I'm back! + Infinity Scarf Tutorial

After a few months on hiatus, it is time to start this blog again. I've been blogging on Fabric Mart's Fabricista Blog and will be highlighting some of my favorite blog posts I've written since I started. Here is one that is great for a last minute gift for the holidays.

Have a person on your gift list, but have no idea what to get for them? Making a gift is the perfect idea and it will be even more thoughtful than a silly little gift they don't really want anyway.

Infinity scarves are super easy and quick to make. They are called infinity scarves because they look like a continuous piece of fabric in a tubular form. You can make them in almost any type of knit. Knits come in so many different prints that you can make one for every outfit in your closet. 

Here is what you will need: 

- Sewing machine

- 1/2 yard of knit fabric (sweater knit, rayon knit, ITY knit, cotton knit, etc)

- Thread to match

- Hand sewing needle

1) Fold the 1/2 yard piece of knit in half the long way. Pin along the entire long edge. 

2) Using a thin zig-zag stitch (almost straight stitch), stitch the long edge. I pull slightly on the front and back of the fabric as it goes through the sewing machine so that when the scarf is finished, it can be stretched and the seam does not break. Serge the seam if possible.

3) Put your hand through one open end and pull the other end through, matching raw edges and seams. Pin together.

  

4) Sew along the raw edges of this "tube", making sure to leave an opening to turn right side out. Serge if possible. 

This is what the scarf should look like before turning it right side out.

5) Turn the entire scarf right side out. Hand stitch the opening closed. 

You can also make these scarves with 2 yards of fabric, cutting 18" from the selvedge. You will get at least three scarves from this. Making them this way may create a different drape effect.You can make the scarf fuller by using a 3/4 yard piece of fabric or 27" piece of fabric (if you are making it with the 2 yard piece of fabric. 

This fabric is still available on Fabric Mart's website! Check it out now!

Make a scarf for everyone on your list! What will you be making as gifts for the holidays?

Making a lot out of a Little

Because of working at a fabric store, I tend to purchase a lot of the remnant pieces as we finish off the bolt. This print from Anna Sui, was a remnant, only 45" wide and a border print. When people hear the word "border" they tend to cringe because now you have put a little more thought into what to do with it! It was a fun black and blue print on a floral jacquard silk/ cotton. The only problem was there wasn't enough fabric to do anything with it. (Or so I thought...) 

When I stumbled upon the piece in my stash, I thought to myself, today is the day I'm going to find something to do with this. I folded the 1 1/8 yard piece in half, so selvedges met. I held it up to my waist and thought this would make a cute skirt! But I was really thinking about a tunic dress, so I raised the fold just below my bust and it was perfect. After cutting the piece in half at the fold, I baste-stitched the top of each piece to create gathers. After much altering and cutting, I got a suitable "bottom half." I had some black ponte knit that worked great for the top of the tunic. I hand-drafted the top and after a few alterations, sewed it to the bottom half. I was having some problems with ballooning of the skirt section because of the gathers and the nature of this heavier silk/cotton. So I bias-cut a ribbon from a small section of leftover fabric. It really finished the garment off nicely!

I haven't done very many self drafted patterns before, so I would say this was a successful attempt. I learned a lot about measuring myself, which I will then translate into times when I do use patterns. My experience in making clothes with patterns definitely helped me when trying to draw appropriate shapes for the bodice front and back.   

The picture doesn't to the tunic justice. I was anxious to get it on my blog, so I didn't even do my hair or put tights or leggings on, or shoes for that matter! It is a little too short to wear as a normal dress, so I will be wearing leggings or tights.