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Cargo Scarf: Free your hands, and your mind will follow!

Cargo Scarf: Free your hands, and your mind will follow!
As much as I love purses, they're a pain. Aside from getting dropped, lost, and snatched on a
regular basis, they almost always leave their carrier without a free hand for everyday tasks.
A cargo scarf is the perfect, inconspicuous way to hold all your small essentials--keys,
cash, pens, cigs, cell phone--without tying up your hands.
Plus, it helps you stay warm on cold nights all year round.

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Step 1 Materials
To make a cargo scarf, you will need:
1/2 yard 45" wide cotton for outer layer
I chose a cute banana-print cotton; any decorative or fashion fabric
will do, but it should be woven (not a stretchy knit).
1/2 yard lining
This is the part of the scarf that will be against your skin, so choose
something warm and comfortable. Softer felts, flannels or fleeces are
all good options.
Decorative trims
These can be lace, eyelet tape, or whatever else you prefer. If you plan
to adorn all the edges, you will need 4 1/2 yards of trim for a 68"
scarf. To decorate only the short edges, 1/2 to 3/4 of a yard will do;
vertical accents will require 2 yards of trim each, and horizontal
accents will only require 6 inches of trim each.
D-ring and nylon webbing
These are for creating a decorative accent and/or ring to clip your keys
to. You can substitute the nylon webbing (only a few inches are needed)
with a piece of matching or contrasting fabric.
Narrow Elastic
This is for constructing a pen or pencil sleeve. You only need a few
inches; choose a color that complements your lining and fashion fabrics,
as it will be visible.
Bias square, measuring tape, or ruler
Chalk or marking pencil
Sewing Machine
This project can sew by hand with a needle and thread, but a machine
will make it much faster and easier.
Pins
Iron
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Step 2Mark and Cut FabricA)
Mark and cut your fashion fabric--you'll need two 6" wide strips
the length of the fabric, as shown.
B)
Cut two identical strips from the edge of the lining fabric. |

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Step 3Sew strips
With right sides together, sew together the two strips of fashion
fabric.
Then, sew together the two strips of lining fabric.
This will
give you a very long strip of each fabric.
Press the seams open with a
warm iron.
Try on one of the strips to determine the desired length for your scarf,
and mark.
Lining the two strips up, right sides together, trim one end
at an angle at this
point.
Mine is 68" on the longest side; you can
keep yours longer if you prefer. |

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Step 4Draft pocket patterns
For flat objects (credit cards, ID, etc) a pocket pattern can be drafted
simply by tracing around the object and adding a 5/8" seam
allowance
all around.
For thicker objects (such as a cell phone), trace
around the object, add
a space equal to the object's thickness all
around (in this case an inch),
and then add 5/8."
The result will
serve as a custom pocket pattern for all your necessities. |

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Step 5Sew Pockets
Using the patterns you have drafted, cut the desired number of pockets
out of the remaining lining fabric.
Mine has only two, but you can make
as many as you need--just be sure that all the pocket openings will
point upwards, and won't press on your neck when you're wearing the
scarf.
For each pocket, cut a strip of fashion fabric 1 1/2 inches wide, and as
long as the top edge of the pocket.
Place these strips right-side
together with the pocket pieces, and stitch 5/8" from the edge.
Fold the seam open as shown, press, and turn the edges to the wrong side
of the pocket, leaving a small (about 1/4") line of fashion fabric
visible on the right side.
On the right side, stitch along the first
seam, securing all the loose fabric edges to the wrong side of the
pocket.
Fold in the other sides of the completed pocket, 5/8" from the
edges, and secure with pins.
Pin to the right side of the lining strip
in the desired location, keeping in mind that the outer 5/8" of the
strip should be left clear for the seam allowance.
Stitch the pocket in
place, approximately 1/4" from the pocket edge. |

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Step 6Sew pen holder
To make a simple pen holder, cut two small pieces of elastic (two or
three inches each is plenty).
Fold the ends under and pin the strips a
few inches apart--in the example, they are placed towards an edge, so
I've left the outer ends unfolded, as they will be anchored by the side
seam.
First, stitch down one folded edge of each piece.
Next, push up the
centers of the elastic strips so that they form small arches just large
enough to hold a pen snugly (as shown), and stitch the remaining edges.
Test your pen holder to make sure the arches are the right size for a
pen or
pencil; if they are too loose or too tight, take out the second
set of stitches,
adjust the elastic, and sew again. |

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Step 7Attach key ring and trim
You'll need to cut a piece of nylon web (or matching/contrasting fabric,
if you prefer) about 5 inches long. Fold it in half, thread through the
D-ring, and pin in place.
I chose to center it near the bottom of the
front (fashion fabric) side, but you can just as easily hide it on the
lining side as you did with the pockets.
Sew the webbing in place, coming as close to the D-ring with your
stitches as possible.
Once the D-ring and webbing are attached, sew on any decorative trim you
plan to use on either front or back surfaces.
You don't need to attach
trim that will decorate the very edges of the scarf; this will come
after you've sewn the two faces together. |

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Step 8Assembly
You should now have both faces of the scarf completed: the lining should
have all the pockets attached, and the fashion fabric should have its
key ring and any decorative trim.
Place the two strips right side together, and stitch along the two long
edges and the angled short edge, leaving a 5/8" seam allowance.
Turn right side out, push out corners, and press flat.
Fold in the raw edges on the open end; press flat and topstitch.
This is
a good time to sew any trim to the edges; simply pin to the back if you
only want the edges of the trim to show (as with lace), or pin to the
front if you want all the trim to show (as with eyelet tape).
Then,
topstitch to secure. |
Step 9Finished!
Trim any loose threads, stash your stuff, and leave your purse behind!
What a feeling.
Note: This pattern was obtained from http://www.instructables.com
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