Rickrack Trims

Add these rickrack trims to freshen bed or bath linens.

Do you remember when the "chicken-scratch" technique of cross-stitch on gingham was all the rage? Gingham's precise checks also make it easy to align medium and baby rickrack in neat rows and secure it with backstitches. Add cross-stitches with French-knot centers.

Laze the days away making a chain of lazy-daisy stitches on jumbo-size rickrack. French-knot centers coordinate with lazy-daisy flower petals to gently echo the color of the pillow.

Daffodil-yellow rickrack flowers are a cheery substitute for the real thing, and they survive repeated washings no worse for the wear. For each flower, allow at least 12" of rickrack. (You may wish to start sewing at the cut end, making sure the flower is the size you want before cutting the other end.) Knot a doubled strand of thread in an embroidery needle. Sew running stitches in and out through each point on one edge of the rickrack. Then, gather the points at the center by pulling the thread. Tack the cut ends together on the underside to secure them. Tack on loops of green baby rickrack for leaves, and add French knots stitched in pearl cotton to the center of each flower.

For the easiest rickrack trim of all, wrap two colors of rickrack together and machine-sew down the center of the band. Or baste the rickrack in place and tack alternate points by hand, and then remove the basting.