How to Sew Fringe Trim to a Quilt

You didn’t know you needed this in your life, but you do. I promise.

If you’ve never added a fun trim to a quilt.. have you really lived? All kidding aside, this fringe is just as easy as normal binding and adds the most fantastic, unique, (I could go on) detail to the edges of your quilt.

Why Fringe Trim For a Quilt?

Why not Fringe? Really, I was inspired by the vintage vibes from the Isola quilt and knew she needed something different. Not just big stitch binding, something that set off her clean lines and circles.

Fringe won, and it was relatively more wash friendly than some other trim ideas. I knew it could be done, I just had to figure out how!

And it turns out, it’s really not hard. And the whole process added maybe 20ish minutes to the total quilt time. To help you in your fringe making, I’ve put together this tutorial for you.

Measurements can be played with depending on what aesthetic you’re going for, but this fringe trim really is the most unique way to finish a quilt.

What Types of Fringe Can Be Used?

I used a cotton fringe that is relatively short. It seemed less delicate than other varieties and I didn’t want the fringe to get tangled easily while being washed.

You can find the same Fringe trim that I used on Amazon (or Etsy, Fabric Stores, etc.)

I would advise the same or very similar type of fringe to have successful results. There are some delicate fringes that may not hold up to daily use or lots of washing. 

How to Wash Quilts with Fringe Trim?

As little as possible to keep it looking fresh. However to wash, I would put it in a laundry bag, and wash on delicate cold. Lay to dry.

If you’re feeling crazy, wash it sans bag, cold water, and toss into a dryer with light heat (or no heat). Honestly, I haven’t tried this method, so if you do it, let me know how it goes!

To be really safe, attach a small sample and wash it to see what happens. That will prevent any unpleasant surprises later on.

Let’s get that Fringe on your quilt

To start you’ll need to procure some fringe, see above to order some of the kind that I used. You’ll need the same amount as normal binding.

Supplies:

• Fringe – The same amount as the perimeter of your quilt. The Isola Throw took exactly 4 yards.
• Binding fabric – The amount will depend on the width of your fringe. If you’d like the binding to match the back of your quilt, use matching backing fabric for binding strips.
• An unbound quilt that has been squared and trimmed to be even.

Cutting Binding Strips

Each fringe trim is unique and comes with a little bit of stabilizing fabric at the bottom. This is how the fringe is maintained, so avoid cutting it down in any way.

My stabilizing fabric measured about ½”. To make binding strips, multiply the width of your stabilizer fabric X 4.

Mine 1/2” so my strips needed to be 2” wide. Find the perimeter of your quilt (width x height) and add 10”. Divide this total by 42” (or the width of your fabric selvage to selvage, most are 42”). This is how many strips that you’ll need to cut.  

Join the Binding Strips

Join your binding strips, I usually join mine by sewing a diagonal line on the ends of the strips as pictured.

Trim the excess fabric and press open to reduce bulk. Fold about ¼” of one short end of your our long binding strip and then in half lengthwise and iron flat.

This is similar to traditional quilt binding, except we’ll be attaching the fringe to this strip first, before sewing it onto the quilt.

Attaching the Fringe Trim to the Binding Strip

Sew the fringe onto the raw side of the binding strip as shown. I used pins initially however, later on, It was pretty easy to just align it as I sewed.
 
I sewed with a scant ¼” seam, but it really depends on the size of your trim and what you want showing on the front of the quilt. Anything on the fringe side of this seam will be showing, so if you’d like more or less, it depends on you.

To reduce some of the risk of the fringe shrinking and pulling the sides of the quilt in, snip a tiny line into the trim/binding strip, not going past the seam, every 2-3” or so.

Attach the Fringe Trim to the Quilt

The best part! Actually I’m kidding, the best part is pulling out the string that usually secures the top of the fringe.

 

Pin the fringe to the perimeter of the quilt with the fringe facing the front of the quilt, the binding strip on top, raw edges matching.

You can miter corners, however it did create a lot of bulk, instead when approaching a corner round it gently and pin it.

Sew using a ¼” seam, making sure that you are sewing over your quilt top/backing with no batting showing.

I simply sewed over the previous seam allowance. When approaching the end, tuck the end of the binding strip under the start end (that is folded in).

Snip the corners off to reduce bulk.

Finishing the Fringe Trim

Iron the binding strip out, so that it is no longer on the front of the quilt top. Fold the binding strip to the back of the quilt, pulling down gently until no binding shows on the front.. just glorious fringe.

Attach using your chosen method. I used big stitch binding because why not, feel free to do an invisible whip stitch. To machine bind, it will leave a seam on the front of the quilt, so if you’re okay with that, that works as well!

Once you’ve finished attaching the binding to the back of the quilt, pull the string out of the fringe to release all the little fringies. (not word, but it is now).

Isn’t is beautiful?!?!

I can’t wait to add it to so many other quilts!

Let me know if you do add fringe, I can’t wait to see it!!! Join the private facebok group to share pictures so we can all see!