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Decorative Edges
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Contents:
- Woven Trims
- Fringe
- Knotted Fringe
- Ribbon Trim
- How-to: Apply Ribbon
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Woven Trims
Woven trims lend quality and visual appeal to any garment, and fleece projects are no exception! They function as a simple finishing technique for hems, sleeve and neck edges, and can help define the "mood" of the garment — choose your woven trim carefully, for a look that's sporty, dressy, or somewhere in between.
Any trim with two finished edges can be applied to the garment. If your chosen trim is too narrow for the desired effect, make it look wider by applying the trim in parallel rows.
A wide trim should be applied to each garment section before the sections are joined together — this allows you to encase the trim's raw edges within the seam allowance. Topstitch along both sides of the trim. Depending on its width, a narrow trim may be attached using a single row of stitching along the center of the trim, or along both ends as for a wider style.
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Fringe
Fringe is another favorite for fleece projects, whether plain or knotted for added interest. The keys to a professional-looking fringe are straight and evenly spaced cuts. Practice on a scrap piece of fleece to determine
how wide you prefer your fringe cuts to be. Keep in mind that the length and width of the fringe cuts should be in
proportion to the garment — fringe sections for a toddler's garment might be smaller and/or more narrow
than fringe sections on a man's scarf. Cuts are generally spaced at 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch intervals. If necessary,
adjust the width of your cuts toward the end to avoid an odd width of fringe at the end.
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Knotted Fringe
Knotted fringe is easily created by tying every other fringe section together once they are cut. Note that you might want to cut the fringe longer to allow for the knotting, which will shorten the fringe overall. If the pattern calls only for plain fringe, consider adding about one inch to the end of the garment piece so that you'll be
able to cut the fringe sections longer and allow for knotting, without cutting too far into the garment itself.
Knotted fringe for home decor projects can be a wider, "chunkier" look, where the strips are
cut wider. Upper and lower layers of the pillow or throw are cut and tied together into a single knot.
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Ribbon Trim
Ribbon trim is a great decorative touch on fleece projects especially when you select a satin, grosgrain or other textured ribbon that contrasts with the matte surface of the fleece. Depending on the width of the ribbon you choose, consider adding two or three rows of ribbon. For visual balance, remember that the narrower the ribbon, the more rows you can add.
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- Position ribbon on the garment along the placement line. (If there is no pre-determined placement line on your pattern, add it to the garment where desired.)
- Use pins to secure ribbon in place for stitching, or if pin marks will damage the ribbon, use a small amount of basting glue.
- Turn under both ends of the ribbon, having the ends meet at one seam.
- Stitch close to the long edges of each ribbon.
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| Courtesy of Simplicity.com.
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