How do you make your shawls?

[alaskashadowwolf]

My wife just got her first dress for Christmas, there is a pic of it in a Cloth Dancing thread. I was wondering how you experienced shawl makers make your shawls and what size you make them. My wife wants to make her own shawl as well as have me teach her to bead so she can make the rest of her accessories with my advice and help.
Any help would be much apprieciated!!!!!!!!!!!

[wyo_rose]

Hey, I was looking for that pic and couldn't find it. Is it in your member gallery?

Anyway, for a 'traditional' shawl: Buy about 2 yards of 60" wide material. Trim the ends square and hem the sides. Fold it over about a 1/2 inch twice so there's no loose threads showing.

Next put on a design if you want. It'll probably be folded twice and held over her arm, right, for dancing? So a design divisible by fourths is nice. Know what I mean?

Chainette fringe is usually found on these type of shawls. You can buy a spool, or 14" chainette by the yard. You'll probably need 2 yards or 2 1/2. It's better to have too much, cuz colors are hard to match if you run out.

Get a big needle with a big eye, like a tapestry needle but with a sharp point. If you're using 14" chainette, pull out two pieces of fringe, and thread the two ends thru the eye. Starting at a corner, put the needle thru just about a 1/4" from the edge. Pull thru, pull the ends even and tie. Keep all the pieces together when you tie the knot. (As opposed to tieing a granny type knot)

Insert the next 2 fringes about an inch (or a thumb width) away.

If you're using fringe off a spool, cut off a piece 28 inches long. You can make a cardboard template that's 14 inches wide. Then wrap your fringe around it and cut off at one end only. You could make the fringe longer if you want, for more 'sway'. Then fold that piece in half, insert in the eye and put it on the same way.

Then when you're done trim the ends.

[alaskashadowwolf]

Thanks for the advice wyo_rose! The dress pics are under cloth dancing, the thread is called new colors/new dresses. I'll put the pics in my gallery tonight if I get the chance. Anyone else have any tips or different ways they make their shawls. Or any pics of shawls they'd like to post here?

[wyo_rose]

My friend who dances Northern Traditional just made a 'mini' shawl to fold over her arm. It's about 15 x 30 with fringe on one end and a design right above it. Much easier to handle, than making sure your shawl is folded just right all the time.

And if you don't want to use chainette fringe, 1/4 inch ribbon is great!

[alaskashadowwolf]

Wyo_rose, I just posted a pic of my wife's dress in my gallery. It's a dark green and the top is a tan color with a nice pattern in red, green, turquoise and brown

[Riverwoman]

This is all done on a sewing machine eh? Well how about this... how would I sew the ribbon in between the pices of fabric? Or would one just "tie" them on like fringe?

[wyo_rose]

OK, saw the pic! A matching shawl with ribbon fringe would be great. Does your father have any of that fabric left over? You could cut out design pieces from that. Are you acquainted with Wonder-Under?

[Blackbear]

yep Tahemet...just tie them on like the chainette...