Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Elastic Scarf Tutorial

In October I was out with some Friends and two of the gals I was with found the cutest scarves ever. They were so cute and ever sense then I have just been dying to try and make a scarf. I LOVE the way this turned out! This scarf is truly so simple anyone can make it if you can sew a straight line.

First: Choose your fabric. I chose this crushed green velvet. It was $2.99 a yard and I got a yard and half. This should be enough for 3 scarves.



Next: I took one of my old scarves out and used it as a guide for the width. The secret to this whole scarf is elastic thread! (Love it!! You have got to try it! It is amazing!) Because of the elastic thread I knew I needed to make the scarf wider then normal because the elastic would shrink it. Usually half it's size. I cut my scarf to 12 inches and the elastic thread shrunk it to about 7 1/2

Next: Measure your length. I doubled the length of my guide tie so I had to cut two 12 inch wide pieces and then with right sides together I sewed them together to make one long continuous scarf. It looks really long but the elastic thread brings it right down to the perfect size.

Next: I used a marker and a ruler and I marked a dot right where I wanted my stitching to go. I wanted mine a little wider so on the short ends of the scarf I measured 3 inches apart and on the long sides of the scarf I measured 9 inches. I originally was going to do 3 inches on the sides as well but then as I was sewing I realized I did not want them to be that close. It truly is up to you and what you like.

Then: I just started sewing my straight lines. To use elastic thread all that you do is hand wind the elastic onto your bobbin and then put normal thread on top. I was told not to back stitch with elastic thread, that you tie your ends instead. ( I have back stitched before and it still works, But with this scarf I tied the ends in a knot) I used a piece of tape on my sewing machine to line my fabric up and then I just stitched all the way down long ways first. The I switched to the short sides and did them. I kind of messed up because I got a little inpatient and used white elastic thread out of sheer laziness. I didn't want to go to my mom's to get my black elastic thread and I thought that no one would be able to tell anyways. But I can see it and it bugs me. But not enough to re do it!


After you sew all of your lines you are done! And you have this amazing different then anyone Else's scarf!



I wanted to add a little something something to my scarf and I have been dying to use some of my vintage jewels so I made a flower out of some scraps and put both a pin and hair clip on the back so when it is not on my scarf it will be on my sweater or in my hair. I think this would be an awesome Christmas or birthday gift don't you? Let us know if you try it we would love to see pics!




PS we are thinking follower of the month gets one of these! The follower will be picked randomly on Friday so if you are not following yet do so!!

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13 Comments:

Blogger Expressions by Heather said...

I love it! I have seen this shown on another blog, but without a tutorial I wasn't sure how to do the elastic thread. Thank you so much for the great tutorial! I featured this on my blog this morning:

theherberfamily.blogspot.com

Heather

November 17, 2009 at 4:54 AM  
Blogger Bobbi said...

I am going to try this for sure. I have to come stop by your house though and have you give me a tutorial on elastic thread. I can't ever get mine to work. Visiting your mom later this morning, maybe I'll stop by then!

November 17, 2009 at 8:12 AM  
Blogger Lori said...

I am now a follower. What an amazing scarf!! You give me courage--I'm so scared of sewing with elastic. :)

November 17, 2009 at 1:25 PM  
Blogger Brandi Johns said...

Wow, Maybe I will try to make it! Love it!

November 17, 2009 at 3:23 PM  
Blogger Bobbi said...

It's even cuter in person! I made man towels this afternoon for B and N. I really think you need to add them to your shop (not mine, your own).... :)

November 17, 2009 at 4:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Help! I can't get my scarf to scrunch up. I sew it and it's still flat? Any ideas?

November 18, 2009 at 5:02 PM  
Blogger Rosies said...

K check your bobbin. You need to hand wind your elastic thread and you need to just do it really loose. If you wind it too tight it won't work. SO just wind it without pulling it. You need to send pics of your finish product!! Let me know if that didn't work

November 18, 2009 at 5:21 PM  
Blogger Mama Lusco said...

Love this idea! Thank you for the great tutorial. It is beautiful :)

November 19, 2009 at 8:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Okay, I re-wound my bobbin two more times, trying to make sure that it was loose and I still couldn't get the gathers to work. Do you use a straight stitch on top or a gathering stitch? Is my machine making adjustments? So frustrated and longing for a cute scarf! Thanks-Lynn

November 21, 2009 at 6:38 AM  
Blogger Rosies said...

WEIRD!! The only time my elastic thread has not worked was if my bobbin was wound too tightly. I do a straight stitich with all of the normal basic settings. The first stitch that you do it doesn't look that stretchy but it will all start to stretch as you keep going. So frusteratin, does anyone else have an pointers for lynn I can think of any other reasons why it would be working!!!

November 21, 2009 at 10:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love this idea and linked to you awhile ago... I just never left a comment telling you did until now!

February 17, 2010 at 2:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, i love yours ideas... I'm from brazil

May 4, 2010 at 11:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am having the same problem, my scarf won't scrunch up, someone suggested changing the bobbin tension but I don't know how to do this. I will try to rewind the bobbin loser first
Anne

November 22, 2010 at 9:32 PM  

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