How to cut burlap, also includes how to wash burlap with tips for drying. Complete directions for properly preparing burlap fabric so it’s easy to work with, plus tips for a straight cut.
This is one of those posts that I have wanted to write for a very long time. I have several burlap projects on my blog, yet I never showed you how to wash burlap so it’s easier to work with. I’m also including tips for drying burlap, and detailed instructions that explain how to cut burlap. I’ve got this down to a science, so let’s talk burlap! I admit that I was late to the burlap party but when I finally arrived, I realized how fun it was. Burlap has many good qualities, along with some bad ones. Thankfully, I think the good outweighs the bad.
The very best thing about burlap is that it’s budget friendly. At 40 to 50 inches wide, you can find it for $2 – $3 per yard. It’s neutral in color, and goes with many different decor styles. Burlap has come a long way in the last few years. It’s now available in different colors and prints. I fell in love with the print above with the birds and the branches. In the image above you can see what my burlap looked like right off the bolt. Very stiff and very smelly. Let me show you what to do to fix that!
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How to Wash Burlap
I usually buy burlap in lengths of 3 to 5 yards. Click HERE for a great source. I wash each length in my washing machine with the regular amount of detergent. It has never harmed or clogged up my washer in any way. I also add fabric softener to the rinse cycle, and lower the spin cycle to medium. I try to catch it as soon as it’s finished so no wrinkles set in. I dry it on a normal dryer cycle, but make sure your lint catcher is completely clean before you dry any burlap. The lint and fuzz from the burlap will fill it up. After it comes out of the dryer, I head outside and shake the daylights out of it. More fuzz comes out and the good thing is it’s outside, and not in your house. Here is what burlap looks like after being washed and dried.
The ends will be a mess and it will be wrinkled. The next step is to iron it. I use my regular iron on the hottest steam setting. I spritz it with water a section at a time, and then just start ironing. This 3-yard piece took me about 15 minutes. It won’t be completely smooth, but it will be flat, and be much easier to cut.
Cutting burlap is easy. All it takes is a little practice and you will be a pro!
How to cut burlap so it’s straight:
- Lay your burlap on a hard surface so the end is running up and down in front of you.
- Find where you want the cut line to be and make a small snip in the burlap.
- Pull a thread from where you made your snip. Just keep tugging at it and the burlap will start to gather. Gently pull the thread until it comes completely out of the burlap. If it breaks don’t worry. Just find where it broke off and start pulling from there.
- You will see a sort of channel where the thread used to be.
- Carefully cut along this channel from one side to the other.
- You now have a perfectly straight end to your burlap.
Note: the bird burlap is no longer available. Printed burlap fabric can be found at fabric and craft stores.
I washed a small piece of the bird burlap to see if the pattern would fade, and it did a little. I decided to go ahead and wash the whole piece, and I love the way it turned out. It’s faded and looks very vintage. Here are links to three tables runners that are super easy, and they are all made with burlap.
Burlap Table Runners:
I used to be a burlap skeptic, but after working with it, I am completely won over. If you are skeptical, just give it a try. You might surprise yourself, and end up liking it too!
I will be sewing on ribbon edging to a pre-sewn burlap bed skirt. Should I wash the bed skirt before adding the trim? My concern is that if it is washed after installation, the fabric could shrink, creating uneven pulling and puckering along the embellishments. If I do pre-wash the sewn skirt, will the burlap become too deformed for an effective trim application?
Lastly, and perhaps I should have asked this first, I am having to take two twin pre-sewn bed skirts to make into one bed skirt so I have the “dust ruffle” on all four sides and not just three sides, as it comes. Should I not prewash the burlap due to possible shortening of my lengths of fabric, creating not enough length to cover from bed leg to bed leg?
Please advise and thank you.🙏
Hi Taralyn…this sounds like quite a project! First, I have never tackled something like this, so I don’t have any experience. My honest opinion is that the bed skirts should be washed and dried before doing anything. That said, there may be shrinkage. Plan B would be to add fabric trim to the hem of the bed skirts if they do shrink. I’m not sure I was much help. Good luck!
Thank you for the post as it is most helpful. I am doing a winter project with my 5th grades for Christmas. They are going to be using non waterproof acrylic paint. They are going to be hung outside our school. How do I preserve them so the paint doesn’t run? Thank you for any suggestions.
Hi Joyce…I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what to tell you. If you have time, you could make a sample and try spraying it with matte sealer. I don’t know if that will work or not. Good luck!
Newbie to burlap and it intimates the heck out of me. Thanks for the basic instructions
Thank you for this post. I have aging burlap in my stack of stuff because it stinks and I wasn’t sure how to go about preparing it for a pillow project. Love your blog.
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
This is great. I’ve been washing burlap this way. I have found ironing while damp gets more wrinkles out.
This is so helpful. The photos really helped!
Thank you! I’ve been wondering about washing and drying some old burlap bags that I have. Now I’m not afraid to do it!
I just wanted to say thank you and tell you how much I enjoy your site. I’ve made a number of both your recipes and projects (washed burlap runner, air dried clay ornaments, sugar scrub, printed tags and banners, etc). All of them have turned out great! Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate you! Keep up the great posts!
Thanks for this piece of information.. always thought how messy it would be to wash burlap. I will give it a try. I do love using burlap but it is always so stiff so now I will wash it and yes …grrrrrrrrrr iron it so I make some lovely items out it.. Yes I do sew as well so projects here I come!!!!!! :)