Easy, No-Sew Beaded Fringe Top DIY

Tools and materials:

• Cotton tank top
• 3 bags of pony beads
• Ruler
• Tailor’s chalk
• Scissors
• Measuring tape

Fold the top in half

To start off, I folded my top in half lengthwise, making sure the side seams were aligned with each other.

Measure and mark

I used my measuring tape to measure out how far down on the tank top I wanted the beaded fringe to start, and I marked the spot with tailor’s chalk.

Draw a line

Using my ruler for a straight edge, I drew a line through the spot I marked on my shirt. You can use the fold of your shirt as a guide to ensure your line is parallel to the hem and perpendicular to the lengthwise fold. 

I then unfolded the shirt and extended the line all the way across my tank top. Don’t forget to mark the back of the shirt as well, in the same manner.

Cut strips

Starting from the hem of the shirt and working upwards, I cut the fabric into thin strips, ending each cut at the marked line. I continued in this manner all the way around the shirt, front and back. Don’t worry if the strips are not exactly even. 

If you are finding it difficult to cut the fabric, you can use a piece of cardboard to give you a more stable surface to lean on.

Thread the beads onto the strips of fabric

Next, I threaded the beads onto the strips of fabric. I chose to create a pattern with the colors, but you can also use only one color, or even just choose colors at random. This part of the project can be a bit time-consuming, so for this step, I like to put on a movie, sit down with my tank top and beads, take my time, and just enjoy the process. Don’t forget to tie a knot at the end of each strip to prevent the beads from falling off.

Undo the hem

When I got to the strips of fabric containing the side seams and hem, I found it difficult to get the beads past all the folds of the material. I remedied this by ripping out the stitches of the hem. This gets rid of that bulky spot and makes it easy to slide the beads onto the fabric. 

And that’s how you create a super-cute beaded fringe festival top--with a lot of beads and a lot of patience! Let me know if you make this project. I’d love to know how it turns out!