2 1/2 Hour Chenille Scarf Tutorial by Linda Richards

"Ring Your Neck" Scarf Making Challenge participant, Linda Richards doesn't have a blog so I am hosting her entry into the challenge.  She created this gorgeous chenille scarf and has graciously included a free tutorial.  Linda has an online store called Desert Designs featuring her beautiful smocked items.  Please check out her site HERE.

The following is written by Linda Richards:


This challenge was a lot of fun and even though it took me quite a while to decide what
technique I would try to use to make my scarf, once that decision was made and I made a
trip to the fabric store it was so easy! I did some research online and came across some
chenille scarves that caught my eye. I have always wanted to try the faux chenille
technique and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity and not only was I going to make
a chenille scarf but it would be double sided! Wow!! From the time I laid out my fabric
to the time I finished sewing the scarf was only about two and half hours! I was amazed.

• I purchased 1 ½ yards each of three coordinating pieces of rayon challis for a
total of $34 and I have enough fabric left over to make a slightly smaller scarf.
• The fabric must be cut on the true bias ~ I cut all the fabric into 7 ½” wide
strips and made seven layers. I layered the fabric with three layers right sides
out (actually only one of my fabrics had a right and wrong side) a fourth layer
which was the actual middle layer of the scarf not to be cut and another three
layers right sides out on the other side of that middle layer. I flipped the
layers on one side from what I had done on the other side so I would have a
scarf with two different sides. I pinned all the layers together (and not too
neatly I might add!)

• Next I stitched 1” in from one edge from top to bottom and then stitched lines
½” apart across the scarf and then used my rotary cutter and ruler to neaten the
sides and ends.

• After all the channels were stitched, I cut the top three layers (being very
careful not to cut the middle layer) between the stitching lines from the top to
the bottom. I turned the scarf over and did the same thing on the other side,
once again being very careful not to cut the middle layer!

• The next thing I needed to do was to mark about 4” up from the bottom edge
and make a stitching line for the fringe.

• I stitched across that line and then cut between the previous channels I
stitched all the way to the line to make the fringe. The scarf was ready for the
washing machine and a hot dryer a mere two and half hours later!

• Waiting for the scarf to wash and dry was the hardest part. (I kept peeking
and checking it while it was in the dryer to see what was happening!) I used a
warm water wash and rinse and a hot dryer. It creates a lot of lint in the dryer
by the way!

• I ended up with the softest and prettiest reversible scarf imaginable and I was
quite pleased! I really liked how the fringe turned out ~ sort of a corkscrew
effect. My husband really liked it so I guess it has a real stamp of approval and
depending on the colors selected, I think it would work well for a man, too!
• I was more than pleased with the end results! I am so pleased in fact that I am
planning to make a couple of more scarves for Christmas gifts!

This was probably the easiest (much to my surprise) new technique I’ve ever tried. In
reality, I think you could say the washer and dryer do a lot of the work and that the
sewing techniques are very forgiving since the layers get cut apart. The fabric had a
tendency to slide with that many layers and there were little puckers along the way. I
decided not to let that bother me because everything was going to be cut and end up as
fluff. I was right, that did not matter in the end.

I loved this challenge, Thank You!

Linda Richards
Tucson, AZ