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5 Easy Steps to Faff Free Scrunchies

Hi all
 
Little sewing projects like scrunchies are a great way to welcome in the Spring. Full of colour, they can really brighten up a dull pre-spring day! They are also brilliant for reducing the size of my cabbage patch. 


That’s my fabric cabbage rather than the green stuff eaten with a Sunday roast. And it’s not really a patch. It’s more of a plastic bag full of various sized scraps from previous sewing projects.

Now I like making scrunchies but, I’m not a fan of faffing about turning fabric tubes the right way out. Especially this time of year when everything is a bit hectic. So I came up with a slightly less patience draining method.

Why not join me and stitch up a few of your own scrunchies with this easy tutorial.

What you need:

  • Fabric strip measuring 16 inches (41cm) long by 4 inches (10cm) wide
  • Elastic strip measuring – ½ inch (1.2cm) wide by 7 inches (18cm) long
  • Thread
  • Plastic Clips or Pins
  • Safety Pin
  • Iron
  • Ironing board
  • Sewing machine


Step 1
Choose and cut your fabric. You can use any fabric and any print or pattern.   
Choose a matching thread or use a contrasting one. It’s up to you.
Cut your elastic.

Place your fabric on your ironing board right side down. Turn ¼ inch (1cm) over on each of the long sides and press with your iron.


If you are not sure which is the right side, check out the picture above. You can just see the wrong side of the fabric in the middle of the strip. It isn't as bright or clear as the right side. The right side can be seen in the folded over parts.

Step 2
With right sides together, fold the fabric in half lenghways and stitch together along the short edge. Use a ½inch (1.2cm) seam allowance. You'll end up with an 8 inch (20cm) circle.



Snip a small triangle off the top and bottom of the seam you just stitched. Make sure you don’t clip through the stitches. Press the seam open with your iron.

Step 3
Fold your fabric circle so that the wrong sides are together. Use plastic clips or pins to hold in place. Double check that the right side of the fabric is facing you.

 

If you have a free-arm machine, take your accessory tray off so that you can put your scrunchy around the machine. Don’t worry if you haven’t. If you have a flat bed, just make sure to keep one side of the circle out of the way as you go around. 

Stitching on the right side of the fabric will create top-stitching. If you’ve used a contrasting thread, this is where it will show. 



Start at the seam, stitch as close to the edge as you can. Leave a gap of about an inch and a half. Doesn’t matter where on your circle, just make sure you leave one. 



Step 4
Attach the elastic to your safety pin. Using the safety pin, push the elastic through the gap in the scrunchy and continue around the circle. Remember to hold the other end of the elastic as you ease the elastic through. When the safety pin reappears, take it off and line up the two ends of elastic.



Step 5
Stitch the elastic together by stitching backwards and forwards a few times. Then, push it into the gap in the fabric circle. 



Then it’s just a case of sewing the gap shut. Again, sew on the right side of the fabric. Try to line your needle up with the existing stitching. 



Gently ease out the gathers that the elastic has made so they are a bit more even. And there you have it! 

A faff-free scrunchy. 

A word of caution - making these can be so much fun that it can be a little bit addictive. Enjoy!

Bye for now

Olly

Facebook.com/olwenwhite/
instagram.com/olwenwhitewrites/
Twitter @OlwenWhite
 
 

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