Many of you asked me to write an article on how to make your scarf, shemagh, snood, silk square... following the publication of Bélinda's creation whom I thank again for sharing her work (which you can see below). 

So I had fun listing the ways to make "neck wraps" and I offer you some tutorials made either with paper; because I didn't have time to sew them all ;-), or with a small photo tutorial. 

Let's go... Here we go!

1. the shemaghs - double-lined triangular scarves

The triangular scarf often called a shemagh is perfect both for winter and for cool summer evenings. You just need to choose your fabrics well to get a very different result.

Moreover, this type of scarf is reversible once sewn, so you can have two original scarves in one single sewing project!

In winter, opt for minky, fleece, jersey, faux fur... And in summer, for double gauzes, popelines, satin cotton, seersucker... 

How to make it?

In the seamstress's basket for the adult model 

• Two fabrics of your choice depending on the desired result, 50x110cm (see NB. below) 
• Matching thread
• Your sewing machine and your basic equipment. 

For the adult model: the triangle will have a base of 220cm

Instructions for the adult model 

First step, mark on the wrong side of your fabric the center points of the widths (mark at 25cm) and the center of the bottom of the fabric (mark at 55cm). Draw a line connecting the center mark of the width (on the left) to the center of the length and then connect this point to the center of the width on the right.  

Second step, cut along the lines you just drew.  Repeat the first two steps with the second chosen fabric.  

Third step, take the two "scraps" of fabric shaped like triangles and pin them right sides together to the sides. Sew with a straight stitch at 1cm. Press your seams open with an iron. Proceed the same way with the two fabrics. You get two very large triangles. 

NB: if you have patterned fabric, the two "small" triangles you will add will be upside down if you use your scrap. In principle, this is not visible once the scarf is worn. If it bothers you, then you need to recut the two pieces right side up from another piece of your fabric or choose a pattern that has no imposed direction from the start.  

Fifth step, trim the corners (cut the 3 small corners) and turn your piece right side out through the 20cm opening we left. To finish, you can either sew the opening closed by hand or topstitch at 0.5cm all around the scarf, having carefully ironed and tucked in the seam allowances of the 20cm "hole" before topstitching. 

Ta-da, you’re ready to brave the cold with your brand new scarf!

Instructions for the child model

For the smallest ones, choose a triangle base of 100cm, so the sides should be 70cm long. For a 120cm base, count a side length of 84cm, and for a 140cm base, a side length of 99cm. For those interested, this is the Pythagorean theorem. Sewing is also a bit of geometry ;-)

First step, cutting; you can cut the entire piece directly (there won’t be the seams of the two triangles on the sides to widen the diagonal as for adults, because we are working on a much smaller piece). 

Photo: cutting

Second step, pin the two triangles right sides together. Sew around with a straight stitch at 1cm, leaving a 20cm opening. To remember to stop, I use glass-headed pins to remind me not to join my first seam.

Photo: pin and sew

Third step, trim the corners and turn the piece right side out.

Fourth step, carefully iron and close the opening either with hand stitching or by topstitching at 0.5cm. 

Photo: trimming

Here is my godson's little "bunny" scarf to go to daycare, made from a personal fabric I had bought for his birth to make a bodysuit, but then I changed my mind and made a baby nest. 

Finally, Disney’s little Panpans will still join their owner. 

2. neck warmers / snood / rectangular lined scarves

This rectangular lined scarf, sometimes called a neck warmer, snood... is rather to be worn in the cold season. 

Unlike the previous model, the snood is not reversible. You will therefore need to choose a fabric for the inside and the outside. 

In the seamstress’s basket

• A fabric (preferably patterned) in jacquard, tweed, cotton, woolen: 140 cm x 52 cm 
• A fabric in fleece, jersey, minky, faux fur—a cozy fabric that will be inside the neck warmer: same dimensions
• Thread matching the color of the patterned fabric 
• 1 elastic of 12 cm (preferably round or a thin flat one max 1cm wide) 
• 1 large fancy button
  
• Your sewing machine and your basic materials

Cut a rectangle of 140 by 52 cm from the two chosen fabrics. 

First step, sew the button on the right side of fabric 1 (the one you want to see on the outside once the model is completed). Place it 50 cm along the length (starting from the left) and move up 22.5 cm in width to sew the button. These dimensions are standard and depend on your body shape; you can try the neck wrap by placing the button and check that this spot suits you to close your neck wrap (you feel comfortable and it doesn't gape too much; otherwise, you will be cold).

Second step, form a loop with the elastic and place it on the right side of the same fabric as the button. It will be placed at the top right (2cm from the top edge). The ends of the elastic face outward from the fabric, the loop formed by the elastic faces inward toward the fabric. 

Third step, place the two fabrics right sides together and pin. Sew around the rectangle with a straight stitch, leaving about twenty centimeters open, preferably on one of the lengths (this will make turning easier). Be sure to securely attach your elastic; to do this, you can make a first pass, a few backstitches, and then continue to finish the perimeter. 

Fourth step, trim the corners (cut the small corner) and turn your work through the 20cm opening we left. To finish, you can either sew the opening closed by hand; or you can topstitch 0.5cm around the entire edge of the scarf, making sure to have ironed it beforehand. 

 Ta-da, all you have to do is try it on, you are ready for winter. 

3. the square scarf, rolled hem finish 

This technique is reserved for fine and soft fabrics like satin cottons, poplins, silk... I can clearly see the pretty floral Kokka fabrics for making this kind of distinguished scarf.

In the seamstress’s basket

• A square of fabric ideally 1 m by 1 m 
•  3 bobbins of thread in the same color as the fabric or contrasting, your choice
•  Your serger (1 needle threaded with 3 bobbins)

We will make the edges of the scarf with the rolled hem stitch on the serger. For this, you need to remove the looper finger from the serger. The looper finger is the small metal piece located right next to the knife. It allows for a wide stitch and keeps the fabric flat. However, to make our scarf, we want a tight stitch that gives a rounded effect to the seam, this is called the rolled hem. 

A beautiful rolled hem will be tight and especially very even throughout the seam. So you will need to set the stitch width to minimum. I also invite you to test your settings and turning at 90° on a scrap of the same fabric as the scarf you want to make.

Photos: Remove the looper finger

To make nice corners, it is necessary to stop just after the edge of the fabric. Then, turn the fabric 90° carefully lifting the presser foot of the serger. 

Photo: reduce the width and the rolled hem stitch

To finish (when you come back over your first stitches, you need to continue a few stitches in the air following the straight line. Cut leaving a small piece of chain stitch, separate the threads and make a knot right at the edge of the fabric (right at the edge, but without pulling to avoid puckering the fabric). And there you have it, you own a beautiful soft scarf. 

All that's left to do... get your needles ready!