How to Hem a Shawl

A plain shawl brings an eclectic outfit together; a patterned shawl adds interest to a simple look.

Although a beautiful shawl needs no further embellishment, a fringed or knotted hem can add texture and motion. A standard rolled hem can add bulk to a wrap just at the places where you want it to be sleek. Fringing the edges of a shawl, especially the angled sides of a triangular wrap, makes the shawl drape and move beautifully. Both fringing and knotting can be done with a minimum of equipment in a few hours.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric or shawl
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Fine-toothed comb
• Tapestry needle, size 16 or 18

Instructions

Creating a Rolled Hem

1. Trim the shawl to the desired size, plus a three-quarter-inch allowance on the edges to be given a rolled hem.

2. Fold the fabric down a quarter-inch and either press in place with an iron or finger-press to create a crease. Fold this section down a half-inch and either press with an iron or pin in place.

3. Use a blind-hem stitch or short straight stitch on a sewing machine, or hand-stitch with a hemming stitch to secure the rolled hem.

Creating a Fringed Edge

1. Trim the shawl to the size you want it to be, plus a 1-inch allowance on the edges to be fringed. If you want a rolled hem on any of the edges, stitch those hems in place.

2. Use a short, firm straight stitch to stitch along the edges to be fringed, 1 inch in from the cut edge of the fabric. Backstitch securely on each end of every line of stitches.

3. Pick the warp threads (the threads moving parallel to the cut edge) clear of the fabric and carefully remove them. Use the tapestry needle to help tease free a few threads at a time so that you can pull them away. Keep picking at the threads until you've raveled the fabric all the way to the line of stay stitching.

4. Comb the resulting fringe to keep it straight and untangled. Depending on the type of fabric, you may choose to iron the fringe to smooth out the kinks.

Creating a Knotted Edge

1. Trim the shawl to the size you want it to be, plus a 6-inch allowance on any side you want to have a knotted edge. If you want a rolled hem on any of the sides, stitch those hems in place.

2. Use a short, firm straight stitch to stitch along the edges to be knotted, 6 inches in from the cut edge of the fabric. Backstitch securely on each end of every line of stitches.

3. Pick the warp threads (the threads moving parallel to the cut edge) clear of the fabric and carefully remove them. Use the tapestry needle to help tease free a few threads at a time so that you can pull them away. Keep picking at the threads until you've raveled the fabric all the way to the line of stay stitching. Preserve the threads as you pick them out to use for tying knots later.

4. Gather a bundle of fringe threads about the size you want your knotting to be. Count how many threads it takes to make the bundle. Using one of the warp threads you picked out of the fabric earlier, wrap the thread six or eight times around the bundle and knot it securely. Trim the edges of the knotting thread. Repeat with the same number of threads per bundle all the way along every fringed edge.

5. Trim the knotted fringe to the desired length, or go back and put in a second line of knots by using half of one bundle tied to half of the next. This creates a lacy, honeycomb effect that is beautiful on long fringes.

Tips & Warnings

• You can fringe or knot a fleece wrap by cutting long parallel strips in the edges of the fabric. Use a ruler to keep the slits straight and all of the same width.

References

• Soft Memories: Fringes for Shawls and Stoles
• Weekend Designer: Knotted Fringe Shawl
• The Jane Austen Centre: How to Make Knotted Fringe

Resources

• Threadbanger: How to Do a Blind Hem Stitch on Your Sewing Machine
• Coats and Clark: Hand Sewing -- Hemming Stitch