A designer style scarf for under $10? Sure, why not!
I love a good scarf and they are so versatile, adding a bit of panache to the plainest of outfits, and offering a little warmth when a breeze springs up or the weather turns chilly. Such useful things.
Surprisingly for little wispy rectangles or squares of fabric, they are ridiculously expensive. And I'm not even talking Hermes or Gucci here. Just your regular department store stuff. It's nothing to see them with a price tag of anything from $60-$200, for something that doesn't look that special.
I haunt the remnant bin at my favourite haberdashery for the makings of scarves. This fabulous vividly printed silk was an absolute bargain at $3. There was about a quarter of a metre (yard) and it was quite wide, so a good size for my scarf project.
I bought the fun neon pink and green trim at the same place, for under $5, and I still have some left for another project.
Here's how...
Fold your fabric lengthwise in half, right side to right side. Pin, ensuring the selvedge edges meet squarely and neatly. Trim any excess fabric from the long edge. Quite often, these remnants are not as straight as you'd like, so you might find you lose a little bit of fabric, but for this it doesn't matter.
Now go back, and insert your trim inside the two halves of your fabric. Make sure the feature of the trim, is facing the inside folded edge, and the edge to be stitched is aligned with the open, cut edge of your fabric. As in poms poms, edges of lacy trim, fringe ends...whatever...facing the folded edge inside your fabric. This will ensure that once you've stitched it into place, and turned it right side out, the trim will be facing outward as in my picture above.
Pin into place along all edges....
When you're done, it should look like this. You shouldn't be able to see your trim at all. If you can see your trim, you've done it the wrong way. I only say this because I've done it myself, and then wondered what I'd done wrong, when I turned my scarf right way out and couldn't see my trim....lol!
Stitch into place, making sure that you leave a small opening at the very end of your stitching, through which to turn your scarf out the right way.
See...like this. If your fabric is soft and silky, you really only need an opening of about 10cms (4 inches). You just push a bit of the right side of the fabric through the hole (a bit like turning socks inside out), and then gently pull the remainder of the scarf through to have it facing right way out.
Stitch the opening closed either by hand or with your sewing machine. I find that if I stitch along the header of the fabric trim, it's unnoticeable.
Press carefully with an iron set on Polyester blend or around medium heat, and wear or gift with pride. I love the colours of this Summer weight scarf...
....and it looks fab with my other recently completed project, my neon jewel embellished jacket...
Everyone has admired my scarf, and at under $10 and for 15 minutes of time, they're a great gift!
The key to making your scarf look 'high end', as I mentioned here, is to check out the department store and designer scarves, and seek out similar colours and quality look and feel type fabrics. Soft, drapey, silky, fabrics are best. Fine lawn and cotton are great too, and even muslin can make a lovely scarf, hand dyed and trimmed prettily. Stay away from anything stiff or thick, unless its for warmth. As an accessory, silky, soft, drapey is best.
Do you like scarves? Will you make one for yourself or someone you love?
