Having the edge on!

When you have completed the weaving, the entire design and to the size you have measured, you should be considering an 'edge'.

The woven edge could be considered finished, but looking at the photo above, it offers an 'unfinished' feel. Rule of thumb: Never show thread or bead guts. The wefts are seen, as well as the outer warp. Your weaving can be further secured, if you edge. You'll also cover the threads used, weft and warp, so they do not snag or break.

The 'base' of your edging is something you should think about, before you begin to edge. There are only two options.

1. Using a bead as the base of your fringe/edge.
I suggest considering the base bead, if your edging or fringe will be finished directly from the woven edge. Notice in the picture above. The three on the left are 'based' with an 11/0 seed bead. This bead is larger in size and shaped different then the woven 11/0 Delica bead. Therefore, you create a 'bunching' of the edge base. This actually can be a nice 'look', but making your edge stand out, you may want to look at the other options.

The three 'base beads' on the right, are started with an 11/0 Delica. This is the same size and shaped bead as was woven (notice the photo below). Therefore, your edging lays neater. Notice also that the rest of the beads used, are larger and different shaped, but the base bead will denote the final look of your edge.

As a final note, when you use a 'base bead', be sure to run your needle through the entire row of weave, so no thread turns show in your design. If you must do a thread turn, and you have a graphed pattern, do a light thread, thread turn around the light beads and a dark thread, thread turn, around the dark beads. Stagger these turns so they do not show up or bend the few rows you pick up.

HOWEVER, For a slight step up, you can add a bead, for each thread turn, making a 'straight edge of beads' or a 'border line', inside your woven edge line, shown in the picture below. Consider adding a Drop Bead too! You may stagger this 'bead filled thread turn', or create a straight line edge.


2. A hand woven Brick Stitch Base.

This option allows you to use any size or shaped bead, as the edge base, because you can hand weave or brick stitch the beads along the edge, using the outer warp, (which is doubled for strength), and not have to follow the exact number of rows woven. You will make a choice as to when you skip a row of weaving, so the stitching lays flat.

Once a brick stitch base is completed, you may still want to consider a further finishing technique. Look at the edge, after the brick stitching is complete, in the picture below.

There is still an 'open bead' and 'wide stretches of thread'. This thread can catch on something and break. Cover that look by now doing a picot in and out of each 11/0 seed bead. You can even add an additional turn bead, while doing so!

To finish this brick stitch edge, let me offer just another few options. There are many others, but these ideas may get you started.


Loop Edge - Using the beads used for the brick stitch, you can 'loop' a number of beads, up and down, then back again, with the same size bead, a different color or a different size bead.


Lower Bleed - Adding a scalloped edge to the lower portion of the brick stitched beads, allowing the beads to 'bleed' over the loomed edge.


Double Lower Bleed - You can continue to create ways of adding further over your weaving. This is a great look, if your woven design is graphic or simple. Another design is to continue this bleeding process, so you create a 'netting' over the weaving!


Upper & Lower Bleed - After you complete a lower bleed of edging, you may want to consider adding to the upper portion of the brick stitching, creating an 'upper bleed'. This is a very dramatic edge. Again, you can consider this type of edging if you want your fringes to take front and center.


Upper Bleed - You may also want to finish your brick stitch edging with just a fringe. Something with 'movement' or even very simple like a picot edge.

Please do not consider adding a beaded edge, with any weight or movement, by using 'just the outer warp'. Either use the woven beads to secure, or do a base of brick stitch. If you choose to use just the outer warp, for securing your edge, then you will run into a situation where your outer warp could be cut. The weight of a frilly edge could break the outer warp. A snag or pull on a picot edge created on just the outer warp, will break this warp. Using the beads themselves, is the best and most secure option. But if you choose to do the peyote base on the outer edge and your fringing snags, think how much easier it would be to 'repair' the brick stitch base, as opposed to replacing an outer warp (if you fringe from the outer warp only), should the edging snag/break, under normal wear and tear.

These ideas I just shared are some of the many possibilities you can create to make your weaving look 'finished'. Please consider a class, with me, as I travel offering many more edge design ideas using crystals and larger beads. Watch my FB Page for places, dates and contact information.