Guide to Fly Fringe
Fly fringe looks really complicated, but the technique is really quite easy! It is created using knotting just like we showed you in our earlier tutorial. I recommend getting the feel of knotting by making some couching threads first with a heavier thread before moving onto knotting fringes like we talk about here.
Knotting fringes requires the use of a flat silk floss, these are embroidery threads with no twist in them at all, a twisted thread will not give the effect you want. I've found 2 types of flat silk, Soie Ovale from France which I like as the softest fluffiest of the two, and Japanese flat silk, which keeps a straighter looking tuft, it also snags less easily.
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Equipment
To knot fly fringes and tassels you will need...
- knotting shuttle (4-6" long)
- Flat Silk Floss (Flat embroidery floss has no twist in it, a twisted thread will not fluff out and create an attractive tuft)
- Knotting Bag (little draw sting bag to keep the fringe in as it gets longer
- Embroidery scissors
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Steps
First you need to load your shuttle. You will need to at least double your thread.
I recommend 4 threads for Soie Ovale, and 6 threads for Japanese Silks
Wind on as much as you want to knot |
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1) First you need to create your first knotted thread. This is the same as the basic single knot. Tie 2 knots about 1mm 2/16" apart, then a space of about 1cm 0.5" and tie the next 2 knots, keep going all along the thread.
These will make your first tufts, the bigger the gap the longer the tufts! |
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| 2) Now You have your first knotted thread, load your shuttle with a new set of threads. Tie a single knot as before. |
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3)now slip your original knotting in between the threads, with a knot on either side of your shuttle thread
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| 4)Tie another knot in your shuttle thread as close as possible to your first knot. This will neatly hold your future tuft in place. |
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| 5)Repeat this all the way along the thread |
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6) Now cut the spaces in your original thread in half, and you have your tufts!
It can be easier to cut the tufts as you go, this is slower, but can be easier to handle |
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This is how you make a basic fly fringe! You can keep fracturing your strings in this way to build up more and more complicated fringes. Just leave a space with 2 close together knots where ever you want your threads to join. |
Examples Of Fly Fringe
 
Here are 2 fly fringes I knotted using the technique above |
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