Thanks for asking that question! And for the answer! Over the years I have avoided cutting off the selvages or cutting on length of fabric as opposed to width of fabric. Reason? Because I wouldn't have known where the selvage used to be! I guess I'm a chicken for having been afraid to ask the question. NOW I KNOW!! Thanks again to both of you.
I'm guessing what you're looking for is the straight of grain. Pull on the fabric. Bias will stretch a lot, the length wise grain will not stretch and the selvage to selvage grain will stretch a bit.
Take another piece of fabric that has the selvage and check the stretch of that against the piece you're not certain and that will give you some visual clues.
I wish we could ask questions anonymously because this is one of those questions which I should probably know, but don't remember if I ever did. If I have a piece of fabric which has been used several times and the selvage markings are long gone, how do I tell where the selvage is?
