Infinity Scarf (1)

This evening I've had a go at repurposing an old pair of my daughter's flannel pj's into an infinity scarf for her. To make an infinity scarf all you really need is a long tube of material (my measurements are at bottom).

So, I started by cutting off the legs of the pyjamas. I thought if I cut off both legs, I could stitch them together and tadah! - long ready made tube of material. However, when I measured the material I realised that even if I stitched them together it would not quite be long enough to go around her neck twice but a bit too long for once. It's OK to make an infinity scarf that just wraps round once but I fancied making one that went round twice as I thought it would be snugger. 

As I'd already cut the legs off, I had to piece some more material together to get a longer tube. (If I wasn't trying to repurpose something it would probably have been easier to simply cut a piece of material and fold and stitch to make the tube). Anyway, once I had my tube the process was quite simple.

Completed tube, turned right way out.

With the tube of material the right way out, seams on the inside, I first folded the tube so that the open ends met, like there were now four layers of material. I pinned and then stitched together the two middle ends of the material.

I turned the scarf inside out so that the tube seams were now on the outside. Just go with it, it really does work! Surprisingly, I found that the two remaining unstitched ends of material were now lying together. I pinned and stitched these ends, leaving a few inches gap.

I turned the material inside out again through the small gap - right sides now back on the outside - and hand stitched the opening closed. 

Basic infinity scarf finished!     

My model!

You could leave it like that but as I'd pieced a few bits of material together to make the tube I had some ugly seams. So I got some scraps of t-shirt material and made a few cuffs to hide the seams. 

Later on we decided to secure two pink cuffs into place. However with a third cuff, we thought we could add buttons or a flower to it and then leave it loose so that the wearer could move it into place once they were wearing it.(I say we because as it was for youngest daughter she did have some say in this!). 

Update: The following day we decide to add a flower.

I cut a 27 x 2 inches long piece of white material, folded it over, turned it under at one end (just to neaten) and sewed a running stitch along the edge. 

I pulled the thread until the whole piece softly gathered. I secured the gathering with an extra stitch but left the needle on the thread. 

Then I started to roll the gathered material around itself from the neatened end, occasionally sewing a couple of stitches to secure it. You could use hot glue. 

Keep rolling and securing until you get to the end of the material. I found this a bit tricky and was a bit too fussy at making it look just right. Maybe I rolled too tightly at first but it turned out lovely in the end....

Infinity Scarf Measurements

I think if you're making your own scarf you can probably just estimate length and width (wrap a measuring tape around your neck twice to where you want the scarf to hang to). 

This scarf is snug but still wraps comfortably over my daughter's head - length was determined by however long the pyjamas were!

However, as a rough guide, measurements for a double wrap would probably be a tube about 55-60 inches long and 7-9 inches wide. For a single wrap I guess a tube somewhere round 35-40 inches long.

Having made this infinity scarf I think I'll definitely be trying it out in different materials or widths. You could repurpose other clothing - eldest daughter has now offered black jog pants that she's going to bleach dye first! Or how about the sleeves from long sleeved tops for a thinner look.