HOW TO FINISH A FLEECE SCARF #4: FOUR TO SEW ON

December 20, 2012 by

Well, we just couldn’t resist getting fancier. Here are four fleece scarves, two that are hand-stitched with felt and two that are machine-stitched with quilting fabric. This post is on the two scarves on the right side of the photo, and next post will be about the two scarves on the left. Meanwhile, please join us for our Softies for Foster Kids project. All year round, we collect handmade small soft toys for foster children in local counties.

Appliqued scarves

The ends of a scarf can just scream for a little decoration, and an applique is a simple way to doll up any scarf. (Note that putting appliques elsewhere on the scarf can add unpleasantly to its bulk.) A number of web sites offer free applique designs. You can applique on only one end (as with the scottie dog in the photo) or applique on both (as with the rocket ship scarf, which has a moon and two stars on the other end.) Simple designs work great on scarves, and www.freeapplique.com is a good place to start. It’s where I got the doggie pattern.

Featherweight double-sided fusible interfacing makes it easier to place and temporarily secure the design on the scarf before attaching it more permanently with thread. Check out this extensive demo on how to applique with fusible fleece if you want all the ins and outs.

Once the applique is pinned or fused in place, it’s fine to machine-stitch. But I also like the homemade look of hand-stitching. The scottie is attached with a running stitch, while the rocket uses both running stitch and whip-stitch. These stitches leaves the edges raw, but felt doesn’t ravel, so that’s okay. People can be intimidated by the idea of stitching by hand, but in reality very simple stitches make great effects. And don’t forget rustic is in style!

Next post: Pink pocket and mod strip

 

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HOW TO FINISH A FLEECE SCARF #3: FOR THE BOYS

December 7, 2012 by

Today’s tutorial is on how to decorate fleece scarves for boys. But first, please consider joining us in bringing softies to Foster Kids! Check out the project specifications to see how you can help. We accept donations of crafted soft toys all year round.

And now on to scarves

Two of us founders of Made with Love: Crafting for a Cause are the mothers of boys, and only boys. (One of us has only male grandchildren as well!) So, while little girls’ things are darling and sweet and awfully fun to make, I am always on the look-out for how to craft for boys. Boys need handmade love, too!

Some basics

In today’s post, I’ll talk about how to make the scarves wrapped around the sadly weathered scarecrow my son made two years ago. But first, let’s look at some basics for adapting crafts for boys. An easy way is to pick bright colors and boy-like prints. Our group’s resident 6-year-old loves day-glow red and blue. And he’s in love with anything vehicular, animal-related, paleolithic, oceanic, outer-space-related, Dr. Seuss-ish, alphabetic or numerical, or sports-absorbed, along with a wide range of other things peculiar to his own random interests and the media to which he has been exposed. He delights at spotting such things in either a print fabric or, better still, a decoration, opens a range of possibilities for ways to trim crafts. Boys can differ greatly in their interests, of course, so don’t feel limited by traditional stereotypes.

As boys age, they may gradually fall prey to the restrictions of menswear, opting for more traditional themes and more subdued colors. For some teenage boys, the only viable choice could be an unrelieved 60 X 6″ block of black fleece. They may be less fun to craft for, but we still love ‘em.

Two scarves

Camouflage fabric keeps rising in popularity, and these two scarves feature a traditional woodsy pattern. On the left-hand scarf, a simple strip has been cut and stitched down onto the scarf on all sides with a wide, dense zigzag. It’s placed about 4″ from the bottom. (Edges were left raw.) I chose the buttons to resemble men’s cargo pants.

And speaking of cargo pants, boys may especially appreciate cargo pockets, not only for the look but as a place to stash a small toy or two or to warm up hands cold from making snowballs. The pocket in the photo is copied off cargo pants and is fairly simple as pockets go. Here’s a formula to use: First make the square that comprises the main part of the pocket. Cut a square of fabric the width of the scarf plus 1″. For a scarf 6″ wide, the rectangle would be 7 X 7″. Turn it under 1/2″ on three sides and iron. On the fourth side, turn it under 1/2″ and iron, then turn it under another 1 1/2″ and iron again. Stitch down the fourth side 1 1/4″ from the top. For a six-inch-wide scarf, the piece should now be 5 X 6″, a bit wider than it is tall. Sew a small square piece of sew-on Velcro (R) or similar product onto the fourth side of the scarf at the top middle.

Next, make the flap for the pocket. Cut a rectangular piece of fabric the width of the scarf plus 1″ on one side by 5″ on the other. For a six-inch-wide scarf, this would be 7″ X 5″. Fold in half lengthwise with the right sides of the fabric together and straight-stitch the short ends together 1/2″ from the edge. Trim the corners, turn, and iron. Top-stitch the three sides with a line of stitching 1/8″ from the edge and another 3/8″ in from that. For the fourth side, the one with raw edges, zig-zag with a dense wide stitch to prevent raveling. For that six-inch-wide scarf, the piece is now 6 X 2 1/2″. Fold the zig-zag side under 1/2″ and iron. You now have a 2″-deep flap for the pocket.

Sew the main pocket piece onto the bottom 6″ of the scarf using a double-line of stitching as described above; leave the top side unattached. Then place the zig-zagged edge of the flap about 1/4″ above the top edge of the main pocket. Straight-stitch in place 1/8″ from the edge. Iron the entire pocket. Lift up the flap and stitch on the matching piece of Velcro (R) at the appropriate spot. (To be traditional, sew around the edges and then put a big X from corner to corner.) There–your boy pocket is finished. If this whetted your appetite for something more complicated, try these upscale cargo pockets.

And don’t forget to keep crafting for boys.

Next week: We get fancier.

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HOW TO FINISH A FLEECE SCARF #2: WEAVING FLEECE

November 27, 2012 by

Welcome back to adventures in fleece scarves. Continuing with easy finishes, here we discuss how to weave fleece strips into scarves. This technique is maximally simple and versatile. The advantages of fleece strips (over, say, fabric, yarn, or ribbon) is that they move with the scarf and feel the same as the rest of the scarf against the skin. And as always, fleece doesn’t need to be finished at the edge, making fleece weaving a simple way to doll up a scarf.

The basics

The scarf at left couldn’t be simpler to make. First cut the scarf about 56-60″ long and 6-8″ wide. Then make slits the width of your fleece strips and space them as far apart as appeals to you. The scarf in the photo has strips 3/4″ wide with slits spaced 2″ apart. Weave the fleece in and out of the slits, making sure that in the end the strips and the scarf don’t pull against each other.

Finish with a simple overhand knot, which can be either on the wrong side or the right side of the fabric; either looks great. Just make sure the knot is bulky enough; it may be necessary to tie another knot over the top of the first to ensure that the knot doesn’t pull back through the slit.

Variations I

A few tweaks in the fleece strips can add some lovely variety to a scarf. In the third photo, to the left, we see what it looks like to change the width of the strip in proportion to the strip through which it passes.

In example 1, the strip is the same width as the slit in the scarf, as it was in the first example (the white scarf with the Hawaiian print strips). In the second example, the wider strip make a sort of balloon effect. In the third example, the strip is wider than the slits, but it is pulled so it forms a sort of roll. Each of these can be fetching, depending upon what look you want.

The black scarf at left shows a few other options. At the bottom is a fleece strip that has been twisted before it is threaded through the slits. Notice that the strip goes from narrower, at the left, to wider, at the right, to illustrate the different effects to be gotten by varying the width. At the top of the photo the strips are woven through the slits using a whip-stitch. (See video on how to whip-stitch.) Again, the strips are narrower at the left and wider at the right (where they bunch a bit going through the slits). Choose whichever you prefer.

Variations II

Don’t think that your only option is making vertical lines parallel to the length of the scarf. You can fill up most of the scarf with strips, if you wish. Then think in terms of varying the length of the strips. Then consider going horizontal or diagonal, or making squares or triangles. The sky–or rather, your imagination–is the limit.

Next week: Don’t forget the guys.

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HOW TO FINISH A FLEECE SCARF #1: FOUR EASY FINISHES

November 19, 2012 by

Cold weather is here, and who wouldn’t appreciate a warm fuzzy scarf? Join our multi-part series on trimming fleece scarves. Because fleece doesn’t ravel, a 60×7″ (or so) swathe needs no finishing to make a decent scarf. But if you’re aching to do something with that blank slate, stick with us to learn progressively more elaborate ways to finish a basic rectangle into a stylish scarf. First, we add to the ends of the scarf with two classics, one variation, and something new.

1. Knotted self-fringe

Here’s a classic. Measure 6″ up from the end of each scarf and make cuts upward parallel to the long edge of the scarf. The slits in the photo are 1/2″ apart; for a bulkier, more rustic look, make them 1″ apart. Trick 1: Make your scarf an even number of inches (or half-inches) wide so it’s easy to divide evenly. Trick 2: Place a ruler across the fleece parallel to the end of the scarf at the depth you want to cut. Hold it down firmly and cut upward toward the ruler. A rotary cutter is superb for this. See a video that covers up to this point.

The scarf is respectably finished at this point, particularly with especially busy prints or when it’s intended for someone who prefers things plain-looking. If you want to knot it, tie a simple overhand knot (see a video) in each strip close to the uncut section of the scarf and pull it into a soft knot. Trick 3: As you tighten the knot slowly, gently roll the knot close to the uncut section; otherwise, it will naturally move down the other direction. And there’s your classic scarf.

2. Knotted yarn fringe

Another classic finish. First, make 1/4″ cuts in a row parallel to the short end of the scarf. The pictured scarf’s slits are 1/2″ apart. Trick #1: Fold up one inch of the fleece at the short end of the scarf. Hold it down with a ruler and make 1/4″ vertical cuts along the fold at the intervals you desire. Repeat for the other end.

Count up how many cuts you have made; this is how many yarn lengths you will need. Trick #2: If you choose bulky yarn (as shown in the photo), use one single yarn strand for each slit. For medium yarn, use two strands; for lightweight yarn, use three or more. If you like your fringe more delicate, use lighter yarn and fewer strands, or make the slits further apart. To figure the length of the yarn strands, decide how long you want the fringe to be, double that figure, and add 1″ for pulling through the slit. For example, for a six-inch fringe, make each length of yarn 13″. Cut the strands. Trick #3: Save time by using a cardboard rectangle to measure yarn strands. See the video listed in the next paragraph. 

Fold each yarn strip in half. Pull the folded end through the slit, then pull the cut ends through the loop and tighten. Lay the scarf out and trim the fringe to an even length. If you’d like to view the entire process of fringing a scarf, here’s a video.

3. Variation: Knotted fleece strip fringe

This is a cute and clever finish that has the advantage of using up extra fleece. Make slits in the bottom of the scarf as described above. Then decide how wide to make the fleece fringe pieces. Wider pieces will hold their shape more firmly, but a width greater than an inch will probably yield fringe too stiff to knot well. Narrower pieces are more free-floating and more likely to stretch and curl after pulling through the slit. This curling can be an attractively playful look. But watch out for cutting the width much less than half an inch, because the fleece pieces can stretch to the point where the fabric no longer holds sufficiently together. To illustrate the difference, the pink scarf in the photo has some strips less than half an inch and some more than half an inch. Trick: Fleece thickness and flexibility can vary greatly. Cut a few sample widths and pull them through a slit in a piece of scrap fleece. This will tell you how much the fleece will elongate when pulled through a slit and knotted. After you have cut out your fleece strips, proceed with the directions for scarf #2. Et voila!

4. Something new: Pom-pom yarn weaving

Pom-pom-style yarn has fluffy oval or round pieces held together at even intervals with thin braid. (Bernat makes one, but there are many others as well.) For this finish, pom-pom yarn is woven in and out of the fleece in a line parallel to the short edge of the scarf. These directions are going to seem long, but really, it’s easier than you’d think. Once the right-size slits are in the right places, you’ll finish up in a snap.

First, figure out how to make the vertical slits through which the yarn will pass. The distance between slits should be the same as the distance between the start of one pom-pom and the start of another — long enough, in other words, to keep the yarn neatly stretched between slits but to gather the fleece fabric. The slits should be big enough to pull the pom-pom through but not big enough for it to easily slip out again. The slits in the photo started 1/2″ from the outside edge and were half an inch apart, with each slit being about 1/4″ long. Trick 1: Pom-poms on yarn come in different sizes with different lengths of braid in between. Try placing the yarn across the scarf and marking each pom-pom, using a ruler as a guide to make the intervals even. Measure the width between slits and mark the rest of the slits. Then cut the vertical slices to be slightly less than the width of the pom-pom. Then cut the bottom row of slits only.

Now cut two strands of yarn twice the width of the scarf plus four inches, making one long strand for each end of the scarf. An 8″ wide scarf, for example, needs a 20″ length of yarn for each end. Leaving a couple of inches of yarn on the wrong side of the fleece, weave the yarn in an out of the slits until you get to the other end, making sure the pom-poms are sitting on the right side of the fleece. Trick 2: Now check. Did your spacing work out well? It’s easier to correct after one line of pom-poms rather than two. If the slits turn out the wrong size or interval, a last-ditch measure is to remove the yarn and trim off the end of the scarf so you can try cutting the slits again. Go up 1/2″ and cut another line of slits, this time starting 1″ from each side of the scarf so the pom-poms will be staggered. Continuing directly from the first line of slits, weave the yarn through the second line of slits, going in the opposite direction so you end up close to the place you started the first row. On the wrong side of the fleece, tie the two end of the yarn together securely and trim the ends.

There are any number of variations you can use when weaving pom-pom fringe into a scarf. Consider adding more horizontal lines of pom-poms, or perhaps use vertical lines of varying lengths (like rain on a windowpane). Or try concentric squares, or a curlicue like a baby fern frond. As with adapting most crafting techniques, the sky’s the limit.

While you’re here visiting our site, check out Autumn 2012′s Cuddlies for Foster Kids project.

Next post: A super-easy technique for adding decorations to a fleece scarf.

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Wrapping up Yarn for Africa

November 12, 2012 by

We are pleased to have delivered two big bags of yarn, two shirts, three handbags, three small utility bags, and three knit/crocheted caps to Abby from Sister Connection. These will travel to Burundi, Africa, where widows will use the yarn to make crafts to sell. They will use the shirts, bags, and caps and models to create salable crafts. With this new way of making money, they can create new lives for themselves and their children, raising themselves up from the near-starvation caused by the brutal civil war. We are proud to be able to help this effort. Thank you to all who contributed.

Check back next week for the series I promised you on decorating fleece scarves. Meanwhile, feel free to contribute to our Cuddlies for Foster Kids project.

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Fall 2012 Charity Crafting Project: Cuddlies for Foster Kids

September 15, 2012 by

Because the need goes on…

Last January 200 cuddly crafts went to foster kids in Washington State’s Skagit and Islands Counties–enough for one cuddly for each new foster kid for one year. But every month dozens more bewildered and frightened children are transported to foster homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. Join Made with Love in once again putting warm, loving, handmade softies into kids’ empty arms.

Join us for meetings or from long-distance

Made with Love: Crafting for a Cause invites you to participate in this worthy charity crafting project. Feel free to come to our friendly and instructive crafting meetings (with your own craft or with a softie for foster kids). New to crafting? We’d be happy to help out. Or mail us your creations. Either way, we’ll see that your handcrafts get to the right small hands.

Here’s how to get started

Check out our project specifications sheet for instructions and links to free online patterns. And don’t hesitate to contact us with questions. Happy crafting!

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POTHOLDERS RECEIVED; BURUNDI WIDOWS STATUS

August 22, 2012 by

Thank you for the potholders

We are pleased to hear that the potholders Made with Love: Crafting for a Cause sent to upcountry Mayan villages at the beginning of the summer were much appreciated. Villagers were delighted with how beautiful the potholders were and touched by the love that inspired them. We like to think of our potholders protecting those hardworking hands as they prepare their evening meal of tortillas on new vented metal stoves. Read more about the Spring 2012 project here.

Still accepting yarn for Burundi Widows

The prototype crafts for our Burundi Widows projects have been assigned. Thank you to those who are making these crafts so that widows can create and sell them to support themselves and their children! But we still need more yarn for the widows to use as material for their crafts. So keep on sending that yarn — we will post here when we have reached our quota. Please check out the specifications sheet to read more about what is needed.

Advance notice

Check back in early September for our Autumn 2012 charity crafting project!

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YARN: DESTASH FOR CHARITY

August 1, 2012 by

As you organize your stash for the upcoming holiday season, why not find a good home for the yarn you no longer wish to use? Here’s what Sister Connection, our charity partner, has to say about why they chose to help widows and their children in war-torn Burundi.

In Burundian culture, widows are the lowest of the societal low. They are outcasts and of no worth within the community. Many are thrown out of the family compound; others are abused by the family of the husband who was killed. Sister Connection enables widows to care for themselves and their children, thereby rebuilding their self-esteem and their status as “persons” within the community.

Made for Love: Crafting for a Cause is accepting standard-guage easy-to-knit non-specialty yarn (unused whole skeins only) for our Burundi Widows charity crafting project. The yarn you send will help widows create crafts they can sell to support themselves and their families. So please consider putting your excess yarn to an extremely good use. See our specifications sheet. See our mailing address.

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BURUNDI WIDOWS: MORE ABOUT SISTER CONNECTION

July 14, 2012 by

This summer we’re helping widows and their children in war-torn Burundi, Africa through the non-profit organization Sister Connection. Here’s what sisterconnection.com has to say about the need in Burundi:

After more than a decade of civil strife, thousands of Burundian women are widows. Their children are fatherless, and their families are without provisions. Burundian widows are not just old women. An average widow is in her 40s and is caring for at least 4 children, and commonly additional orphans. In this culture, widows are outcasts. They have no income, no government aid, no advocate and they are frequently victimized. Burundian widows struggle to meet the basic daily needs of their children and themselves: food, shelter, medical care, clothing, and education. Although public education is available for children, you cannot send children to school without proper supplies and clothing. Without an education there is no hope for a better future.

Enter Sister Connection, which gives generous-hearted people the opportunity to sponsor a widow or to donate monies to provide her and her children with a house in which to live.

Where do we come in? We are providing prototype crafts — one each of shirts, bags, hats, and accessories — for widows to copy so they can earn money to support their families. Join us! See our project specifications, then contact us to sign up. And don’t forget:  See our specs sheet for how to donate yarn for widows to use for making crafts to sell!

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ANNOUNCING OUR SUMMER PROJECT: BURUNDI WIDOWS

June 25, 2012 by

We are pleased to join forces with the admirable non-profit Sister Connection for an unusual summer crafting project. Sister Connection’s main project is to provide houses for some of Africa’s many widows and orphans. In the war-torn African country of Burundi, widows are little valued culturally, and thus are hard-put to support themselves and their children. Sisters Connection steps in to raise money and build houses for these deserving women. However, they also teach the widows crafts they can resell to make money to support themselves and their children.

That’s where we come in. This summer’s project is to create simple prototype blouses of woven fabric, and yarn or fabric tote bags, handbags, and accessories. Sister Connection will train the women to create these crafts for resale. Because we can send only one item constructed from each pattern, we need to coordinate our efforts closely, making our Summer effort unlike most charity crafting projects. We will also be collecting a limited amount of standard-size easy-to-knit yarn for the widows to use in making craft items. To participate in this project, please see our specifications sheet — and before starting your craft, contact us so we can make sure items meet the project’s needs and are not duplicated among crafters.

We hope you enjoy this creative and worthwhile project. Meanwhile, we are still accepting softies for foster children, so if your fancy runs to small stuffed toys, send them along!

Filed Under: Blog, Burundi Widows, crafts, projects Tagged With: , , ,
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