How to make a lace fashion scarf - fast, easy

This scarf was made from salvaged sheer, stretchy lace fabric with other matching (non-stretchy) lace sewn on both long edges and down the middle. It has several soft colors in it: peach, pink, white. The lace strips are allowed to fall below the edge of the stretchy lace for a very feminine, soft look. It measures 6" x 47".

This is a sweet, excellent, light-weight, summer fashion scarf that can also be worn in the winter as a fashion scarf. It is very soft and scrunch-able. It is also very easy to make on your own - either by hand or on your sewing machine!



How to make your own lace, fashion scarf:

1) Gather your supplies -
-You will need a length of lace about 5-6 inches wide and about 48 inches long. Feel free to measure and have a look and see if you want yours wider or narrower or a different length. Use your favorite scarf and measure that one to get a size that works for you. If you are making it for someone else, remember to take their size and height into consideration.

-Consider going to your local second-hand store to have a look in their linen/curtain/fabric section to see if a gently used sheer curtain or long doilie/table runner will work for you. Stretchy lace is nice, b/c it doesn't necessarily need a hem to keep the edges from fraying. 

-You will also need some lengths of narrow lace, that are a bit longer than your scarf, to sew on the edges and down the middle. Get colors that work with your scarf lace/fabric. I used 2 different types of narrow lace (just b/c that's what was here and handy :). Feel free to let the ends dangle longer than I did for an even longer, feminine look.

2) You will need a few straight pins, thread, scissors, something to measure with and either a sewing machine or a needle and thread. This project can be done by hand or on the machine.

3) Measure and cut the basic scarf out of the lace. If your lace scarf is not of stretchy lace/fabric, this is the time to sew a narrow hem along each short end only - see photo on right. We'll take care of the long edges momentarily.

-Measure your narrow lengths of lace to sew on the sides and middle - remember they should be longer and extend past each end of the scarf. Find the middle of all pieces of lace/scarf and mark each with a straight pin.

4) Starting in the middle, with one length of narrow lace on one edge, match middle straight pins, so that the lace extends past the end of the scarf at each end. Pin lace in place with your straight pins. If you are using stretchy lace and your machine, remember that a ball-point needle is best for stretchy fabrics.

5) Beginning in the middle and working toward one end, sew the narrow lace along the edge of the scarf. Use a zigzag stitch on your machine to cover more area and ensure stretchiness. Then go back to the middle where you started, and go the other direction, to the other end of the scarf, sewing. Treat each strip of narrow lace in the same manner.

- If you are using fabric that is not stretchy, you will need to turn under a narrow hem to keep it from fraying.
To do this:
With right side up, turn the hem UP toward the top/front and lay the narrow lace on top of it and secure with straight pins, then sew down, so that the raw edge will be sandwiched under the narrow lace. Depending on the width of your narrow lace, you may want to sew down both edges. I machine zigzagged one seam down the middle of the narrow lace, since the scarf edge on mine was stretchy and didn't need a hem. If a hem was needed, I would have sewn down each edge on the long, narrow strips of lace to ensure lack of fraying on the scarf edge.

The photo below shows the back side of the scarf with the 3 narrow lengths of lace sewn on. You may decide you only want 2 strips of lace - one on each edge. It's up to you. :)


I hope you have fun making your own scarf! Contact me if you have questions or suggestions; I always welcome feedback! :)

And if you would like to purchase the one pictured instead of making your own, you can always go to:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RecycledGrace

 Where, in a effort to reuse and recycle, all items are one-of-a-kind designs and made with recycled/reclaimed/repurposed materials and garments. 

As always, thanks for Saving the Planet While You Shop! :)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycled-Grace-Grace-Cooley/116810331719246 

Upcycled lemony rayon jumper dress.

Thanks for stopping in! :)

This is a lemony yellow rayon jumper dress that used to be straight and long (had some holes too). See the photo on right for the "before". :) Has jumper straps and buttons up each side. A friend donated it, b/c she had had it for years and didn't know what to do with it. She decided to just give it up and see what I would come up with.

I really wanted to give it some more sassy-ness and swing, so added some rayon gores of fabric that used to be a sarong (and yes, I have a terrible time cutting into a "perfectly good" sarong - the first cut is the worst! - and was so worth it!:).

I also added some fun patches of color to tie it all together and to cover up some challenges it was having. :) It has a cute little pocket on the front bib.

This is a very light, swingy dress to wear - very cool for summer. The drape of the rayon is very nice (wind is blowing it around in outside photos). The print is a small yellow and white check with a small dark blue flower.

Tag still says size Large.


Measures 37" long from shoulder to bottom hem. Measures 44" around the waist seam.

And this dress can be cinched in at the waist with a dress clip to fit just about any size, in case you are not a large and are coveting it. :) (Photos show a dark blue dress clip). I make and sell custom dress clips if you are needing one of those. For this dress, I could even make one out of the dark blue batik fabric to match the gores/patches - just let me know. 

This dress looks fantastic over sleeved or sleeveless shirts. I put it over a light-weight, dark blue jersey shirt and a strappy tee. A light-weight white shirt would look great too! :)

This is a cool, light-weight, summer dress!

Dry clean only when needed or hand wash in cool water and hang to dry.

In a effort to reuse and recycle, all items are one-of-a-kind designs and made with recycled/reclaimed/repurposed materials and garments. Everything I sell is recycled/repurposed.

Allergy info: cats and dogs helped make all products

May it serve you well! :)
Thanks for Saving the Planet While You Shop! :)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RecycledGrace
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycled-Grace-Grace-Cooley/116810331719246 

Head Coverings for Bald (and all) Heads - Recycled, Sustainable, Reclaimed

This is an original design. I started designing head coverings years ago after reading an article about a group who knitted hats and donated them to a local oncology clinic.

So far, I have 3 original designs made especially for people without hair, b/c sometimes regular hats and head coverings just don't work as well on a bald head. After all these years, I am still designing, making and donating hats to that same local oncology clinic, and I LOVE doing it. People with hair seem to love these designs too.

I took a regular do rag apart and proceeded to change the design. I made it deeper/longer, so that it covers more area - including the ears if you choose (it depends upon how you tie it) - and a few more tweaks here and there :). I make them out of fleece for winter and out of cotton/rayon fabrics for the summer. The summer ones can have a turn up on the bottom edge, depending on the head size. I can make reversible ones too.

Because they tie in back, they can fit many head sizes. In the summer they provide coverage from the sun and are still light-weight enough to not be too hot - I try and make them super absorbent too for summer. All are prewashed for maximum absorbency. All are machine wash and dry.

They can be made for men and women (I have plenty of colors for both) and can be tied very tightly - and low or high on the forehead - for extra warmth/coverage and to fit all size heads.

Guys like the do rag for bike rides, b/c you can really get a snug, protective fit. A male customer called and said the summer do rag was good up to 70 mph (that's as fast as he's gone with it on - it might withstand faster:) on his Harley. :)

I only use repurposed fabrics from garage sales or second hand stores (must be in excellent shape), and some is given to me by others who know I make recycled stuff.

Allergy info: Dogs and cats helped make all products.

May it serve you well!

And thanks for Saving the Planet While You Shop! :) 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RecycledGrace
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycled-Grace-Grace-Cooley/116810331719246