Keep out the chill
A pretty feather stitch scarf
YOU WILL NEED
■ Linen fabric: two pieces measuring 46x106cm for the embroidered outer
■ Lightweight cotton fabric: two pieces measuring 46x106cm for the lining
■ Stranded cotton in navy, pink, mint
and white
■ Embroidery needle
■ Basic sewing kit
NOTES
■ Turn to p155 for the template
■ Use a 1cm seam allowance
■ To make an infinity scarf with less fullness, use fabric strips narrower than 46cm, keeping the length
HOW TO EMBROIDER FEATHER STITCH
Step one Bring the needle up through the fabric at the top of the feather stitch design. Go back down a short distance to the side, but don’t pull the thread tight. Come back up a short distance below and in the centre of the first two points. Catch the loop of thread with your needle. 1
Step two As you pull the needle through, it will tighten the first stitch. Next, go back down a short distance to the side without pulling the thread tight. Then come back up below the two points, catching the loop of thread as before. Step three Repeat these steps, working from side to side for standard feather stitch. 2
Step four To work this as double feather stitch, repeat step two to add another stitch on the same side. Then work toward the opposite direction, following the same steps. You can also work these stitches in a single motion, going down and coming back up as shown. 3
HOW TO MAKE THE INFINITY SCARF
Step one Trace the floral design onto the linen, approx 8cm from the top corner. Stitch the feather stitch sprigs with navy and mint.
Step two Embroider the dots with pink French knots and then add white detached chain petals around some of the French knots. Use three strands of stranded cotton for all the stitches. 4 Step three Sew the linen pieces right sides together along a shorter edge to form a long strip, with the embroidered end in the middle. Step four Sew the cotton fabric pieces into a long strip. Press the seams open. 5
Step five Pin the two strips with RS together and sew along the two long edges. Press the seams open. On one of the ends, press the fabric edges to the wrong sides by 1cm. Insert the opposite end into the pressed end. Topstitch across the overlapping fabric or hand- stitch the folded edge with a blind stitch for a neat finish. 6