So, I've been cruising the holiday craft fairs again and this year, as always, I wander the aisles coveting other people's intense creative genius and I am left thinking: "WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE I BEEN DOING WITH ALL MY TIME??" I can barely get myself and sundry children out the door in the morning without breaking out into a full sweat and if I can make it until after bedtime (theirs) without resorting to drink, I call it a good day. I feel like there might just be an artiste of some heretofore unknown (to me) stripe hidden somewhere down deep within my psyche, but I simply cannot find the hours (or the energy) for the self discovery. Honestly, I'd rather be sleeping. THAT SAID, I love hitting the artisan fairs around Christmas time and always come away inspired to get crafty myself. After all, it is gift-giving time and they do make it look so easy... Partly to blame for this temporary crafting insanity is my mother - of course - who walks along with me admiring the sewing, knitting, crafting, upcycling, painting, potting, sculpting, jewelry-making genius for sale and whispers seditiously in my ear, "You could make that so easily..." Uh huh. Sure. But I am here to tell you that it can be done! After seeing all of the gorgeous infinity scarves made by serious sewers, I decided that I could take my meager skills and make my own reversible cowl just in time for the annual Girlfriends Gift Exchange. I hopped on over to my local designer fabric outlet and snapped up 5/8 meter of this insanely beautiful hot pink silk ($19.99/meter.) I needed a complimentary fabric with enough weight to give the cowl some shape and I lucked out with a soft heathered charcoal wool felt (5/8 meter at $9.99/yard.) I threw some coordinating pink thread into my basket, brought it all home and literally, 20 minutes later, this is how it worked out. Business in the front and party in the back. I couldn't resist adding a little bit of vintage bling I picked up at the antique market, isn't it GORGEOUS??? Plus, in the best of the holiday spirit, there was enough fabric left over to make one for myself! At $15 per scarf (not including bling), this is the gift that keeps on giving! [caption id="attachment_11436" align="aligncenter" width="600"] DIY cowl scarf - and it only took me 20 minutes![/caption] [caption id="attachment_11437" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Fully reversible: business in the front, party in the back.[/caption] Want to make one yourself? INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Cut 2 long strips 17" tall and the full width from each fabric and layer them one on top of the other, right sides facing. Sew along both long sides, top and bottom, leaving the short sides unsewn. Optional: finish each seam by sewing a zig-zag stitch to enclose the edges. [caption id="attachment_11439" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Layer two rectangles right sides facing and sew along top and bottom seams.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_11427" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Zigzag stitch edges for extra durability.[/caption] 2. Turn your resulting tube right side out. [caption id="attachment_11428" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Turn tube right side out and press.[/caption] 3. Take the left hand end and turn it inside out until the short side lines up with the short side on the right hand end. Line up the edges and pin silk-to-silk (right sides now facing) and felt-to-felt (right sides facing) and sew the circle together, leaving a 2" gap in the felt. Turn the fabric right side out through the gap.   [caption id="attachment_11430" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Align short ends and pin silk to silk and felt to felt.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_11431" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Leave a gap in the sturdier fabric (felt) and turn right side out.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_11432" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Tuck edges of gap into the scarf and press.[/caption] 4. Slip stitch the gap closed. Iron on low, add your own bling (I used a vintage brooch) et voila! A gift sure to make any girlfriend happy. [caption id="attachment_11433" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Hand stitch gap closed.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_11434" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A girl's gotta have sparkle!
Use brooch to cinch the cowl tighter against your neck for added warmth or just enjoy the bling![/caption] Let me know how yours turned out!