Ask Madelyn: Chenille Selvedges

Dear Madelyn,

I can manage decent selvedges with most yarns except chenille. My chenille edges are downright sleazy! The outer thread invariably is too loose. I am careful when winding on, and careful when I weave. If I pull the weft more firmly, then the draw-in is too great. Suggestions?

—Mary McCormick

Hi, Mary!

Chenille shouldn't really be different from other relatively nonresilient yarns.

My guess is that you have wound the warp on the beam too loosely. Then, when there is even just a bit of draw-in, the edge threads get hit by the beater more than the center threads (the fell becomes a little U-shaped), and the edge threads loosen around the warp beam.

Be sure that you wind the warp on with very tight tension, the tension is even all the way across, and the width of the warp on the warp beam is exactly the width in the reed. Then, take care not to allow the weft to pull in at the edges.Good luck!

––Madelyn