In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to create fringe from Lycra. It is a great thing if you want a different look, a fun look. It is something you can add to a current bathing suit to make it a fun, flirty bathing suit that you see all over the place. The fringe could also be used on T-shirts, blouses, jackets, and pants. The use of this fringe is only limited by your imagination.
The fringe could be added to any garment you want. It could be used at the neck (rounded or V-neck), the bottom of a T-shirt or blouse. It would also work placed across the chest or the end of sleeves. It could even be used on a pair of pants. Really, the uses are limited only to your imagination. You could use it on any fabric that would go with the Lycra but does not run. The fringe could match or coordinate with whatever article of clothing you want to use.
Supplies:
- Lycra
- Bra, top or other garment
- Pins
- Scissors
- Ruler or straight edge
- Tailor’s Chalk or bar of soap
Directions:
- Choosing Your Materials
First, you need to choose the garment that you want to put the fringe on – T-shirt, blouse, pants, jacket, etcetera.
The next thing you will need to do is choose the color of the Lycra that you will use to create the fringe. The color should either match, coordinate or complement the article of clothing where you are going to add the fringe. If the garment is made of Lycra, the fringe could actually be made from the same Lycra.
- Determining Size of Lycra Piece
Once you have chosen the Lycra, you need to determine the size of the Lycra you are going to need to cover the area. The fringe will need to be both long enough and wide enough for the fringe to cover the desired area.
In our demonstration, the fringe will be attached along the top of a bandeau bra and we will need to allow for the stretch of the bra when deciding how much Lycra to use. It would be ideal to try the bandeau bra on the girl and then stretch the Lycra out along the top of the bra while it is still on the girl and pin the fabric along the top of bra. For demonstration purposes, we are using a mannequin. Determine the length of the Lycra that you will need by laying the Lycra across the area where the fringe will be sewn. You could also use a measuring tape to measure the distance. Then to determine the width of the Lycra, you need to decide how long you want the fringe to be. Some like it extra long and others like it shorter.
The fringe can hang down as far as you want. In my opinion, it is preferable to cut the fringe a little longer than you think you will need. It is easier to determine if the fringe is too long once the girl is wearing it. You can then trim the fringe to the length you want.
When you are done with this step, you will have a rectangular piece of Lycra that is long enough and wide enough to cover the garment.
- Marking and Cutting the Fringe
This is a really simple technique for creating fringe. If you are not comfortable with just cutting freehand and keeping the cuts straight and even, you can always mark the Lycra. I suggest using tailor’s chalk or a small piece of soap because they will wash out and not stain the material. Even so, always test it on a small piece of the fabric to make sure that it does not absorb into the Lycra. Otherwise, you could end up with stains on the fringe. For demonstration purposes only, I am going to use a Sharpie to mark the cut lines so that it is easier for you to see. I would never recommend using a Sharpie under normal conditions.
To show the process, we are going to use a small scrap of Lycra. I prefer to fold the Lycra in half when I cut the fringe because it is faster. However, if you do that, you will need to make sure the layers do not shift around when you are cutting the fringe.
If you choose to fold the Lycra in half, you need to make sure that the cut made next to the fold is half the width of the other strips so that when you unfold the Lycra, that strip is the same size as the others. Alternatively, you could cut the strip the same width as the other strips which will make the center strip twice as wide. You will then need to cut down the middle of that middle strip so that it is split in half. That will make the width of the two middle strips the same as all of the other strips. The strips should be between either 1/8” or 1/4” wide. Whatever width you choose, make sure the strips are equal. You also need to make sure that there is enough fabric at the top of the fringe to sew the fringe to the garment.
If you are uncomfortable doing it freehand, mark one long line about ½” parallel to the long edge of the Lycra. Then mark the individual strips perpendicular up to that line. That will give the edge along the length of the Lycra that is needed to sew the fringe onto the item. You can either use a ruler or straight edge to mark these lines but if you feel comfortable with it, you can cut it freehand. I prefer to cut it freehand. Some people believe it looks better if the strips are a little bit off so they do not look too precise. Keep your lines nice and straight. Cut all of the strips the same distance from the edge by cutting up to the long parallel line. Just continue making these cuts and you will end up with a nice piece of Lycra fringe.
I like to leave a little extra uncut Lycra on both ends. To do that, you need to cut the Lycra piece a little longer to allow for that. When you are done, you can either cut the extra off or sew it in to a seam.
And there you have it. A very nice length of fringe that is very unique.
