How to Make Pillow Fringe

Purchased pillow fringe can be quite pricey, and you are limited to the style and colors the stores have available. But pillow fringe can be made from string, yarn, floss, ribbon and scraps of fabric. It is very easy to do but does require a little bit of your time. Recycle those odd tidbits for a one-of-a-kind fringe that will add the crowning touch to your throw pillows.

Things You'll Need

• Wire coat hanger
• Wire cutters
• Needle-nose pliers
• Measuring tape
• Yarn
• Floss
• Ribbon
• Scraps of fabric
• 1/2-inch bias tape
• Sewing machine
• Scissors

Instructions

Creating a Fringing Tool

1. Cut on each side of the hook on the wire coat hanger using the wire cutters. This will open the hanger.

2. Straighten the hanger using needle-nose pliers. Grasping the wire just above or below a bend will give you the best results for a straight wire.

3. Measure and cut the wire to 26 inches. Measure down one side of the wire to 12 inches. Bend the wire at a 90-degree angle using the needle-nose pliers. Measure from the other end of the wire to 12 inches. Bend the wire at a 90-degree angle and parallel to the first wire with the pliers. You should now have a "U" shaped fringing tool.

Making Your Pillow Fringe

1. Tie the beginning end of your string, yarn, floss, ribbon or scraps of fabric just below a 90-degree angle on the fringing tool. Wrap your trims around both parallel wires on the fringing tool. Do not wrap too tightly. You want the fringing tool to have the same width space at the beginning of the tool as the end. Continue to add more trims by simply knotting their ends together. Do not be concerned if the wraps overlap each other; when they are finally sewn to the pillow, they will fluff out and overlaps will not be noticeable. Wrap the trims to the end of the tool.

2. Position the fringing tool with an angled end at the top. Place the bias tape on top of the wrapped trims and along the inside right edge of the fringing tool.

3. Insert the fringing tool under the presser foot of your sewing machine. Top stitch the bias tape over the wrapped pillow fringe. When you come to the opening end of your fringing tool, slide the fringing tool out of the sewn pillow fringe and begin to wrap again. Repeat the wrapping and sewing until your fringe has reached the length needed for your pillow. The bias tape will then be the side of the fringe that will be sewn into the inside of the pillow when constructed.