Before or After?

Finished place mats removed from the loom ready for serging.

So, are you supposed to cut and serge/zig-zag before or after wet finishing?  Well, that depends.

When I had my old Maytag washing machine, I would simply take the entire length of weaving and toss it into the tub and dryer and cut the place mats or towels apart afterwards - no serging required (other than at the beginning and the end of the warp.)

However, when we bought a new Maytag a few years ago, the advertising pitch contained the information that the new model had a great 'roll over rate'.

This phrase didn't mean much to me - until I wet finished my first long length of hand woven goods.  Which promptly turned into a long 'rope' with such severe creases I could not press them out.  So I cut them apart, serging each one and tossed them back into the washer and dryer.  I was able to get the creases out, but only with a really hard press.

Since then I've been cutting/serging and then wet finishing.

So how are you supposed to do it?  Which ever way gets you the results you desire.

And as for the little 'ears' at the ends of each serged section?  I simply trim them off and turn the cloth under so that the serging is hidden in the depths of the hem.....

For lengths of yardage I have to monitor the washing machine, undoing the twisted cloth from time to time to prevent the machine from forming more hand woven 'rope'.  A pain, but I can't afford a new washing machine.  :(