Stitched Yarn Multi-Color Winter Scarf

The great thing about this project is that you can use any combination of colors and yarn textures you can come up with; I have listed what I used to make an 8 ft long scarf that is 7-8 inches wide.

YOU WILL NEED:
Yarn:
100 yards- base color yarn
100 yards- base color yarn in a different texture
20-30 yards accent color yarn 1
20-30 yards accent color yarn 2
20-30 yards accent color yarn 3

Various Accent Pieces:
3 yards mesh-like ribbon
3-4 skeins embroidery floss
copper thread
6-8 yards lace ribbon

Other:
10-12 ft Solvy Water Soluble Stabilizer (Light Weight, Translucent, 7-7/8” wide)
1 spool thread
Sewing Maching

Clear a space, preferably on a table that will accommodate the length of your scarf.

For an 8 ft scarf, cut one piece of Solvy Stabilizer that is about 6 feet long (about two feet shorter than the finished length).  Make sure the table surface is very dry or it will dissolve this product.

You can cut all the yarn lengths at once, or one at a time as you build the scarf.  Cut each length of yarn, ribbon, or thread to approximately 8 ft long; they don’t have to be perfect. Lay the yarns on top of the Solvy so that they overhang the ends of the Solvy on each end by about 1 ft.

The scarf will have two sides, so keep this in mind as you lay out your yarn. Start with the accent colors, floss, and threads and lay them down on the Solvy in the approximate pattern you like. Next imagine “filling the middle” with the base color yarn. Lastly create the second side of your scarf with more of the accent colors and ribbons.

When you are finished you should have approximately 3-5 “layers” of yarns and threads on top of each other. Cut another 6 ft piece of the Solvy and place it on top of the yarns in the very middle (so there is yarn sticking out 1 ft on each end).

You should have a sandwich with Solvy as the bread and yarns as the filling.

Starting in the very center of the scarf, place three pins across the width of the scarf. Moving out from the center in both directions, place three pins every 2-3” until you reach the ends of the Solvy.

See drawing A.

Starting in the very center of the scarf, sew across the width. When you reach the edge, sew three back stitches and then three forward stiches to reach the edge again. Carefully turn the scarf and sew ½” along the edge. Turn the scarf again and sew across the width in the other direction.

Repeat this process until you have sewn down to the end of the Solvy. Repeat on the other side of the scarf until you have reached the second end of Solvy.

As you sew, some pins might fall out and the yarns might become loose and tangled; this is okay.  Just hold the scarf up and comb the yarns with your fingers, tugging on any that might be sticking out.

After you have about two feet sewn, you can completely ditch the pins if you would like. As long as the yarns where you are sewing are straight, it will turn out just fine. During the cross-width sewing, you can make sure that the yarns look just how you want them before you sew the next line.

If you have to break your sewing for any reason (either running out of thread, or if the yarn catches or gets caught in the sewing gears) that is no problem at all, just make sure you tie the two thread ends together.

When the middle section of the scarf (all but 1 ft on each end) are done, it will look like this.

For the ends of the scarf we will use the Solvy in a slightly different way.

Instead of running it with the grain of the yarns, for the end we will run it perpendicular. Cut a length of Solvy two times the width of the scarf, so for the 7” wide scarf, you will need a 14” piece. Place the Solvy on the table and set the next section of bare yarn on top of it, just slightly overlapping the part already sewn with Solvy.

Fold up the ends of Solvy (like wrapping a present) and use several pins to hold them in the middle. Sew this section in the same way you did before. Repeat this entire process with the other side also.

You will now have a scarf that has just several inches of yarns hanging off each end.

Cut another piece of Solvy that is about 14” long and wrap the end of the scarf again like a present, using several pins to secure it.

Again sew this length the same as before, being a little more delicate at the very end of the scarf. Repeat this entire process with the other side also.

See drawings B & C.

Keep going, you’re almost done!

Starting at one end, in a large zig-zag pattern, sew up the entire length of the scarf, making sure to go all the way to the edges. If there is a piece of the edge that looks less secure, try to sew it during this pass. Repeat this four to six times.

When you have the entire thing sewn, it is time to dissolve the Solvy.

Fill a large sink or bathtub with luke warm water (too hot might cause your colors to run, too cold and the Solvy won’t dissolve as fast).

Place the scarf into the water, one section at a time, slightly agitating it with your hands. Continue to do this until all the Solvy is dissolved; this will take only several minutes.

Hang the scarf to dry.

It's ready to wear!