The photo above is a clip of the Folkloric Fringed Wrap from my Wrapped in Embroidery book. Here you can see how the back compliments the front of the garment.
It seems we often neglect the back of a garment when embellishing. Yet the old saying holds true, people see you coming and going. As an embellishment enthusiast I see the back as just another blank canvas waiting to be decorated with embroidery and other interesting trimmings. Besides the machine embroidery, prominent accents on this garment are the self fabric fringe and the couched yarn. These accents are simple and easy to accomplish. The book details instructions for embroidering the facing and yoke, fringing the edges, and couching the yarn. Here, I’d like to fill you in on some possible fabric selections for making this Folkloric Fringed Wrap.
The fabric I chose for the Folkloric Fringed Wrap is a blend of 40% wool and 60% polyester. The look of the fabric says wool but you can see that the percentage is more poly than wool. This piece was a bargain find from an online source, trimfabric.com. If you explore this site you will find they have a nice selection of washable wool and poly blend fabrics.
While I am a huge fan of shopping locally for my fabric and notions, sometimes you just can’t find what you need. This is particularly true when it comes to searching for wool or washable wool blend fabrics.
I successfully washed this fabric and even after multiple times it looks as good as new. Specifically, I used cool water, mild detergent with a gentle cycle, and only dried it for a few minutes in a cool dryer. For online ordering, I prefer to order a swatch first. Then I can see and feel the fabric and also test laundering before taking the leap and ordering a chunk of yardage. Remember “to test is best.” Here is my method, begin by cutting your swatch precisely in half. Then, select one half and wash and dry as recommended. I usually wash and dry two to three times. Remember you are going to launder more than once so you want to see how the fabric is affected by multiple launderings. For the final stage, compare your two swatches side by side and see how they measure up. Was the shrinkage moderate? Did the color change? Do the fibers look worn from being washed? Note that you will almost certainly see a bit of change. Examine the swatch closely and decide if the change is acceptable to you. My swatch passed the washing test with flying colors!
You could of course use standard dry-cleanable wool for this wrap. However, I prefer wash-ability for my casual wear clothing.
I successfully washed this fabric and even after multiple times it looks as good as new. Specifically, I used cool water, mild detergent with a gentle cycle, and only dried it for a few minutes in a cool dryer. For online ordering, I prefer to order a swatch first. Then I can see and feel the fabric and also test laundering before taking the leap and ordering a chunk of yardage. Remember “to test is best.” Here is my method, begin by cutting your swatch precisely in half. Then, select one half and wash and dry as recommended. I usually wash and dry two to three times. Remember you are going to launder more than once so you want to see how the fabric is affected by multiple launderings. For the final stage, compare your two swatches side by side and see how they measure up. Was the shrinkage moderate? Did the color change? Do the fibers look worn from being washed? Note that you will almost certainly see a bit of change. Examine the swatch closely and decide if the change is acceptable to you. My swatch passed the washing test with flying colors!
You could of course use standard dry-cleanable wool for this wrap. However, I prefer wash-ability for my casual wear clothing.
Let’s talk just a bit about the Fringe factor. Fabric that frays naturally like this wool blend is perfect for the fringe that frames the back yoke and front facing. In addition, fabulous fringe forms the edge finish along all raw edges on this garment. Fringing the edges adds a bit of flair and also makes for a very easy edge finish. A plain woven wool or wool blend should fringe quite easily. When I envisioned this wrap I knew from the start I wanted to incorporate the fringe factor. I think the fringe adds to the casual look of this wrap. It’s a style that could be considered anything from a little bit hippie, to a touch of western. Of course, you can substitute more traditional hemming techniques if you like.
Wool is not the only fabric I considered for this piece. I settled on the wool because I liked the color and knew it would fringe well. I have another piece I plan to use for a similar wrap. It’s an odd rayon blend that ravels easily. If you are looking for alternatives for a wrap like this, I would suggest you search for a medium weight, even weave, woven fabric. Choose one that’s not too heavy and not too light, with a nice drape. Since the shape of this garment is a basic rectangle it should fall off the shoulder area and flow across the body without looking stiff. How do you know the fabric has enough drape? Wrap a length around your shoulders and go find a mirror. To find a good fringe candidate, walk down the fabric aisle in search of fabrics that look messy as they dangle from their cardboard sleeves. One of these “stringy” fabrics may be the perfect candidate for this style. In particular, the bargain section will often yield strange blends of rayons, linens and other “messy” fabrics that could turn out to be a treasure.
Wool is not the only fabric I considered for this piece. I settled on the wool because I liked the color and knew it would fringe well. I have another piece I plan to use for a similar wrap. It’s an odd rayon blend that ravels easily. If you are looking for alternatives for a wrap like this, I would suggest you search for a medium weight, even weave, woven fabric. Choose one that’s not too heavy and not too light, with a nice drape. Since the shape of this garment is a basic rectangle it should fall off the shoulder area and flow across the body without looking stiff. How do you know the fabric has enough drape? Wrap a length around your shoulders and go find a mirror. To find a good fringe candidate, walk down the fabric aisle in search of fabrics that look messy as they dangle from their cardboard sleeves. One of these “stringy” fabrics may be the perfect candidate for this style. In particular, the bargain section will often yield strange blends of rayons, linens and other “messy” fabrics that could turn out to be a treasure.
Finally, I’d like to give you some tips for adding yarn embellishment to most anything you can think of. The basic technique is called couching which simply means to lay down the yarn and secure with stitching so it stays in place. I chose a Lion Brand washable acrylic yarn called Bon Bon Brights. These cute little balls of yarn are just the right weight for couching and I like the fact that I don’t have a giant skein leftover at the end of my project. Packages like this are easy to find and come in both fun and fancy color combinations. There is even a metallic variety. The weight of this yarn is similar to a Sport Weight. Read more about this yarn by clicking the link below.
Lion Brand BonbonYarn
Lion Brand BonbonYarn
Sport weight and similar yarn is generally ideal for inserting into a special machine accessory foot commonly called a couching or braiding foot. Couched yarn is a great way to coordinate with embroidery and make one particular accent color a focal point. In this case the accent color is a purplish plum.
This happens to be one of my favorite wraps to wear! With three distinct elements of embellishment; fringe, embroidery, and couching, it is unique and eye catching both coming and going! And, isn't that one of the reasons we love to sew wearables? It’s a way to express your creativity to the whole world while covering yourself with a special work or art!
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