Mary Beth is my best encourager when it comes to handwork. She's happy to listen to my sewing ideas or help me hunt down the perfect yarn or knitting pattern. She even likes to sew a bit herself (though she doesn't quite admit it). But as many moms of teenagers know, it's not always easy to make something for them. They don't seem to appreciate the fine line between handmade and homemade;-).

So, when I hit upon these scarves and I stitched the first one up( a gift for my mom) and Mary Beth looked more than a little interested, I pounced. I made one for her--my very first middle-of-the night sewing project. It was ready when she headed off to the mall with her oh-so-stylish dance friends the next morning. She wore it well and was rather delighted when even store clerks commented and asked her where she got it.

I had had grand plans to make a jacket from Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush velveteen for me to wear for Christmas Eve. I never got to it. Not even close. So, Mary Beth graciously offered me her scarf so that I could have just a little bit of that lovely AMH color to wear after all.

Together, we decided we needed a few more. So, when I should have been packing for Disney, I did a little sewing.

I highly recommend buying the kits, unless you are going to make several scarves of the same fabric combinations. It's two long, narrow pieces of fabric in lovely, luxurious voile. The kits are actually a more affordable way to manage the fabric purchase. (Besides, I love to order directly from the artist. In this case, it was late at night when I started to do my first and I emailed "the company," confessing I needed some direction. Anna herself emailed me back lickety-split. That was an unexpected bonus. My personal rule is always to order from the artist or author directly if possible. It's just the nice thing to do, all around. And I know firsthand that authors like to hear from you.)

Even if you buy the kit, expect to do some trimming. Both fabrics need to match each other exactly. Pin right sides together, being generous with pins because that lovely voile is a bit slippery.

Use a fine needle. I used these and I was very glad I did. It makes a big difference when machine stitching voile. I started in the middle of a shorrt row--it doesn't work so well to start at the corners. I left about a three inch opening so that I could turn the scarff right side out. I marked the opening by putting two pins at the beginning and end of where I'd stitch, so that I remember to stop. I used my quarter inch foot so that my seam would be super-straight, stopping with the needle down and pivoting around the corners. I backtacked at the begnning and end.

Then, I trimmed the corners to reduce the bulk.

Turned the whole scarf rightside out.

Poked those corners nice and square with a chopstick.

Then I really took my time rolling that seams out as flat as possible to press, so that only the right fabric would show on either side.

Lots of steam. Press well. (Make a note to make a new ironing board cover before ever showing pressing pictures again.)

I tucked the unfinished edges of the hole where I'd turned the scarf under and pressed those well and pinned a bit. Then I stitched all the way around, using about an 1/8 inch seam.