What Does Selvage Mean?

A selvage or selvedge is a "self-finished" edge of a piece of fabric which keeps it from unraveling and fraying. The term "self-finished" means that the edge does not require additional finishing work, such as hem or bias tape, to prevent fraying.

What does selvage in sewing mean?

A selvage is the tightly woven edge of a fabric. It prevents the side edges of the fabric from raveling or fraying. ... The selvage, because it's densely woven, is sturdier than the rest of the fabric, so it can be more difficult to sew through.

How do you find the selvage on fabric?

Fabric selvage is the tightly woven edge that runs along each side of a piece of fabric's lengthwise grain, which is also called the fabric's warp. Selvage edges can be seen on the edges of quilting fabric that are at the top and bottom of a bolt of fabric.