I posted over at Little Miss Momma the other day and thought I would post the tutorial over here as well.
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I sincerely love Ashley and her blog. She is a quality person who is beautiful inside and out. She has great style and is honest. She tells it like it is. I love that she doesn’t sugarcoat her life but instead shares the awesome and awkward with us. 🙂 She definitely inspires me in craft pursuits and in life. She also has a rockin’ etsy shop that you must check out.
She asked me to share something Thanksgiving related with you but…I failed. All I have been thinking about is Christmas! Once I hand out that last Halloween treat, I am mentally singing Jingle Bells until New Years. I don’t like to decorate just yet – in fact the thought gives me hives, but for the whole month of November I am hand-making gifts, crafting up the Christmas decor to put up later, preparing my advent calendars and planning, planning, planning. So the closest thing I could come up with for Thanksgiving is actually something you might need the day after…Black Friday!
A deep pocket scarf…
It is a simple fleece scarf with deep pockets for your hands.
So while you’re waiting in line at 4 am you can stay warm….well as warm as you can get I guess. 🙂
They are fun, easy, and inexpensive to make! My kind of project.
Let’s get started.
Materials:
1/2 yard of good quality fleece. Most fleece is 60 wide. This is what you want and the measurements I will be using. It should be nice and thick and soft. It is sometimes a little bit more expensive but not by much. I got mine at Walmart for $4.44/yd. So it came to about $2.50 ish after tax.
Sewing machine
scissors and a rotary cutter is nice but not necessary
2. Cut the second piece of fleece into rectangles to extend the length of your scarf.
You want to try to match up the pattern if you can. I cut my length to 12.5 inches long and 9 inches wide. Save the extra material for the pockets for later.
3. Pin right sides together.
If you look closely there is a right and wrong side to fleece. Well, different sides I should say. You can decide which one is “right” for your project purposes. There is a smoother side and a slightly fuzzy side. Just make sure the sides match.
Sew along the short side leaving a quarter inch seam. Repeat for the other end of the scarf.
4. You can leave the seam out and raw. I like to sew it down so it looks a little cleaner. Pin if you like. I didn’t. I just pushed it downward and sewed a parallel line to the first seam.
Go slow to make sure you get a nice straight line and to ensure you catch the seam.
5. Now add your pockets. I cut mine about 10 long and 9 wide to match the width of the scarf. I tried to match the pattern as much as I could here too.
6. Pin the pockets about 2.5 inches above the end of the scarf. You are going to cut fringe here in a bit. If you want longer or shorter fringe, by all means adjust this measurement.
7. Sew around all sides except for the top of the pocket. I sewed a 1/8 inch seam. I started at the top side of the pocket and when back and forth 4-5 times before continuing on around the pocket. I then went back and forth at the end or top part of the other side of the pocket to strengthen it. The top of the pocket gets pulled on a lot so it just helps it hold better.
Repeat for the second pocket.
8. Cut your fringe.
And you’re done!
Of course you can do this without pockets. You will likely want to just use a 1/4 yard piece of fleece. This scarf is measured to be longer so that when you wrap it around your neck you can still comfortably put your hands in the pockets. If you want one without pockets. Stop after step 1, cut your fringe and you’re done. A warm fleece scarf for a buck.
If you want a fancier pocket, I give you a word of warning. I tried a gathered pocket front. It made the scarf heavy and bulky at the ends. It made it look awkward and the pocket wasn’t as attractive on the scarf as it was before I attached it. You might have better luck, just be warned that any bulk on the scarf can look different than you thought…that’s how it went for me.
I like how streamlined this pocket is. If you aren’t using them they don’t get in your way or stand out too much. Plus this is easier to make. 🙂
Because of the extra length you can wrap it around your face. Add a beanie…or three…and you’re set for crazy shopping at the wee hours of the morning.
My hair looks like it is the wee hours of the morning here. 🙂 I was going for that look…right…
If you prefer to knot your scarf in the front it works well that way too.
Don’t you love how I kind of picked a Christmasy print too? Ha ha. Sorry Ashley. If it matters, I plan on wearing this print in February too!…Heck…April since it snows that long around here.
Have a great day and stay warm everyone!
I love how easy fleece is so easy to work with!
Just Better Together
This is really cute! Luckily I live in Florida but If the Hubs gets his way we will be moving back to Maryland. I'd need a scarf with pockets big enough for my whole body. The cold & I do not get along. This scarf would makes some sweet Christmas gifts!
http://wiccanmakesometoo.blogspot.com/
I keep trying to sew things, and I keep messing them up. But I think I could do this one — all straight stitches! We just moved to Nebraska so I need a good scarf. Thanks for sharing this!
Awesome! I love the pockets to keep your hands warm, too!
I linked to your tutorial over at Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-deep-pocket-scarf-to-keep-your-neck-and-hands-warm/2010/11/14/
–Anne
Do you have a big sewing table Delia? Anytime I have tried to make someone big projects, and I do not have a table or proper space, I really mess it up. I have no way of marking if my stuff is straight and all. I think that is why I don’t bother. But you do make me want to take out my machine!!!
As you know, I LOVE this tutorial–and I plan on making a bum load of these for gifts!
LOVE this idea! Made a couple for my girls with your inspiring idea! Thanks for sharing your genius!
http://itstoilegood.blogspot.com/2010/11/other-day-i-saw-post-for-this-scarf.html
love it! I might just try to whip out a couple of these for Christmas presents!! Thanks so much for sharing your talents!
This is awesome!! Thank you for sharing this awesome tutorial! 🙂
I love this scarf!
this is the perfect addition to the wardrobe of anyone out in the weather!
http://patchworkcollaborative.blogspot.com/2010/11/out-of-cold.html
I just made 3 of these for christmas gifts. So incredibly easy!!! i am so thankful you shared this!! AND the best part, i made one of the scarfs for 75 cents!! i got a great deal on black friday. Thank you THANK YOU thank you!!!!
How cozy.Love the plaid.
HI, LOVE THE SCARF, WHY CUT THE OTHER PIECE INTO TRIANGELS? CAN'T YOU JUST SEW THE TWO PIECES TOGETHER AND GET THE SAME AFFECT? CONFUSED ME ALITTLE I'M MAKING SEVERAL FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS TKS
Thanks so much for the directions! I am making one for all the women in the family as presents (a little late, but it's not that cold yet in GA!). I also pinned it to Pinterest, hope you don't mind!
To TEXASRICO – you are sewing on a 12.5 inch extension to each end of the 60X9 piece, then covering it with a 10 inch pocket. Took me a couple times through reading the
Hi! I found this post via pinterest and I love the tutorial and the pics are totally cute! I am hosting a scarf-making sewing challenge Nov. 2012 and I'm including this scarf as an inspirational reference. I took one photo and linked it this post. With this caption: "Here is a great tutorial for a cozy fleece scarf
by Delia Creates." The URL will be:
http://
Hi. I don't sew that much. I want to make this for a friend for a gift. I had some amature questions. How long should the scarf be. My friend is about 5'3" (i don't know if that makes a difference) but i mean to wrap it around and still have it long (low) enough for her hands to fit in. and so you have (2) 9 in. x 60 in. pieces. and you break the one into (2) 10 in. x 9 in.
Great idea! Love what you did and featured it on my blog at http://whittskitsfabricscrafts.blogspot.com/2013/03/mining-monday-handy-handwarmers.html
Thanks!
Carrie
Is this possible to double? Just leave the fleece doubled and sew a seam down the long end?
Or would it be too bulky?
It depends on how thick your fleece is really. If it’s fairly thin, like a micro fleece, you should be fine.
hi delia
thanks for sharing this well written step by step tutorial. just rounding up some simple fleece sewing projects to include on my blog. i will be adding this to one of my to do sewing projects. just a beginner at sewing, so looking for free tutorials. i will post a link on my blog back to your site.
have a great day
Thank you Fiona! <3
I want to do 3 for children. Without measuring them how can I get a ballpark length for them???? It’s surprise gifts so I don’t wanna tell.
That’s a good question. If you know their heights that can help you guess. Maybe find someone close to their height to measure or use yourself as a reference as whether to make it longer or shorter.
Do you have a tutorial on how to make the deep pocket scarf?
Do you mean do I have a video tutorial for this? If so, I do not.
Beautifully done. However, you gave me an entirely different and possibly shorter sewing time for the same scarf. I’ve been sewing since I was 8. That’s 64 years of learning and experimenting. Always looking for new ideas. Thank you for sharing.