easy spring cowl

A sweet friend of mine requested a tutorial on infinity scarves. There are a few different ways to make them, but I find this way the easiest. And this one I'm calling a cowl - because it doesn't loop twice. Looping twice makes it an infinity scarf to me. I don't know my definitions are accurate, but those are the facts over here on my blog, folks!

My goal was to make a lightweight cowl to add some interest to my extensive array of solid color tees (this is what I call my spring wardrobe).  The fabric is Robert Kaufman London Calling 3: Celebration. It has an amazingly breezy feel, and the print is just adorable. I bought it at Pacific Fabrics, and all of the lovely women there were doting over it. Anyways, here's the tutorial...

 1. Take your 1/3 yard of fabric, fold right sides together with selvages on ends. Measure out 25" and cut. This is perfect to fit over my 22" head (now you know where my children get their big heads from). You can shorten or lengthen as desired.

2. Pin the long side of the fabric together. 

3. Sew the long edge with 1/2" seam allowance.

4. Press seam flat.

5. Turn cowl right side out. Then line up short ends, right sides together (my photo shows this step in process - does that make sense?)

6. Pin ends together, leaving a 2" or so gap for turning.

7. Sew all the way around using a 1/2" seam allowance, and minding the gap!

8. Turn cowl right side out. Press gap closed and pin.

9. Top stitch gap closed about 1/8" from the edge.

You could also blind stitch the gap closed, but that takes a really long time and you can't really see the topstitches when the cowl is worn, anyways. Sometimes laziness pays off.

Ridiculous picture of me wearing cute cowl. I need some *serious* help with self-photography if I'm going to keep making scarves. I took this one in the mirror with the camera on top of my head. Or I need a model. Any volunteers?

So, this tutorial also works if you want to make a Survivor buff knockoff. Because that is basically what it is. I can't rock the buff any other way than around my neck, but I bet some of you could. Just think of the possibilities if you were to use jersey!

Still working on the site and the shop. I will probably be moving to wordpress.org soon. Thanks for you patience with me!

:) Shelly