Fringe Blanket/Hammock

I've had my eyes on fringe blankets for a while.  These props can help create wonderfully dramatic photos, and I'm always looking for ways to make my portraits more creative.  If you're not sure what I mean, just check out these images (Google Images of Fringe Blankets).  Now that we have our own little bundle of joy on the way, I MUST have one.  MUST!  You can find these all over Etsy, and I almost caved and just purchased one.  But, the miserly woman in me said, "NO, you're not allowed!  You can make this."  So, no matter how many projects I have going on at the moment, I'm adding this one to the list.  I have scoured the internet for different ways to do this.  There are several methods, depending on what you want. All of these methods use yarns of various colors and textures to make a very rich yet ragged looking fringe edge. 

Fringe Blanket:

• Crochet or knit a small blanket and then tie yarn to the perimeter.  There are lots of patterns available on Etsy.
• Doily Method: Buy a dollar store doily and tie on the fringe.

Fringe Hammock:

• Crochet or knit a hammock, and then tie yarn to the edges.
• Weave a hammock using a home-made loom, leaving extra length to each side.  Then tie the fringe in knots to secure the weave.  You can also run the edges of the woven portion through a sewing machine to be extra sure that the weave is secured. 

To make a more versatile prop, I've decided to go with the hammock model for my first fringy.  Since I have crocheted a hammock before and it took a fairly long time, I would like to try weaving.  With a quilt and a baby blanket in the works, I can't afford to spend too much time on this.  Of the fringe hammocks that Ive seen out there, the woven ones also seem most secure under a little ones fragile body.  I don't have a loom, so the first order of business is to make a basic loom.

Making a Loom:
If you're like me, you probably don't have a large space to store a 3ft by 5 ft frame loom.  Again, I consulted my trusted source.... youtube.  I found several videos for making very complicated or large looms, and then stumbled upon one that was a simple rake loom.  It's just a thin board with nails pounded into it. 


What I plan to do tomorrow, is make two of these at a 3 foot length.  Then I'll attach these to either end of my kitchen table with c-clamps.  Once I've assembled my makeshift loom, I'll be ready to weave. 

Hopefully I'll get time to finish this project soon.  Look for an update.  I'll be back soon with photos of how this all worked out.