How Much Fringe is Enough Fringe?

• 1
  Measuring Your HemMeasuring Tape On white Background image by mashe from Fotolia.com
  
  Measure the hem line, or seam, of the shawl section you want to fringe to determine the length of your project. If desired, using standard sewing thread, whip stitch along the hem of your shawl (using a color that blends well). This will strengthen your fringe line when you attach it later and is highly recommended for silk or other light weight fabrics. Set the shawl aside and prepare your beads by pouring them into a shallow bowl or plate. (Going Green? see Tips.)
  
  
• 2
  Cotton or Silk Floss Works Well.spool of thread macro image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
  
  Cut a length of cotton cording (or other type) that is 6-8 inches longer than the shawl hem measurement from Step 1 and thread it with a crewel, chenille or other needle. (See Tips for more information on choosing the correct size.) If you are satisfied with your choices, take the threaded needle in your right hand and create a "bead stopper" about 2 inches from the tail end by passing your needle through one bead, around and back through it several times. Tug on the cording to be sure that the stopper is secure. This prevents the beads from slipping off the strand.
  
  
• 3
  Beaded Fringe With Base Strandbead curtain image by Bruce Hewitson from Fotolia.com
  
  Make a beaded base strand for your fringe by stringing a length of beads that equal the length of your shawl hem (see Step 1). When you've finished the strand, count the number of beads on the finished strand and jot it down. Don't include the stopper bead in your calculations. If the number of beads on your base strand can be evenly divided by 10, add 2 extra beads. If it cannot, reduce the number of beads on your base strand so the total can be evenly divided by 10. For example, if the strand measures 276 beads, remove 6 beads, totaling 270, and then add 2 extra beads to total 272 beads on the base strand. This ensures the fringe is evenly and equally spaced on both ends of your strand.
  
  
• 4
  A Very Long Base Strandmetallic background image by Yekaterina Choupova from Fotolia.com
  
  Gather the beaded base strand in your left hand, and pick up one bead. Keeping it on the needle, make a stopper bead by inserting the needle through the neighboring bead, working from right to left. Tug firmly on the cording to secure the stopper and check the entire strand for any slack in the cording (this happens easily when working with long strands). When the beads are secure, with no slack in the cording, begin fringing!
  
  
• 5
  Embellishment Beadsswarovsky beads image by odze from Fotolia.com
  
  Gather up the beaded base strand gently in your left hand. Pick up 11 beads (or more, for longer fringe), then pick up 1 embellishment bead with the needle. Make a stopper bead as in Step 2, this time, however, pass the needle back through the fringe (11 beads), working from bottom to top, and "trapping" the stopper bead on the bottom of the fringe. To create the even spaces between each fringe, run the needle through the next 10 beads on the base strand.
  
  
• 6
  Tacking It Onblue celebratory beads image by ELEN from Fotolia.com
  
  Continue making fringe, using the guidelines in Step 5, by running your thread through 10 beads on the base strand to space the fringe evenly, until you have reached the end of the beaded base strand. When you are finished, slip the needle through the last bead on the strand, pick up one more bead, and create a 'bead stopper' to secure the end of the strand. To finish your fringe, run the thread back through the beads and fringe for 5-6" and cut the cording close to the beads. Take care not to cut through the main cord line.
  
  
• 7
  Tacking It All Downneedlework image by Luis Bras from Fotolia.com
  
  Attaching the fringe to your shawl can be done in a variety of ways. If you've sewn a line of whip stitch on the seam line of a fabric shawl, lay the fringe strand along the seam line, tacking the fringe base down using small, straight stitches, perpendicular to the seam, between beads. For a knitted or crochet shawl, tack the fringe directly to the shawl, using a blended color. Or use a running stitch, passing the needle through the beads, the yarn stitches of your shawl and back up between beads.