DIY Pieced Infinity Scarf with Downton Abbey Prints

I made this pieced infinity scarf  for my sister, using Downton Abbey (and Downton Abbey-esque) fabrics. Here's a tutorial to show you how to make your own.

YOU WILL NEED:

1/4 yard of 7 coordinating fabrics. 

I used 5 coordinating prints and 2 coordinating solids. I recommend selecting these fabrics as though you were selecting prints for a quilt, varying the size of the prints.

Me modelling my sister's Downton Abbey fabric infinity scarf.

So I have been watching Downton Abbey since pretty much the beginning. I heard Maggie Smith wanted to leave the show after next season, and that it is going to be the last one, anyway.
I mean, I can totally understand her decision; the level of activity required for those cast members is probably very taxing even to the young and "able-bodied." The Dowager Countess may just wanna live a more chill lifestyle now.

But anyhow, everybody loves the Downton costumes, so everybody should know about Downton Abbey fabrics by Andover. They have been around for a few years now, and the prints are organized by character, which is cool.



For Christmas of 2013, I made the below infinity scarf for my mom, using a Dowager Countess print (purple), and a Lady Mary (blue). It's quilting cotton, which I purchased at Jackman's Fabrics in St. Louis, MO. This line can be found many places online, or maybe in your local quilt store.

To make my mom's "double-sided" scarf, I basically followed this tutorial:

http://thecottagemama.com/2013/11/cuffed-infinity-scarf-tutorial/

This is a guest post from The Graceful Rose. Anytime I make an infinity scarf, I reference her instructions, except I've never added the cuff and flower that she has there. There are a lot of infinity scarf tutorials floating around Pinterest, etc., but this is the one that has been the clearest and most helpful to me. In fact, I encourage you to refer to her tutorial if mine is unclear. The main reason I am even posting this is to offer a variation on the infinity scarf: the pieced version.

Infinity scarf made in 2013 from two Downton Abbey prints.

At any rate, my sister was like jealous of the scarf I had made for my mom, so I decided to make her one, too. But I didn't feel like just replicating the same thing, so I decided to incorporate more fabrics. The prints I used are all from the Downton Abbey line except for the cream colored fabric with the small black print. That one was from JoAnn, I believe, and I think the solids were from there, too, but I'm not 100% sure because I bought all this fabric like over two years ago (!).

 Anyhow, I cut five 4.4" x 9" blocks from each print.  

  I then laid the blocks out on the floor in an arrangement that I liked. I kinda thought about this like piecing a quilt. Go ahead and take a photo of the blocks, so you remember how you want them. Or you could roll oldschool and write up a schemata, which I also did, but I lost it, so.

 Next step is to piece the rows of blocks together. RS to RS, then press open the seams.

 Then you piece the rows together. I lined them up in this way, making sure that blocks 1 and 2 of the second row were centered against block 1 of the first row, so that the rows would be staggered. 

Sew the rows together, RS to RS. Press the seams.

 After you piece together all the rows, you can cut off the edges and have some nice scraps for another Downton Abbey project... 

The finished scarf piece was 19" x 55.5"

 So, fold that in half, RS to RS, long sides together.

 Sew around all the edges, except one short edge. 

Also, leave like a 6" opening in one of the long edges.

Reach in the open end and pull the scarf through.

But not all the way through. This is looking through the open end. Make sure the scarf is not twisted. (Note: see the Graceful Rose link above for a better explanation of this process).

I forgot to take a pic, but you will then sew along that open end. 

Then, reach through the 6" opening you left and pull the scarf right side out.

 You can ladder stitch that shut. I was totally drinking alcohol while I did that. 

FINISHED SCARF. GIVE IT TO YOUR SISTER. 

Or else keep that shit for yourself.

A couple tips for this project: 

-Make the scarf from prints that you want to wear. That is to say, of course there are prints I would looove to use for a quilt, but I don't want to walk around with them on my body. So, like, don't put them in a scarf. 

-To be honest, quilting cotton might not be the best choice for an infinity scarf, because it is rather heavy/bulky and wrinkles easily. If you want Downton Abbey prints, then you are stuck with quilting cotton, which will totally work. But if you are looking for different prints, you might consider some apparel fabric. Like even knits, if you are patient enough to deal with them.

Please post pics if you make your own pieced infinity scarf!! I would also love to see pics of anything you have made with Downton Abbey fabric.