It's still really rather cold out, so I thought I'd put something together to help warm you up a bit, in more ways than one!

With St. Patrick's Day coming up next month, I've had my mind in the clouds -- on rainbows, that is! I. Love. Rainbows. So I've put together this cozy and FUN rainbow scarf! Follow along to see how to make one yourself.

Step 1: Gather Supplies

Begin by compiling a selection of rainbow colors of fleece.

You'll also need a piece of white and a piece of gold, and a small piece of velcro as well.

Step 2: Cut One-inch Strips

Cut long strips of fleece in a mix of rainbow colors. The strips should be about 1" wide and somewhere between 24-36 inches long. The length and width will vary depending upon what size person you want the scarf to fit.

Step 3: Zig-zag Strips Together

Use a zig-zag stitch to piece the fabric strips together.

Fleece works wonderfully for this. As long as the edge is straight and your stitch is tight, the fleece melds together as if it was always one piece.

Step 4: Sew All Strips to Make a Rainbow Pattern

If you find that your zig is occasionally dropping a zag (or that your stitches are skipping,) you might try changing out your needle. I've had this problem before with different machines. My current machine is about 20 years old, and nothing fancy, but I managed a very nice stitch just by changing out the needle. Perhaps it was dull or bent, perhaps the new one was thinner (it's certainly more difficult to thread!) but it did the trick, and it was labeled as a standard red-line needle. You might also need to adjust your tension, but use this as a last resort -- you don't want to end up creating other problems for yourself. Check with your nearby sewing store if you still have issues.

Step 5: Trim the Ends

When you're finished stitching the strips together, trim the end straight.

Step 6: Cut a Cloud

Next, cut a cloud shape from a piece of white fleece, then mirror the shape into a second piece of fleece. The cloud should be just slightly larger than the width of the rainbow, and about 4" tall. Place the cloud pieces in front and behind the end of the rainbow, covering the raw edge of the fleece.

Step 7: Stitch the Cloud to One End

Stitch the outline of the cloud to secure it in place.

Step 8: Stitch a Pot O' Gold

Next, you'll need to make the pot o' gold that everyone knows sits at the end of the rainbow.

Size the pot so that the top of the pot when finished is just slightly larger than the width of the rainbow. Round out the pot below the rim, leaving a little extra fabric at the rim to form a cuff.

Step 9: Turn Pot O' Gold

Stitch the pot, turn, and flip down the cuff.

Step 10: Stitch Pot O' Gold to End of Scarf

Next, insert about an inch of the unfinished end of the rainbow into the top of the pot. Pin the rainbow onto one side only of the pot.

Stitch a seam around the rim of the pot, securing the rainbow to one side. The top of the pot should be open to one side.

Step 11: Add Velcro

Add a piece of Velcro to the inside rim of the pot.

Step 12: Share the Fun!

Here's the fun part! Since the pot o' gold is really a "pocket o' gold," it's perfect for storing a pocketful of foil-wrapped candy coins! Or perhaps some Petite Ribbon Shamrocks or Chenille Stem Shamrocks pins. This is a great tool for a pay-it-forward. Wouldn't it be adorable to encourage your child to share a coin or a shamrock pin whenever someone did something nice, or even just complimented their scarf, thus warming their hearts too?!

See more of my original tutorials at http://childmadetutorials.blogspot.com