Festive Multi-Way Brooch Scarf Accessory

It's a brooch... No, it's a sash...Wait, it's an apron?...Seriously, what the heck is it?

I don't know what to call it either, but one thing is for certain, it is an accessory that can quickly and reversibly festify whatever you are wearing, be that a little black dress or a garish candy cane striped bodysuit.

It is inexpensive and simple to make, with lots of opportunities for customization.

Step 1: Supplies and Equipment

Material

Tulle- I used 62 yards of the 6 inch wide rolls in various shades and finishes of green. 25 yards Matte (1 roll), 25 yards Glimmer (1 roll), 12 yards Glitter (1 roll, it is thicker so you get half as much). FYI- Glitter will make a mess!
Brooch Backing- I used a brooch backing pin that had an additional alligator clip because that is what I had available, but I suspect a large safety pin would work as well. (The brooch pin I used was only 3/4 of an inch long, and being so short, it was a bit tricky to pin to things. It was doable, but I suspect a longer pin would have made the task easier. Just something to keep in mind.)
Tread- I used green to match the tulle
Glittered Metal Star Tree Topper- I picked this up for $1 at the dollar store with the ornaments, however I think you could easily make a modified version out of cardstock and then glitter the heck out of it (This one looks good: https://www.instructables.com/id/Paper-Gold-Star-Tree-Topper/ ).
Decorations- I used large sequins and a $1 pack of ornament balls. Use whatever is light and available. Pompons, jingle bells, and tiny bows would work well.

Equipment

Sissors
Needle
Hot Glue Gun and Glue

Optional

Florist Wire
Pliers and Wire Cutter
Binder Ring
Glue Dots

TIP: Static Guard Spray- The tulle can get hard to work with due to static buildup and the spray can help make it a bit easier.

Step 2: Cutting the Tulle

I cut the tulle into 80 inch long streamers. It just so happened that my kitchen island was 40 inches across, so I just rolled out 2 times its length and then cut it. I cut each roll until there was not anymore to cut.

I ended up with:

11- Matte Green streamers (6" x 80")

11- Glimmer Green streamers (6" x 80")

5- Glitter Green streamers (6" x 80")

Step 3: Gathering the Tulle

NOTE: Technically, you do not have to do this. Alternatively, you can just bind all of the streamers up together at the mid-point.

I wanted the different streamer types to be evenly distributed, so I layered them using the following scheme:

I layered the tulle into stacks of 3 and then bunched them up at their midpoint (40 inches) and then bound them with thread.

S = Glimmer (think shimmer, because glitter already took "G")

M = Matte

G = Glitter

Reserve 1 streamer of each to make the braided waist tie. I just set them off to the side.

4- GMS

2- SMS

2- MSM

Step 4: Bundling the Tulle

I then made 4 bundles from the 8 bundles by combining the following:

2- GMS + SMS
2- GMS + MSM

Then alternating them, I bound them into one bundle with the thread.

Step 5: Optional: Wire Binding the Tulle

I decided I really wanted the tulle to be bound together quite firmly and in the smallest possible area. This step isn't necessary, I just thought it would look more polished.

I used a binder clip inserted at the mid-point and then pulled up and wrapped the tulle tightly together just under the binder clip. I used needle nose pliers to get the wire tighter than I could with my hands, then bent the sharp wire tips and pushed them into the little ball that had formed. I slipped the binder ring out, and then gave the wire and tulle ball a gentle wack or two to get it to lay a bit more flat.

Step 6: Isolating the Star

I bent the coiled wire on the star tree topper back and forth until it snapped off.

Step 7: Attaching Tulle and Brooch Plate to Star

I squeezed a sizable glob of hot glue into the recess on the back of the star and then pressed the tip of the streamer bundle into the glue.

I then slowly built up layers of hot glue around and over the top of the streamer bundle until I made a glue pad flush with the sides of the star so that the brooch pin would have a flat even surface with which to adhere. I then hot glued on the brooch pin.

Step 8: Placing the Balls

Once the glue had cooled and set, I pinned it to the tube top on my mannequin and proceeded to do a little twisting and fluffing of the steamers to get them to lay how I wanted with 4 or 5 of the glitter streamers to the outside. (If you are a normal person and don’t have a mannequin hanging about your house, just pin it to whatever you find. It is so light weight it could be effortlessly supported by something like curtains.)

I used paperclips to temporarily attach the balls, but green ornament hooks could easily be used. In fact, if you closed them shut, you could probably skip the step where I tacked them on with thread. If you plan on styling it with a waist band, you might want to consider avoiding placing balls in the path of the waist band.

TIP: Pay Attention to Steamer Direction I ended up with a couple of streamers with balls and sequins attached to both sides of the streamer because it had twisted as it went down. If I had it to over, I would identify about 4 to 5 streamers that I want as the front, and then attach all the balls and sequins to the front of only those streamers. When it comes time to style it, it will then be much easier to get all the balls and sequins facing front.

Step 9: Braid the Waistband

Remember those 3 streamers I set aside? I used them to braid a waist band.

The streamers were initially too long to braid and they kept getting tangled, so I had to bundle them up with hair clips, letting them out a foot or so at a time.

Step 10: Attach the Balls and Sequins

I knotted the thread onto the needle so that it wouldn't slide off. I would then catch 2 to 3 tulle holes behind my needle, pull it almost to the end, and then just overhand knot the ball into place. I would snip the thread off just above the attachment point of the ball, and then move onto the next. I could do about 5-6 without having to re-thread the needle. I followed the same method for attaching the sequins.

Step 11: Alternative Sequin Attachment Method

I think sewing the sequins on is the best method, but you could also just attach them with glue.

Press sequin onto glue dot
Peel off
Center over attachment location
Press onto tulle

The downside to this method is that the glue can stick to layers of tulle under the top layer. Also, if the streamer gets twisted backwards, the glue is then visible. ( Oooo! Just had a thought to fix this... glue 2 dots together on each side of the tulle. Darn it! I wish I would have done that! )

Step 12: Styling: Apron

Attach the brooch up high on the front, and then tie the waist band around to secure it closer to the body.

This is an apron befitting Mrs. Claus!

Step 13: Styling: Cape

Divide it in half, attach the brooch at the front and base of the neck, and then drape the scarf portion over each respective shoulder.

Now off to spread your super-natural holiday cheer!

Step 14: Styling: Sash

Attach at the shoulder and just leave free flowing, or gather it up and pin it to the waist at the opposite side.

When it is gathered it reminds me of a garland!

Step 15: Styling: Bustle

I think it would look great attached above a thigh high slit on a long skirt, or over the butt to form a bustle or train.

Step 16: Styling: Toga

Attach the brooch to the shoulder. Tie the front half to the waist, but leave the back half free and cape like.

You will totally look like Santa's little helper in this! Pointy elf ears not necessary.

Step 17: Styling: Off Shoulder & Giant Collar

Pin the Brooch to the front and center. Then divide the streamers in half, wrap them around the outside of the shoulders, and then tie at the back with the braided belt. If it is unpinned and turned around with the star on the back of the neck, it makes a puffy collar look. I think the balls and sequins are placed less than ideally for this, but thought I would include it any way.