Fix Uneven Selvedges in Handweaving

Ragged, looping, or pulled-in selvedges are the most common frustration for newer weavers and plenty of experienced ones too. This article explains what actually causes bad edges, how to fix each cause, and the handling habits that produce clean selvedges without special gadgets. You will finish able to diagnose your own edge problems by sight.

Why selvedges misbehave

A selvedge is where the weft turns and comes back. Every problem there is a tension problem: either the weft is pulled too tight at the turn, left too loose, or the edge warp threads are not held at the same tension as the rest of the warp. Naming which of these is happening is the whole job.

The three main faults and their causes

Draw-in: cloth narrows and edges pull tight

Draw-in happens when the weft is tensioned too hard as it crosses the shed, dragging the edge warps inward. Some draw-in is normal, but severe narrowing frays the outer threads because they abrade against the reed. The root cause is throwing the shuttle and beating without leaving enough weft angle in the shed.

Loops: little tails of slack weft at the edge

Loops are the opposite: too much slack weft left at the turn. They usually come from inconsistent shuttle handling, changing your hand position, or beating before the weft has settled at the correct angle.

Sagging or floating edge threads

When the outermost warp ends sit looser than the body of the warp, they do not bind properly and the edge looks slack and messy. This traces back to uneven warp winding, threads slipping at the back beam, or edge ends that need a little extra tension.

The single most useful fix: weft angle

Before beating, place each pick at an angle across the shed rather than straight and tight. A 20 to 30 degree angle, or a gentle arc (called bubbling), gives the weft enough length to travel over and under the warp during take-up. Too little angle causes draw-in; too much causes loops. Getting this consistent solves the majority of edge problems on its own.

A worked example

A weaver making a plain-weave scarf notices the cloth has narrowed by 3 cm over 40 cm of weaving and the outer threads are fuzzing. That pattern, progressive narrowing plus abrasion, points clearly to draw-in from over-tight weft. The fix is not to yank the edges outward, which creates loops, but to lay each pick at a wider angle and beat consistently. Within a few centimetres the width stabilises and the fraying stops because the outer ends no longer scrape the reed on every pick.

Handling habits that build clean edges

• Keep the shuttle exit consistent: same hand height, same motion every pick.
• Set the weft angle before you beat, not after.
• Beat with the shed open on one pick and closed on the next in a steady rhythm, or pick one method and stay with it.
• Snug the first pick after a colour change gently rather than pulling hard.
• Give the two outermost ends slightly firmer tension when you warp, or use a floating selvedge to guarantee they always catch.

When to use a floating selvedge

A floating selvedge is an edge warp end threaded through the reed but not through any heddle, so it stays in the middle of every shed. You enter the shuttle over it and exit under it (or the reverse consistently). This guarantees the weft always wraps the edge, which is especially valuable in twills and other structures where the natural edge sometimes leaves a thread unbound. It is a fix worth adopting as a default for many patterns, not just a rescue.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• Pulling the weft tight to straighten a wavy edge. Fix: this causes draw-in; use a consistent weft angle instead.
• Yanking loose edges outward. Fix: overcorrecting creates loops; adjust angle and shuttle handling, not force.
• Changing shuttle technique mid-piece. Fix: pick one repeatable motion and keep it for the whole warp.
• Loose outer warp ends. Fix: tension the selvedge ends slightly firmer when warping, or add a floating selvedge.
• Blaming the loom. Fix: most edge problems are handling, not equipment; change one habit at a time and watch the result.

Action checklist

• Look at the fault: narrowing means draw-in, tails mean loops, slack outer threads mean tension.
• Set a consistent 20 to 30 degree weft angle before every beat.
• Standardise shuttle exit height and motion.
• Add a floating selvedge for twills and unbound-edge structures.
• Check that outer warp ends are tensioned as firmly as the rest.
• Weave 10 cm, then measure width to confirm it has stabilised.

Conclusion and next step

Clean selvedges come from consistent weft angle and steady shuttle handling, not from pulling harder. Your next step: weave a short sample focusing only on placing each pick at the same angle, then measure the width every 10 cm to confirm your edges have stabilised before starting a real project.

Frequently asked questions

How much draw-in is normal?

A small amount is unavoidable as the weft bends around the warp. Steady, slight narrowing that then stays constant is fine. Progressive narrowing with fraying outer threads is a problem to correct.

Will a temple fix my selvedges?

A temple holds the cloth to width and helps with draw-in and edge abrasion, but it treats the symptom. Fix your weft angle and shuttle handling first; use a temple as support, not as the only solution.

Do I need a floating selvedge for plain weave?

Plain weave usually binds the edge on its own, so a floating selvedge is optional. It becomes genuinely useful in twills and other weaves where the outer thread is sometimes left unbound.

Why is only one edge bad?

Uneven edges often reflect a difference in how you handle the shuttle entering versus exiting, or unequal tension on the two selvedge ends. Watch both hands and compare edge warp tension.

References

• Peggy Osterkamp, Weaving & Drafting Your Own Cloth
• Deborah Chandler, Learning to Weave
• Handwoven magazine (Long Thread Media), technique articles on selvedges