Sew a Gryffindor Scarf!

Intro: Sew a Gryffindor Scarf!

For all of you that can't knit or crochet and really want a Hogwarts scarf of you own! This is a really simple sewing project - you can have a handmade scarf in a couple hours. :)

I made two different styles - so you can choose which you like. It's also amazingly easy to switch out the colors to support your favorite Hogwarts house. :D

STEP 1: What You'll Need:

• red fleece (or a darker maroon) - 1/2 yard
• gold fleece - 1/2 yard
• thread to match both of the colors
• needle + thread and/or sewing machine
• rotary cutting mat & cutter OR scissors
• ruler

If you have a sewing machine this will go amazingly quick. You can easily finish each scarf in a couple hours.

Also, you can make both scarves with 1/2 yard of fleece and have a tiny bit left over. :)

STEP 2: The Two Scarf Types.

I'll walk you through how to make each scarf - but you can use this step to decide which one to make.

The scarf on the left is flat and very light - the pieces are zigzagged together. It's much longer and has a nice drape. :)

The scarf on the right is much bulkier - sewn together wrong side out and then turned so you see no raw edges. It's shorter and much warmer - perfect for winter!

STEP 3: Cut Out Your Pieces!

Each scarf is made of the same size pieces of fleece.

For the flat scarf, you will need:

• 6 pieces 6x8 inches of gold fleece
• 6 pieces 6x8 inches of red fleece

For the doubled over scarf, you will need:

• 12 pieces 6x8 inches of gold fleece
• 12 pieces 6x8 inches of red fleece

It is easier to cut these out with a rotary cutter, but if you don't have one, I suggest making a cardstock or cardboard template that you can trace around and then cut out with scissors. It goes so much easier that way. :)

Also, keep in mind that fleece has a right side and a wrong side - the right side will be more fuzzy, the wrong side will be smoother. If you check out the last photo, you should be able to see it. I'll be referring to the right and wrong side throughout this tutorial!

STEP 4: Making the Flat Scarf, Part One.

The first step to this whole process is threading your machine. You'll be using two thread colors - yellow in your bobbin and red from the spool.

So fill a bobbin and thread your machine! :)

When sewing, you'll always have the yellow piece of fleece on the bottom and the red piece on top, so your colors will match.

STEP 5: Making the Flat Scarf, Part Two.

Set your machine to a zigzag stitch and get six pieces of each color ready.

Overlap your two pieces about 1/4 inch, making sure that the yellow is on the bottom and the fabric is lined up properly. You'll be sewing the short ends together and the pieces will be right side up. Don't worry about pinning - the fleece will stick together. Then slide the fabric under the presser foot and sew sew sew.

Keep lifting the top fabric to make sure everything is staying lined up as you go, and hold the pieces together with your finger at the very end. Sew from edge to edge and then cut the ends. The finished product will look like the last photo.

Keep sewing your pieces together, keeping the long part of the scarf to the left of the machine, so you only have one little piece to fold over and sit in the machine.

FLEECE TIP: If your machine wants to eat the fabric, try starting slightly in from the edge. If you try to start sewing right at the edge of the fleece, it'll sometimes get sucked into the feed dogs.

STEP 6: Making the Flat Scarf, Part Three!

You'll now trim off any uneven edges or overlap that occurs.

To make the edges of the scarf even, the easiest thing to do is lay a ruler over it and use a rotary cutter to even the edges. Normally your red fabric will be stretched a bit since it was on top. :)

To trim the overlap, simply angle a pair of scissors next to the stitching and cut carefully.

The last photo shows a nicely trimmed and finished scarf.

STEP 7: Flat Scarf Finished!

Above are photos of the finished scarf!

STEP 8: Making the Doubled Scarf, Part One.

You will need 12 pieces of each color, and you can use either color thread in your bobbin and spool. It won't be seen, so you don't have to worry about matching the colors like in the flat scarf.

You'll be sewing the pieces right sides together at the long ends using a straight stitch... make the seam allowance as tiny as possible - 1/8 to 1/4 inches. (See picture 3.)

You'll need to sew two separate lengths of scarf - each 12 pieces long - six reds and six golds.

Keep adding pieces, sewing them right sides together, until you've used six of each color, and then repeat.

And don't worry about pinning. :)

STEP 9: Making the Doubled Scarf, Part Two.

Now you'll have two halves of the scarf, each 12 pieces long. If you notice any crazy uneven edges, trim those to make them even.

Place these two halves together, right sides facing and pin sparsely around three edges. You'll want to leave one of the short edges open so that you can turn the scarf to the right side.

Sew all around the three edges that you pinned, using a half inch seam allowance.

STEP 10: Making the Doubled Scarf, Part Three.

So now you'll have a scarf that's sewn together on three sides. Take your scissors and trim close to the stitching (as close as you feel comfortable with - I normally leave 1/8 inch.) on these sides. Snip off the corners as well. :)

Now you'll turn it right side out. The fourth picture show the easiest way to do it. I like to put it over my arm, pulling and turning until it's done. Once it's right side out, make sure to slip it back up your arm to push the corners out fully.

Now we just need to sew the end closed!

STEP 11: Making the Doubled Scarf, Part Four.

Grab a length of thread to match the end you're sewing closed and thread a needle with it. I like to double the thread here.

Fold in the ends of the fabric so you can't see any raw edges, and slipstitch the opening closed, knotting well at the end.

Not sure how to slipstitch? Check out my tutorial!

And now you're done! :D

STEP 12: Doubled Scarf Finished!

Above are photos of the finished scarf! :D

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

Comments

[coompatr252]

this is an amazing instructable. love it!!

[ParulS]

Five points for Gryffindor!

[aie_i]

wow.. really cool ideas.. love it so much.. thanks for sharing ;)

[jmchenry3]

would it be too much to do this project by hand ? i don't own a sowing machine but I'm pretty good with hand sticking/sowing. I would probaly have to change it a lil bit. maby using thicker thread. maby even sticking the pieces twice.

[jessyratfink]

It wouldn't be too bad - as long as you did small running stitches I think it would work out well!

You can also do a blanket stitch - I bet that'd make the edges look nice!

[hungyhipo 2]

Very cool.

[kuato]

What if I was sorted into Ravenclaw?? :)

I'm tempted to do this, but I've never used a sewing machine before. It seems so simple, but I'm intimidated by the felt... do you think this would be a good thing to try for my first sewing project? Hmmm... I might just buy double what I need and plan to screw up the first one.

[jessyratfink]

Use blue and gold! :D (I think it's actually bronze... but looks gold to me. :P)

It's definitely an good first project because it's all straight lines! But it would probably do you good to sew together a couple of scraps of cotton first to get the feel of the machine. Fleece is an entirely different animal. (Slightly chubbier, slightly grumpier.)

[kuato]

I did it! Thanks for this great 'ible! I now have a healthy respect for fleece :)

[hungyhipo 2]

where did you get the crest

[kuato]

I found it on ebay, but I think you can also buy it from http://www.universalorlando.com/Merchandise/Gift/Harry_Potter/Accessories/Ravenclaw_Crest_Patch.html or if you're lucky enough to live near Universal in Orlando, FL.

It's called "Wizarding World of Harry Potter RAVENCLAW HOUSE CREST PATCH" If you want to try to find it cheaper somewhere else :)

[hungyhipo 2]

thanks

[jessyratfink]

It looks so good! I love the crest too. :D

[kuato]

Thank you so much!! But now I have a problem... My wife saw my scarf, and now *SHE* wants one! It took me a whole weekend to do mine (part of the problem was the sewing machine, the other problem was between the machine and the chair), but I should be able to speed that up with the next one.

I have a question, if you have a sec... on the doubled scarf, when I would sew two pieces of fleece together, I tried to reverse the stitch to lock in the thread. On the bobbin side, this just ended up throwing thread *EVERYWHERE*, so I ended up ripping the seam and starting over. Now I have two ends per run with loose thread that I knotted together 4-5 times per side (because of my crazy OCD) which took forever. :( Do I even need to do that? Were you able to reverse, or did you just leave loose thread? Sorry, I'm really new to this. :S

Oh, and P.S. the crest cost way more than all the other materials! But before I had it on, people were thinking I was a Michigan or Cal fan. HA!

[kuato]

Thank you! That's exactly what I was thinking. OK, I'm going to try this, but in blue and bronze ;)

[HMice]

OMG AWESOME BRILLIANT AMAZING!!!

I love it and am going to make one my self (I'm in ravenclaw) but I'm not that good at sowing. I also want incorporate the "lovefromvirgil" ible about pockets and stuff in your scarf. Is the double one very hard to make?
Anyway, love the design!

[carmesan]

Accio scarf! I did the flat version, super easy and looks really nice. Perfect addition to my costume.

[jessyratfink]

Aaaaaahhhhhh! I love your whole costume! :D

[Kiteman]

This is very nice, but would it be churlish of me to point out that proper school scarves should be knitted, preferably by an elderly aunt with far more enthusiasm than skill?

[jessyratfink]

This is true, but I was really upset by the lack of tutorials for people who can't knit or crochet... I kept searching, and there was no sewing to be found. Only tutorials from people that call knitting sewing. :P

I wish I had a crazy family member to knit for me, or knew Mrs. Weasley in real life, but I was all alone of this one!