Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Super Fast Last Minute Gift Idea...No Sew Scarf !!

This Christmas gift is so fast to make, but you need to live near a fabric store to buy the furry fabric. I've made these scarves for 2-3 years now, but didn't make them this year or I would have shared this idea earlier. Even if you can't make them this year, buy the fabric when it goes on sale and make them for next year.
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Here's my daughter modeling the black scarf...


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and here's the brown one.
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The fabric comes in so many colors...


You can find it in the fleece section. It is unbelievably soft, silky, furry and so warm around your neck.


You can make them any width. The black is 5 inches wide and the brown is 7 inches wide. The size is all up to you.



I didn't have any full yardage left to lay out and show you the steps, but its very easy to do...ALL YOU DO IS RIP IT AND IT"S DONE!!
  • I bought the silky furry fleece at Joann's in the fleece department. (It looks like Elmo fur,but in different colors!)
  • You can get it on sale sometimes for $7-$8 per yard
  • Buy the yardage you need, but buy extra to clean up the edge of the fabric before you rip it...yes, rip it!!
  • Completely unfold fabric and lay it out so one selvage edge is close to you and the other is at the other end. The wrong side is up.
  • To clean or straighten the left edge of the fabric, make a snip through the selvage (or finished edge) about 2" over and then RIP IT! Just pull both pieces of the snipped fabric and it will tear clean up to the other selvage edge. You might have to cut that last bit with scissors.
  • Now you have a clean straight edge, determine the width of you scarf (5"-6" wide), snip the selvage edge and rip, rip rip. Do it fast!
  • The fur will be flying, so you might want to do this outside or in the basement. You'll be swearing at me for this messy part, but it's worth it!
  • Because this is a version of fleece, the ripped edges don't fray and the selvage edges are already finished.
So what it comes down to is this...
  • Just snip, rip, shake the excess fur and you are done!!
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The picture below shows the selvage edges of the black and the brown scarves. The left and right sides where it was ripped automatically rolls itself to finish it.
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I'm showing you this piece of red furry fabric to show you what went wrong last year with this fabric. Hopefully you can look out for this when you are shopping for the fabric. This is the piece I had left.



Very pretty in person...great for Christmas!




but here's where it went wrong...the person who cuts the fabric, cut it crooked or the straight of grain was woven crooked. Can you see how the lines start to go off to the left from the selvage edge on the bottom?




When I started to cut the 6 inch wide scarf on the right, see the woven lines to the left...they are running almost diagonal. When you snip and then start to rip, it will follow that diagonal line. Now your scarf will be 6 inches on one end and about 2 inches on the other!!! I'm laughing at the thought of that now, but when I was making 40 of these the night before my ladies party...it wasn't so funny. I had a few choice words for Elmo when I was cutting this red fabric, LOL




Here's another picture of the crooked fabric and what not to buy.




This is how I packaged each scarf for gifts the past 2 years. Add a little bell or ornament to the bow and it's all set.
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If you get the fabric on sale and you cut the scarves at about 5-6 inches wide, you can get about 6 scarves out of 1 yard of fabric (don't forget to buy extra for ripping though). I just saw the red furry fabric on sale on the Joann website for $7.50, so that's only $1.25 per scarf!!
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Now that's one great gift.
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Hope you have time to run out and try this...maybe this will help if you need a quick last minute gift. They would be great gifts for:
  • teachers
  • babysitters
  • dog walkers
  • kid's school friends
  • guild members
  • tutors
  • music teachers
  • grandmas, aunts, sisters...
  • you name it, the list is endless
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We will be celebrating my husband's side of the family tomorrow, Kelsie's birthday is on the 24th and my sister is having dinner on Christmas, so we will be busy much like all of you.
I want to take this time to wish all of my special blogging friends from all over the world a wonderful holiday and a very Merry Christmas. May your day be blessed with love, family, friends and good health.
Merry Christmas!
Love, Karen

15 comments:

  1. I LOVE this Idea! They are so pretty!I was wondering do they shed on your cloths? Your daughter looks *shed* free. LOL
    I am asking because I know how messy this fabric is. I need a black scarf for New years, thanks for the idea!
    ~Donna~

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  2. Nice gift and wonderful to be so quick and inexpensive!!! Merry Christmas to you and your family, too.

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  3. Those are wonderful! and look at how cute your daughter is!! This is now on my ever growing 2010 list. Have a wonderful Holiday!!

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  4. Greetings from Albany, Western Australia. I hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas and New Year. I have really enjoyed reading your blog each week. And isn't your daughter like you? Sam (Sandra)

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  5. All I can say is "thank you"! You just saved me from a last minute, what am I going to get total freak out. AND I have a 50% off coupon for Joann's which is only 5 minutes from my office. It's kismet! Have a wonderful Christmas!!

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  6. Merry Christmas Karen!!!

    Darling, thank you for your friendship and inspiration, for your warmth and for the generosity of your spirit in always providing inspiration and ideas to your blogging friends. You really are incredible!!!

    Merry Christmas dear Karen, may your holidays be full of love and laughter and may your new year be filled with blessings! I certainly feel very blessed in knowing you!

    Festive hugs! Vikki xoxo

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  7. these are adorable my DD's would love them too!
    I will have to look for this fabric around here.
    thanks so much a wonderful idea and like you said so easy!
    thanks for all your tips this year and have a wonderful holiday with your family.
    Merry Christmas'Kathie

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  8. Merry Christmas to you too, Karen! I'll be on the lookout for some furry fabric after Christmas.

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  9. Great idea! Great scarves! Looks great all packaged up for giving too! 8-)

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  10. Thank you for such a great last minute gifty! Never would have thought to rip it...how easy.
    A Blessed Christmas to you and yours!
    Peace, Sandy

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  11. what a cute last minute gift, shame the stores are closed...LOL

    Merry Christmas to you and your family,

    Gill in Canada

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  12. thanks for popping by and commenting. I am posting in more detail about the pantry challenge on Tuesday, and on Wednesday I am posting about the Daily Savings Challenge, that is a neat way of saving without it hurting!!!!

    Hope you have time to pop by and read all about it.

    Gill in Canada

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  13. Its a nice post on New Year & Christmas days gifts ideas !
    as its give a feel of personalized & unique gifts ideas.I liked all ways to surprised New Year & Christmas days gifts ideas with a unique feel of emotions.Very useful tips it contain for New Year & Christmas days spacial.

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  14. Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow /Hey thanks man!! you are so good. I think this the perfect work.
    wedding Gift Ideas

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