do use the color codes quite often 
when planning a quilt.
Sometimes I will even take a selvage with me to a 
quilt store when
 selecting and matching fabrics.
But, as my pile grew, I began to feel a little guilty.
They need a good home
where they would be appreciated,
loved and paid attention to.
Someone who would take good care of them
and help them reach their true potential.
Happily they have been adopted
by my friend Cynthia ( Dream, Quilt, Create)
A large box has been sent off to California.
Will I keep collecting selvages from my fabrics
in the future?
You betcha :)

9 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I have some that someone passed on to me thinking I would want them, I really don't intend to use them. I thought I might at one time but there they sit and I rarely remember to cut the salvage off and toss it in the container. I need to pass mine on to a good home also.

Sara said...

i do save my selvages and have made a few things with them, including a quilt top that I just had quilted. (It needs binding yet.) Like you, the memories of favorite projects came back to me as I would pull out a selvage strip to use in something. My sewing room chair needs recovering and maybe the selvage idea would be perfect.

em's scrapbag said...

I love all the things I've seen made out of selvages, but I don't save mine. I just don't know when I would find time for them. Sad but true.

Abby and Stephanie said...

I saved and saved and was given them by friends. It became evident that I would never actually use them so I gifted them. I've made a few little projects but the thrilled has passed. :o)

Mayleen said...

I also save mine and other quilters have sometimes given me theirs! For the past two guild quilt shows, I've entered a selvage quilt. At the last show, mine won a Celebrity Choice award. That was fun! I'm currently working on two more selvage quilts and have an idea for a third!

Cardygirl said...

I keep them too for "one day"... These projects are fabulous...glad yours found a loving home!

dream quilt create said...

Oh wow, now that you've publicly gifted me your selvages, I feel a huge responsibility to make something great!!! Ha ha!! I am excited for them to arrive. I can't work on them until the summer is over, but I do intend to make some really cool things :) Thanks so much Nedra!

Mary said...

Love the selvages! I save them too with the idea I will get to them to make a quilt. Have it started, but a long way to go on it. You just never know when the urge will hit to work on them.

Carolyn Sullivan said...

I use them for tying up my tomatoe plants. But please do not send me any! LOL I have enough!