How to Make a Fringed Midi Skirt: Leather, Trim and Self-Fabric Fringe

The placement of fringe changes the whole silhouette. A fringed hem adds length and swing at the bottom, often continuing past the hem so the skirt looks longer than its base. Fringe attached at a yoke or hip seam falls over the skirt below and gives a layered look. Several rows sewn in tiers create a fully fringed surface, which is dramatic but heavy.

On a midi, a band of fringe at the hem or a single tier at knee height is easiest to wear. Fringe that starts at the hip makes the hip area look wider, so it suits straighter figures or a skirt with a slim base.

Leather and suede are ideal for fringe because they do not fray. Cut a strip of the required depth plus a heading of about 2 to 3 cm, which stays uncut and is sewn to the skirt. Mark parallel lines across the strip at equal spacing, usually between 5 and 10 mm, and cut from the lower edge up to the heading with a rotary cutter and a metal ruler.

Narrow strands move more but tangle more; wider strands hang straighter and read more graphic. Thin lambskin or goat suede of about 0.6 to 0.8 mm gives a soft, swinging fringe. Thicker leather creates a stiffer, Western look. Check the grain: leather stretches more in one direction, and strands cut along the length of the hide hang straighter.

• Use a self-healing mat and a fresh rotary blade; a dull blade drags suede.
• Cut a test strip and hang it before cutting the whole length.
• Faux suede works in the same way and is lighter and washable.
• Join strips with an overlapped seam in the heading, glued or stitched.

Ready-made fringe trim is sold by the meter with a woven or crocheted heading. It comes in rayon, cotton, viscose chainette, beaded versions and many lengths. Chainette fringe is heavy and moves fluidly; cotton fringe is lighter and more casual.

Sew trim to the skirt by stitching through the heading, with the strands taped or basted together so they do not catch under the presser foot. A zipper foot lets you stitch close to the heading's edge. To hide the heading, sandwich it in a seam, for example between the skirt and a hem band or between two tiers, or cover it with a narrow band of self-fabric or ribbon.

On loosely woven fabrics such as linen, tweed, bouclé and some cottons, fringe can be made by pulling out threads to expose the warp or weft. Mark the depth of the fringe, sew a line of small straight stitches or a narrow zigzag along that line to stop the fabric unravelling further, then remove the cross threads one at a time below it.

This method only works along the straight grain, so the fringed edge must be on grain: a straight skirt, a rectangular panel or a straight tier. It gives a soft, organic fringe that matches the skirt perfectly, but it is not as dense as leather or trim. For a fuller result, cut a separate double-layered strip of the same fabric, fray it and apply it as a trim.

Fringe adds weight to the lower part of the skirt. A straight or slightly A-line base with darts or a yoke carries it well, because the fringe falls freely from a stable line. A full circle skirt with heavy fringe is less successful: the weight pulls the bias areas longer, the hem drops unevenly and the fringe twists.

The skirt fabric should be stable enough to support the fringe: a medium-weight cotton twill, denim, wool or suede-effect fabric works well. If you are applying leather fringe to a lighter fabric, interface the line where it attaches with a strip of fusible interfacing or stay tape so the skirt does not sag at the seam.

A lining helps fringed skirts too. It stops the inner side of the fringe catching on tights and keeps the base smooth over the hips.

Plan the length of the fringe together with the length of the base. On a midi, the fringe usually extends the hem by 10 to 25 cm, so the base is shorter than the finished length. Pin the fringe to the skirt and check the length in front of a mirror before stitching; fringe always looks longer when worn.

Weight affects the hang. Leather and chainette fringes are heavy and should be attached to a firm seam or band. To check, hold the finished length of the trim you intend to use across your hand: if it pulls noticeably, add stay tape to the attachment line. Hang the skirt for a day before hemming the base, because bias areas can drop.

Trim the ends of the fringe evenly after the skirt is complete, with the skirt worn or hung on a dress form, because the hem of a flared base dips slightly at the bias areas. Leather fringe can be trimmed at an angle for a lighter look. Cut a few strands at a time and step back to check the line, because a missed strand is easier to fix than an over-trimmed edge.

Store fringed skirts hanging, not folded, and comb the fringe straight with your fingers after wearing. Leather fringe should be cleaned by a leather specialist; chainette fringe may be hand washed if the trim and base allow it, then dried flat with the strands straightened.

With fringe, the base needs to fit cleanly at the waist and hip, because any pulling shows as uneven fringe lines. A pattern drafted to your waist, hip and length measurements gives a base that sits level.

Minerva Patterns drafts each pattern in garment-industry CAD to your measurements or to standard sizes. You choose the format: PDF for A4, US Letter, A0 or one long sheet, a projector file, PLT for a plotter, or DXF AAMA for pattern software, with or without seam allowances.