The difference between a project that looks homemade and one that looks handcrafted often comes down to its edging. A simple baby blanket becomes heirloom-worthy with the right edging. A plain dishcloth gains charm with a decorative border. This month, we’re exploring how edges and careful finishing can transform your work – whether it be crocheted, knitted or tatted.
Think of edging as the frame around a painting. A well-chosen border doesn’t just finish off raw edges; it changes the entire character of a piece. A stark, modern blanket can be softened with a delicate picot edge. A baby shawl gains sophistication with a shell border. A regular handkerchief, washcloth or tea towel becomes personalised and gift-worthy with scalloped edging.
Adding an edge to clothing can rejuvenate your wardrobe – sleeves, hems and necklines can be modernised with featured border panels; and hems of skirts, tops or pants can be lengthened with an edging of lace.
The beauty of crocheting, knitting or tatting edges is their versatility. You can add them to any fabric, whether knitted, crocheted, or woven. You can make them skinny or as thick as you wish, and use colours that can enhance the project.
Shell edging is perhaps the most popular choice. Worked by clustering multiple stitches into the same space, shells create a graceful scalloped effect that suits everything from blankets to garment hems. They add visual weight without bulk and work up relatively quickly.
Picot edges bring delicate detail to any project. These tiny loops, formed by chaining and slip stitching back into the base, create a refined finish perfect for lace shawls, baby items, and table linens. Picots can be worked alone for subtle texture or combined with other stitches for more elaborate designs.
Scalloped borders offer endless variations. From simple chain-space scallops to complex multi-row designs, these wavelike edges add movement and elegance. They’re particularly effective on curved edges like shawl borders or circular tablecloths.
Getting It Right: Spacing and Consistency
The secret to professional-looking edges is even spacing. Working along the side of crochet rows or into woven fabric can be tricky – too few stitches and your edge ripples outward; too many and it puckers inward.
Having the right tools can help make this process easier – stitch markers, hinged edging guides, an awl or pointed hooks are just a few that we have in stock.
And there are numerous books dedicated entirely to crochet edges and finishes, covering everything from simple borders to intricate lace edgings.
Tips for Neat Finishing
Weave in ends as you go rather than leaving them all for the end. Use a blunt tapestry needle and work ends through several stitches in different directions for security. Trim close to the fabric, but not so close that the ends work loose with washing.
Block your finished piece to let the edging settle properly. Pinning out scallops and picots shows off their shape and helps them lie flat. Take time to ensure corners are square and curves are smooth.
Don’t rush that final border. The right edge, carefully executed, is what makes your work truly shine.
Here is a lovely free pattern for a Spider Stitch edging, designed by Lullaby Lodge, that you can use on any of your projects. Make sure to match your yarn and crochet hook size to your project so that you end up with a neat and uniform border.
We can’t feature our usual array of products relating to edgings as we resolve a remaining issue with the website – but following this link will give you patterns dedicated to hand-made edges.
