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Braid - Fringed Edge - Tassels

How to Create Beautiful Effects with Braid, Fringed Edge, Tassels and Pompoms.

Following our previous two sections in Finishing Touches 3 sewing tips using braid, fringed edge, tassels and pompoms are covered.

Braid 

Braid can be applied with machine braiding foot which holds braid in place and stitches through the center. If fabric puckers, sew over paper and tear paper away later. Make a hole to push braid to wrong side of fabric, and fasten the ends. The machine under-braider is a little more difficult to use. Braid is used for decorative effects. 

Apply wide braid as a binding, encasing raw edge of garment / sewing project. Stitch fabric and both braid edges together. 

 Narrow braid is applied to right side, stitching at one side, and leaving other side free. 

Braid may be applied by hand, with tiny stitches on one side and longer stitches, about ¼ inch, on wrong side. To make stitches invisible on right side, take a stitch through material and then through underside of braid.l 

To transfer braiding patterns to material, use hot iron transfer patterns. Where hot application will spoil the fabric, stitch through several layers of paper and through the fabric, without any thread. Apply braid with one layer of paper and tear paper away later. 

Soutache braid is applied with braider or by hand. It is sometimes inserted inside a seam like cording to give a similar effect. 

Passementerie is braid in fancy motifs. Use it judiciously, so that garment / sewing project is not over trimmed. Heavy passementerie may be hemmed by hand to garment / sewing project through its finished edge. 

Some braids can be applied with methods described under rickrack. 

Cording and piping 

Cording and piping with contrasts, as described under seams, made good edge trims. Stitch bias strips as shown in seams and turn. Fold again lengthwise and overcast edges together. Baste to garment in a straight line or a shaped motif and stitch. Or, make bias strip in cord, baste and stitch with cording foot. Apply as described under seams.

Fringed Edge 

Draw a thread; stitch or overcast close to drawn thread; pull out all threads below. 

Wind strands of yarn or thread around piece of card board. Stitch across top, cut through bottom. Tear away paper below stitching, stitch turned edge of garment / sewing project to top of fringe. Pull out remaining paper. If desired, whip over top, dividing fringe into groups of threads. 

Tied fringe. Make fringe as above, whipping threads over top to divide into groups of two. Tie from the left, first pair with one thread of second. Tie threads together in groups of twos, one thread of second. Tie threads together in groups of twos, one thread from each group across entire row. For second row, tie two threads of first pair, then continue as before across row. Make as many rows as desired. 

 Another method is to make fringed with needle threaded with double threads of yarn. Make a stitch in garment edge, pulling needle through loop before tightening thread. The needle is rethreaded for each stitch. Make fringe as full as desired and tie as described above. 

Tassels 

Wind yarn around cardboard to desired thickness and tie with separate piece at top. Cut yarn across bottom, pull out cardboard, tie another strand around about ½ inch from the top, leaving one long end to wrap around tassel several times. Thread a needle with this end, and insert needle in center to hold firm. 

Pompoms 

Wind yarn around cardboard about half as wide as the finished pompom is to be. Make yarn thickness about as wide as the cardboard is. Pull out cardboard. Tie through center. Cut both ends. Trim to a round ball. 

In this part of the Finishing Touches series we have covered braid, fringed edge, and  tassels as well as cording and piping and making pompoms. In the Finishing Touches part is all about self-trim edgings.