Cutting & Sewing Cotton
Cotton is very coaxable. Don't be afraid to cut into the fabric. Sure - you worked hard weaving, and you love the outcome - then why make it into a box-top? Remember that you are weaving cloth just as people have done for hundreds of years. Use it, and cut where necessary. People have also been sewing for hundreds of years!
When you begin a new bobbin of thread, let the end of the thread hang off the selvedge a few inches. This way you won't overlap weft threads. After taking the woven cloth from the loom, sew up the selvedges to secure the threads, then clip them short. Two yards is the maximum length a cloth should be if put into a washing machine. Figure where your pattern will lay on the fabric, then cut into smaller panels. Sew up all raw edges. Sometimes you will need a length more than two yards long. If you can't cut it into smaller lengths, just be careful. Check the cloth after each spin and agitation cycle. A twisted cloth in the washer can create permanent wrinkles and uneven spaces. You may want to take it to the laundromat front loading washing machines.
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