Guest Author - Cheryl Ellex

After having selected or sewn the perfect dress, found the perfect shoes and accessories, it seems to defeat the ethereal illusion of the cherished event to cover all with a coat of any sort. Consider instead to sew the perfect coordinating or complementing wrap. It can be a stylish shrug or shawl made out of lace, silk, satin, or the sheerest of fabrics for the perfect prom cover-up.

Determine the width and length of the shawl you want to make. Cut two pieces of fabric using these dimensions if light-weight or one from a slightly heavier fabric and one from a lining fabric. For an elegant fabric choose raw silk, silk georgette, shantung, dupioni or china silk, chiffon, crepe de shine or satin-like charmeuse.

Place the two pieces of fabric right-sides together and sew all around using a 3/8" to 5/8" seam leaving a 6 inch opening for turning. Trim seam to even edges, clip corners, turn, press lightly using a pressing cloth, then hand stitch the opening closed. Embellish sparingly with a few beads or braid, fringe or tassels. Too much embellishment may cause the shawl to snag on some dress fabrics and cause unsightly pulls.

Sewing hints:
Cut the selvedge edge off the fabric as the edge is usually woven different from the fabric and can cause the fabric to crinkle slightly along this edge when sewn. Cut fabric using the sharpest scissors or dressmaker's shears. Dull scissors can snag delicate fabrics.
Machine stitch using a medium stitch length, reduced thread tension for delicate fabrics and threads, machine needle designed for piercing woven fabrics and an even-feed or roller presser foot to ease the fabric gently over the machine's feed dogs.
Always use a pressing cloth and light iron pressure when pressing to avoid scorching or melting fabrics that may be fragile.

To make tassels:
Use embroidery floss or fine yarns and a sturdy template cut to the desired length and fullness of the tassel. Starting at the bottom of the template, wrap around and over many times, to achieve the desired fullness for the finished tassel. Ease the fibers off of the template and carefully hold the loop in your hand. Turn the loop to wrap with the remaining floss or yarns this time horizontally around the loop slightly down from the top to create the tassel head, leaving a tail to tuck and tie under. Cut the loop apart at the bottom, trim the ends to straighten and thread twisted lengths of floss through the top to form a tie end.

To see how others make the wraps:

Patchwork Wrap by Barbara Weiland from the Sew News Library

Elegant Prom Shawl (tulle) from Sewing.org

Triangular Shawl (ruffled edges) from Shawl Factory 101 by Fashion Icon

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