best way to cut fringe?

[mudman]

I was wondering what is the best way to cut the fringe on the legs of a pair of chaps/chinks? I have tried to figure it out, but have a problem making each fringe even especially when you go from down the sides to across the bottom. Thanks

[greg gomersall]

I start my fringe at the top at the angle I want them to hang at. I use a knife and a straight edge on my bench to cut with NOT SCISSORS. As you get down to the corner you are gonna need to cut some pie shaped pieces out completely, cut a small pie then 5 or 6 fringes then another pie then 5 or 6 more fringes then another pie. Work your way around the corner until your fringes are hanging staight down. If you try to take too large a pie out it will be noticeable but if you take small ones it will not be noticable when you are done. As for getting both sides even lay one leg on top the other and cut both fringes at the same time. Make dang sure your knife is extra sharp when trying to do both at once and strop often. Hope this helps. Greg

[Johanna]

I use a rotary cutter the same way Greg uses his knife to cut fringe.

Johanna

[Cowboy Crafts Online]

mudman,

Greg is right on the money about cutting fringe. Cutting fringe takes lots of practice, go slow at first. Over time you will get fast. I use one of those plastic cutting mats under my chaps, it helps the blade stay sharper longer. That is one thing you need to do, keep you knife sharp and cutting fringe will be so much easier.

Ashley

[barra]

Mudman. If you are cutting seperate fringe to attach to something you get 2 fringes out of the one piece of leather. Best way for my addled brain to explain at this time is like if you connected 2 hair combs together by interconnecting the teeth, there is the width of the 2 fringes. When cut out you have 2 fringes. Like Greg has said cutting out the little pie shapes will assist shaping around bends.

Barra

[mulefool]

I use a clear ruler and a rotary cutter. I run a light line with my fingernail to where I want the top of the cut to end so that the cuts are all in a straight line. I cut from the outside of the leg to the inside. I really like using the clear ruler to run the cutter against because I can clearly see how wide I am cutting. I cut the pie shapes out too when I get to bottom on the chinks. I usually do it one small pie for every 2 fringes I cut. the end of the fringe on the side of the leg ends with a point because you're cutting at an angle, but the fringe across the bottom is straight on the end. When I do an Idaho twist on it I started pointing the ends of all the fringe so I could pull it through the slit easier. I thought that looked kind of pleasing, so now I do that sometimes even if they don't want an Idaho twist.

[mudman]

I think I got it now. Thanks to one and all for all the GREAT info!!

[M.J. Corlett]

Hi all,

I am trying to get a picture of a pair of chinks I made posted. Cutting the fringe has never been a favorite chore for me and I seem to have always done it the long and hard way. That said I usually get the outcome I want. I have always thought that cutting out a pie shape piece would make it easier, as Greg said, but wondered how it would lay after that. I think I might try it now...Thanks Greg.

The pain staking way I do it is as follows:

Make light pencil marks at the angle changes and use a clear ruler (quilter’s ruler found at any store that carries quilting supplies - Wal-Mart). I too, like mulefoot, find the clear ruler to be very helpful. However, I used a rotary cutter at one point, but once you make a cut - that is it. I now mark my entire fringe line with my tracer, using the ruler, and cut with the...uh-oh...scissors . They have to be extremely sharp. As I get closer to rounding the corner, I make the outside of the fringe wider and just cut off the extra to make all of the fringe the same size. So, essentially, I am cutting off very small pie wedges.

Don’t know if you’ll want to go this route, but there ya go!

Misty

[mulefool]

Nice looking chinks Misty. When you cut the pies out and lay the fringe out on table there is a little jog in the line along the end of the fringe. The smaller the pie the less noticeable it is, so that I why I do a small pie every 2 fringes. When I have done them for a show or something special I may even do it every other fringe. I try to never have the wide end of the pie wider than the width of my fringe. I use the clear ruler as a guide for my rotary cutter and it just cuts slick as a whistle. I make sure to hold the ruler down really tight so nothing slides as I cut and I also put on a new blade. If I had to cut them out with scissors I think I'd have to drink even more than I do.

[Luke Hatley]

Hi all,

I am trying to get a picture of a pair of chinks I made posted. Cutting the fringe has never been a favorite chore for me and I seem to have always done it the long and hard way. That said I usually get the outcome I want. I have always thought that cutting out a pie shape piece would make it easier, as Greg said, but wondered how it would lay after that. I think I might try it now...Thanks Greg.

The pain staking way I do it is as follows:

Make light pencil marks at the angle changes and use a clear ruler (quilter’s ruler found at any store that carries quilting supplies - Wal-Mart). I too, like mulefoot, find the clear ruler to be very helpful. However, I used a rotary cutter at one point, but once you make a cut - that is it. I now mark my entire fringe line with my tracer, using the ruler, and cut with the...uh-oh...scissors . They have to be extremely sharp. As I get closer to rounding the corner, I make the outside of the fringe wider and just cut off the extra to make all of the fringe the same size. So, essentially, I am cutting off very small pie wedges.

Don’t know if you’ll want to go this route, but there ya go!

Misty

and i see by your outfit "a real BUCKAROO"

[M.J. Corlett]

I suppose you could say that. I am originally from Winnemucca, NV. (That's my husband in the picture). I made most of the gear he's using, including the saddle. I don't work rawhide yet, but will soon. I have waited until my father could teach me the foundation of it.

one more

[BruceGibson]

Nice work, Misty! Welcome to the forum!