Fleece Scarf with Pom Poms Tutorial

Do you remember the scarf Bridget's BFF Olivia made her for Christmas? We thought we'd replicate it with our girls so they would have something to do over the cold long holiday (and because it was so cute!)---six little girls trapped in one house can make for some seriously long days. However, our scarves morphed into something else and here is what we came up with.

Pretty cute, right?

Here's how.

Supplies:

--1/2 yard of fleece (look for 50% sales @ Jo-Ann's or use your coupons.)

--pom pom fringe (you can buy this by the yard @ Jo-Ann's in various colors.)

--rotary cutter (you can use scissors if you don't have one)

--scissors

--the usual suspects: pins, coordinating thread, sewing machine, etc.

Begin by taking your half yard of fabric and folding it width wise (selvage side to selvage side).

Then fold it a second time. You should see four layers of fabric. All folded up, your fabric should measure 15" long so that when you unfold it, it's 60" long.

Cut off the selvages.

Then cut two strips 7" wide.

(This tutorial will make a scarf about 6" wide.)

Now cut a piece of pom pom fringe in a coordinating color 7.5" long.

Unfold your two strips of fleece and pin them together with front side to front side.

You will want to pin in about 6-12" intervals to ensure the strips stay together as you stitch down the sides.

Once you've pinned the two pieces together, pin the pom pom fringe to each end of the scarf. The two pieces of fleece should form a sandwich around the pom pom fringe with the pom poms themselves facing IN. This will make sense later when you turn your fleece inside out.

See the sandwich?

Now you start sewing--beginning in the middle of one of the long sides. Sew all the way around the perimeter of the scarf leaving a gap at the end about 5" wide to allow you to turn your scarf inside out. Make sure that you check that your two pieces of fleece stay in position as you sew. You will want to do this every few inches.

When you get to the corner, you can do the handy needle down trick. With your needle down, pull your foot up and pivot the corners.

Needle down, foot up.

And pivot.

Then put your foot back down and keep sewing for a continuous stitch.

Once you get all the way round, turn your scarf inside out.

Pin the gap closed (the hole you left to allow you to turn it inside out). Because you can't iron fleece, you'll want to use your hands to fold both edges in. This is actually much easier than you think and much easier than attempting this with a quilting cotton.

Go ahead and pin it.

Now we're going to do a basting stitch around the scarf to finish it.

Beginning just above the gap (that darn hole again), measure yourself a 1/2" allowance (do you have a handy magnetized-measuring-doo-dad?). Stitch the entire perimeter of the scarf again.

Just like you did on the under side, check every few inches to make sure the alignment of the two pieces is straight.

Don't forget our handy needle down, foot up pivot trick to take the corners.

And voila! You have a beautiful scarf to show off. And it really was quite easy, yes?

I really like the combination of the strong black trim with the more subtle, sophisticated taupe background of the fleece.

Don't I look warm?

And pretty cute? (What you can't see is my pink eye...Happy New Years to me!)

If you decide to make one, do share!