Wonky Patchwork: Wool Squares Patchwork Scarf

Friday, 8 January 2016

Wool Squares Patchwork Scarf

I started these little squares way back at the beginning of last year. I really enjoyed making them and I loved the look of them put together, but I think I was slightly scared of actually getting round to sewing them together because I didn't quite know how best to go about it. The plan was always to make a scarf with them and I had a very clear image in my head of how I wanted it to look, I just didn't have the confidence in myself to translate my vision into actual finished article. So the squares sat there for most of the year. But as well as scarf, the plan had always been Christmas present, so with Christmas fast approaching I gave myself a good talking to and decided to just go for it with them.

All repurposed wool - 1.25 inch squares with little wool pennies hand sewn in place, some with vintage mother of pearl buttons.

And once I did dive in, a very simple, straightforward method of putting it all together worked just as I wanted it to work.

I had found a piece of beautiful, teal corduroy ages ago which I wanted to use. I simply cut 2 long strips, slightly larger than the size I wanted my scarf to be. And then arranged the squares along it, just face up, right next to one another with no spacing. I used glue basting spray to hold them in place and did half the scarf at a time. Once the first half was positioned as I wanted I sewed them all down, going around the perimeter first, and then up and down each row length ways, before crossing back and forth across the short side. Then I repeated this with the other half of the scarf.

Once it was all done I placed my colourful, squared strip right sides together with my second plain teal strip, pinned, and sewed around 3 edges, leaving just 1 short edge open.

You can see the 'grid' of stitching which sewed down all my squares.

I turned the scarf right sides out through this open end, making sure to poke out all the corners fully, and then ironed in the raw edges (just as I did with the Liberty patchwork scarf) before top stitching all the way around the scarf to finish it and secure that open end at the same time. It ended up being very quick and easy to put together.

This one is a really warm scarf, it definitely keeps out the draughts! But it's not a scarf which can be knotted, it's just too wide and thick.

I think one of my biggest 'unknowns' before sewing this had been wondering whether to just sew the squares down, with their edges raw, on to the backing fabric, or whether to actually properly patchwork them together first. When it was done, I was very happy with the face down, raw edge approach. And finishing it made me immediately want to start hand sewing more small squares again!