How to Make Knotted Fringe on Shawls

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Things You'll Need

  • Stiff cardboard

  • Scissors

  • Shawl

  • Embroidery floss or yarn

  • Crochet hook or latch hook

Knotting a fringe for a shawl creates an eye-catching focal point.
Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images

A knotted fringe can finish a shawl with elegant style. The fringe can be simple or you might knot it intricately. Depending on the knotting style you use, the fringe might be the focal point of the whole shawl. Add a knotted fringe easily to a knitted, crocheted or fabric shawl. Although making a knotted fringe takes some time, it is not difficult and the results are worth your effort.

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Step 1

Determine the desired length of the fringe. It is easier to trim a fringe that's too long than to start over if it's too short, so if you're not sure of the desired length, make it longer. Remember, you will lose about 1 inch with each knot.

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Step 2

Cut a piece of stiff cardboard 3 inches wide and the length of your desired fringe. Wrap the yarn or thread around the cardboard several times loosely. Cut the yarn along the center of one end so that you have several strands of yarn twice as long as your desired fringe.

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Step 3

Pick up three to six strands and fold them in half so that the ends are even.

Step 4

With the wrong side of the shawl facing you, insert the crochet hook or latch hook from front to back about 1/2 inch from the edge. If the shawl is crocheted or knitted, you may need to position the fringe so that it complements the stitch pattern. If the shawl is fabric, you may need to use a small steel crochet hook or an awl to make a hole in the fabric before adding the fringe.

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Step 5

Use the hook to pick up the center of the folded strands and pull the loop through the shawl. Use the hook to pull the loose ends through the loop to make a knot. Pull the knot snug, but not so tight that it distorts the fabric. The knot should lay almost flat.

Step 6

Repeat the process, spacing the fringe evenly along the edge of the shawl. Cut more strands as needed.

Step 7

Lay the shawl flat and smooth the fringe. Trim the fringe to a uniform length.

Tip

For a more intricate fringe, start at one end of the shawl and split one of the tassels in half. Split the adjacent tassel in half. Tie the right-hand strands around the left, and repeat along the length of the scarf. Several rows of this splitting and knotting creates a diamond pattern.

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