Just as a knitter needs to choose the right cast-on and bind-off for a project, a weaver needs to think about the beginning and ending of their woven piece. Hemstitching is one way to secure the warp and weft threads and prevent unraveling.
What Does Hemstitching Do?
Hemstitching finishes the beginning and ending edges of your woven piece; it keeps the weft threads from unravelling and gives a little extra strength to the ends of the fabric. It can add a decorative touch, especially if you do the hemstitching with a contrasting colour and can be a good option when you don’t want the extra bulk of a sewn or turned-under hem. If you are going to have twisted fringes on your piece, the fringes will hold the weft threads in place, so hemstitching isn’t necessary. That said, I prefer a more finished look and the added security, so I often do both hemstitching and fringe twisting.
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All photos credit Sarah Thornton.
