I made blanket for my new grandson using a yarn I had not used before (Lion Brand "pound of love" yarns). It's very simple--single crochet with lengthwise alternating bands of white, yellow, blue, green. I made a fringe at each end.

Here's the problem. When I ran it through the washer and dryer, which I always do before sending the blanket, the yarn in the fringe became a mess--some of the strands raveled/separated, they are tangled, etc.

I'm thinking I need to do more than shorten the fringe--probably remove it. Then how do I finish the ends? (Can you tell I know very little about this?) The color bands on the side of the blanet are yellow--maybe I can do a couple of sideways rows of yellow at the ends?