my first diy

[Aldisimo]

I'm planning my first DIY with this fabric, a polyester-rayon blend:
Sorry, I don't have a digital camera so I had to scan it.

You can see a series of holes next to the selvedge, I guess where the fabric was hooked onto something. Should I hem the kilt to hide them, or will they close up while I'm working with the fabric, or maybe in the laundry? It's hard to tell whether they're between the threads or might have pierced the threads, which would cause ravelling later on.

I'm planning to pleat to the group of stripes in the middle of the broad white stripe [7/8"], so that the white is exposed when the pleat opens. Does anyone have a better idea?

Thanks for any help and advice!