How to Make a Kama Scarf

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Cody Kristopher Shields
5 years ago
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1 How to Make a Kama Scarf What is good enough? As long as your finished result is reasonably neat, reasonably straight and the seam ends are securely tied off (backstitched), that s good enough. We are making scout scarves, not haute couture wedding dresses. It s important to keep that in perspective! We thank you for helping! We appreciate it. Materials and Preparation Homespun cotton fabric, ~110cm wide, colour Gold. 12mm double-fold bias binding in the colours Emerald and Brown. Three colours of thread are required: gold, brown and green, to match the fabric and bias binding. We buy in bulk from Hobbysew Belconnen. (Fabric by the bolt, bias binding by 30m reel). A scout scarf is a right-angled triangle. The world-wide standard size for a scout scarf is 33 inches x 33 inches on the two straight edges (approximately 84cm x 84cm). We also make scarves in a larger size. These measure 110cm x 110cm. Share the task The production of Kama scarves is well-suited to sharing between 2, 3 or 4 sewers. A thoughtful division of labour means that each person need only thread their sewing machine with one top colour. All sewers will need gold coloured thread in the bobbin. Person/Step 1: cut the fabric Person/Step 2: add the brown bias binding (which also forms the hem on two edges) Person/Step 3: add the green bias binding (this is a topstitched stripe) Person/Step 4: hem the raw edge. Layout: This layout gives two scarves if laying out the fabric in a single thickness. Fold the fabric double to cut four scarves at a time. Layout for Standard Scarf Layout for Large Scarf Key: 84 cm (standard scarf) ~108cm (large scarf), use the full width of the fabric, but cut off the selvage Fabric width = 110cm 1 of 6

bias binding 175cm each (one green and one brown).

binding 200cm each (one green and one brown).

2 Step 1 Cut fabric to required size. For Standard Size (Child) Scarf: cut two lengths of bias binding 175cm each (one green and one brown). For Adult Size Scarf: cut two lengths of bias binding 200cm each (one green and one brown). Fill bobbin with gold thread. Thread machine with brown thread. Step 2 Lightly press open the narrow fold of brown bias binding. Stitch right side of bias binding to wrong side of scarf along straight edges of scarf, raw edges together. Take care to fold a neat mitre at the corner. 2 of 6

3 Step 3 Trim the corner. Fold bias binding over to the right side and press. Topstitch the loose edge of the bias binding, taking care to make a mitre at the corner. Step 4 Topstitch the green bias binding, 2-3mm from the brown bias binding, taking care to keep the green binding parallel to the brown, and to mitre at the corner. 3 of 6

Step 5 Hem the raw edge (the bias cut edge). There are two options and in both cases the tricky part is to get a neat and narrow point at the ends, which are quite bulky).

Option 2: Make a narrow double-fold hem a sew a straight seam with a sewing machine. Overlocker method: 1. Overlock the raw edge 2.

Keep the folded edge as narrow as possible close to the corner, but widen it out to a uniform ~1cm for the majority of the edge, then narrow it back again as you get to the

4 Step 5 Hem the raw edge (the bias cut edge). There are two options and in both cases the tricky part is to get a neat and narrow point at the ends, which are quite bulky). Option 1: Overlock the raw edge, turn a single fold, and sew a straight seam with a a sewing machine. Option 2: Make a narrow double-fold hem a sew a straight seam with a sewing machine. Overlocker method: 1. Overlock the raw edge 2. Fold a small corner to the inside and press, then fold over the long edge and press. Keep the folded edge as narrow as possible close to the corner, but widen it out to a uniform ~1cm for the majority of the edge, then narrow it back again as you get to the other corner. 3. Straight stitch from the right side, backstitching at the corners. (There is a lot of bulk in the corners and it is hard to get the machine moving smoothly over the lumps. You can see that my work is not pristine on the picture on Page 5. If anyone has a better method, please take photos and write a few pointers and send them to me and I will update this guide). 4 of 6

Sewing Machine Method: 1. Fold corner to the inside and press.

Fold over a narrow hem along the full length of the scarf. 3. Fold over again.

how much I folded the corner and the hem itself.

5 Sewing Machine Method: 1. Fold corner to the inside and press. Trim the corner a little if necessary. 2. Fold over a narrow hem along the full length of the scarf. 3. Fold over again. Straight stitch through all thickness, preferably from the right side, backstitching at the corners. The photos above and below are from two different scarves so there is a little variation in how much I folded the corner and the hem itself. Taking a bigger initial fold seems to give a sharper point, but no matter what, I found there is a lot of bulk in the corners and it is hard to get the machine moving smoothly over the lumps. If anyone has a better method, please take photos and write a few pointers and send them to me and I will update this guide. 5 of 6

6 Other Angles Suggestions to improve this guide are welcome. Please photos and words to 6 of 6

Family Pillow. Cutting Instructions For Letters. Number of 1.5" White Squares. F 3 2 (1) 1.5 x 4.5 (1) 1.5 x 3.5. A 4 4 (2) 1.5 x 3.

Family Pillow. Cutting Instructions For Letters. Number of 1.5 White Squares. F 3 2 (1) 1.5 x 4.5 (1) 1.5 x 3.5. A 4 4 (2) 1.5 x 3. Materials Needed 1/3 Yard Solid White (letters, Border 1) 1/3 Yard Solid Navy (letters, Border 2) 1 Yard Damask Print (Border 3, envelope pillow back) 2 Yards White Muslin (quilt sandwich, pillow) Quilt