What feels like forever ago (but was really just last winter), I found a lovely scarf tutorial at Curbly from Chris Gardner to use for my holiday gifts. The project requires minimal supplies (fleece, contact paper, cutting tools, and fabric paint) and allows for a lot of creative freedom.
I love the simplicity of design that stencils require. While I tend to be a flourish-swirly-flourish kind of designer with projects I create by hand, I like how these scarves tap into the clean aesthetic I strive for in most of my graphic design work.
Project Pluses:
- The total cost for supplies was minimal, especially since I found a good deal on fleece.
- I was able to customize the designs for each recipient. (Example: the bunny, bottom-right, was inspired by my bun-lovin’ bud Jessica S.)
- I love cutting with Exacto knives.
- Everything was so colorful and fun!
- Less fat and calories than my typical holiday gifts, which basically means I was giving the gift of life for the holidays…right? Sure…
Project Minuses:
- Cutting fleece in a straight line was difficult with the dull rotary cutter and scissors I had on hand. Sharp tools would have made everything go much faster.
- With more complicated designs, the contact paper sometimes got stuck or didn’t stick as it should have, making the edges not as crisp as I would have preferred.
Overall Verdict: Worth it! As a little trinket of appreciation, these fuzzy scarves turned out to be a joyful burst of color during the winter season.
Leave a Reply