How To Make A Thread Scarf
Friday, August 24th, 2007We’ve had many requests for directions for our Thread Scarf over the years. Since this technique is now getting it’s second wind - with some really interesting new books on the market - it seemed like like a perfect time to share the instructions and some pictures.
Here’s what you need:
- Get thread. Lots and lots and lots and lots of thread in your favorite colors. I must have used at least 10 regular size spools of several different threads.
- Bobbins as many as you can spare.
- My threads were: poly/cotton, rayons, metallics, and Sliver. I love Sliver - it’s not the easiest thread to sew with especially free-motion work, but the effects are worth ever minute.
- Ivory colored Illusion bridal veiling. You don’t have to use this as a base, but I like the invisible added stability.
- Several rolls of water soluble stabilizer.
- Pressing sheet(s) - optional for gently fusing together the stabilizer.
The scarf thread base was the poly/cotton thread. On top of which I added rayons then metallics and Sliver. The bobbin thread started with poly/cotton for the base, but for the rayon, metallics, and Sliver I used rayon in the bobbin. As the scarf is double-sided, it only made sense to have the threads match top-and-bottom as much as possible.
Decide on about how big you want this scarf to be; mine ended up about 12″ x 60″ finished size. You need to add 5″ or more all the way around when you mark the shape as it’s going to shrink a great deal.
Purchase your Solvy or which ever brand of water soluble stabilizer you like, by the roll. I used eight layers of Solvy for my scarf. If you’re very careful, you can fuse the layers together with an iron.
To do this be certain to have a good pressing sheet on the top and bottom of the stabilizer and never-ever let the iron touch the stabilizer. If you do, it will melt away and make a really nice mess all over your iron.
Layer your stabilizer 4 sheets on top of the veiling, 4 below - you’re making a sandwich. If you decide not to use the veiling, just use the 8 sheets of stabilizer. Make very certain that you have your sandwich secure - nice long quilters pins worked well for me.
Draw your scarf shape on the stabilizer - give yourself about 1″ extra all the way around to grab onto - with a very thin tipped permanent marker. Remember this extra 1″ is in addition to the 5″ for shrinkage you included. I made my shaw/scarf in black, so my marker was black.
Run 3 or 4 rows of a straight stitch all round your marked line. This works to stabilize everything and allow you to remove some of the outside pins.
Make a grid on the piece - straight stitch - about 2 inches squares. Again the idea here is to stabilize everything and make very certain all sections are connected.
My grid was created on an angle and I went back and used a small satin stitch over those lines. Why on an angle? Because I suffer from a chronic case of making more work for myself!
You can now remove pretty much all of your pins.
Once you’re satisfied with your base thread, change to a rayon thread - don’t forget the bobbin, drop your feed dogs and start free motion work.
Just keep going with different threads until the piece is heavily covered with thread. Even if you use the Illusion veiling, you still need lots of connecting threads as your base.
To finish the thread work on the outside of the scarf, use a very tight, narrow satin stitch on top of those straight stitch lines that define the shape.
Cut away the excess stabilizer and veiling from the outside edge. It’s going to take long enough to soak away this stuff, get rid of what you can!
Run a nice hot bath 3-4 inches deep, and put the finished scarf in. After an hour change the water and repeat.
It took me almost 8 hours of this to fully remove the stabilizer. You’ll know when it’s gone, the thread will not feel sticky or gunked up.
When the stabilizer is finally gone, let the piece air dry. I gathered the short ends up and added tassels to complete the look.
Now remember when people marvel over your scarf and asked you how make it - just smile that Mona Lisa smile…
