Pom-tastic Times

In answer to some of Anna's prayers here a quick make to use (or use up) some of your stash.

We have an ever growing selection of Nani Iro prints here at The Eternal Maker and some of the new double gauzes are going to the top of my favourites list (so much so, at my recent nuptials, my sister even made me a Nani Iro garter - amazing!). We get the feeling that some people are a bit wary of using the double gauzes and jerseys, and I hope this, at least in part, encourages people to dip a toe into the unknown. These fabrics really aren't that hard to work with - in fact the double gauze grips so nicely against itself it sometimes doesn't even need pinning or tacking -  anything that makes life easier and sewing quicker get my vote!

Now I love pom-poms too, almost as much as fabric and after looking at a similar project on purlbee (http://www.purlbee.com/pom-pom-scarf/2012/2/16/mollys-sketchbook-pom-pom-scarf.html)  I was throughly inspired to create my own little pom-tastic scarf to share with you all. It's amazing how such a simple project really does allows the beauty of these gorgeous prints to shine through.

So, without further to do, here's my little make - a pom-pom trimmed double gauze scarf - light but wonderfully comforting and perfectly suited to late summer evenings when you just need a little something to keep the chill off. (It would also make a great last minute gift as I whipped up one in just an hour this afternoon.)

You will need just one metre of fabric (we chose print number JG-15500-C12 from "Waltz") and a about 2.25cm of pompom trim (we used the larger 25mm pompoms in beige) - and then apart from a sewing machine (preferably with a zipper or piping foot) and pins, a needle and thread, that is really all you'll need.

Firstly trim your metre of fabric into the biggest square you can cut from your piece - you can do this by measuring or by folding it diagonally across as a guide. Trim off your selvedge edges (about 1.5cm off the edges) while you do this.

Now that you have cut your square fold it in half diagonally. The two diagonally opposite corners of the square will end up on top of each other. Fold your fabric so that the right sides (the sides you want to see when your scarf is finished) are facing each other. (Like an apple turnover - as shown below)

You will be sewing down these two open edges but firstly you need to insert your pom-pom trim.

Lay the pom-pom trim along the open edges of your scarf, inbetween the two layers of fabric. Try to match the outer edge of the fabric to the outer edge of the tape of the pom-pom trim. Use pins to hold the pom-pom trim in place - if you put pins in at right angles across what will be your line of stitching you will be able to leave your pins in and sew over them with the machine (no need for tacking - hoorah!)

Make sure you leave one pom-pom ball and a little bit of trim pocking out the pointed end (as shown on the  photo) as this will assure that when you sew along your scarf  there will be no loose ends of pom-poms left dangling loose. (After you have finished machine stitching you can trim this odd end pom-pom ball off, but it's helpful to keep it attached for the minute.)

(Now this is were my photography skills have let me down....)  - hopefully you can see that once you have pinned your pom-pom trim inside the outer edges of your scarf,  you just use the sewing machine to stitch through the two layers of fabric and the pom-pom tape - trapping the pom-pom trim in the seam as you go. (A zipper or piping foot is helpful at this stage but if you are careful and take it slowly you will be able to manage without one.)

Stitch in this way around the two sides of your scarf making sure you leave about a10cm gap at the end so that you can turn your scarf right side out.

Next step - Turn your scarf right side out!

At this stage you can check that all your pom-pom trim tape is hidden in the seam - if it's not (like mine wasn't) turn your scarf right side in again and stitch another line of stitching further in from the edge of the scarf, as close to the pom-pom balls as you can manage (have a feel and you can work out where the balls and tape are laying in the seam). Turn it right side out again.

It should look roughly like this when your done........

 Now you just need to stitch up the gap that you left to turn out your scarf. I found it made it a lot easier to iron creases that followed the seams edges before stitching - this gives you an easy guide as to where you want the fabric to end up. Obviously tuck in and stitch in the pom-pom trim as you go and use tiny stitches on either side of the trimming to hold everything in place while also joining the two edges of fabric. When you get to the very end of the point - trim off any exces trim and post the last bit of tape into the seam and secure with a few stitches. This last stage is a little bit fiddly, so it's easier to do by hand. Your scarf should have come together quite quickly so far, so it's nice to be able to spend at little bit of time here finishing it off neatly.

After that you're all finished and the proud owner of a new pom-tastic scarf!

Happy stitching! Rachael x