45A
Sulky Fabri-Solvy
Chenille-It Shawl Scarf
Using Fabri-Solvy as a Foundation for Open-Work
If you love the feel of chenille, then you will love this shawl-like scarf project.
Sulky Fabri-Solvy is the ideal foundation for creating
any open-weave chenille scarf or garment, using Chenille-It Blooming Bias.
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45C
by
Nannette
Holmberg
Author, Designer and
Owner of the business
named Faux Chenille
Nannette studied
fashion design at Utah
State University and
the Fashion Institute
of Technology in NY.
She ran her own
shop for more than
25 years. She has
been making traditional
chenilled garments
since 1985.
She self-published her
first book, Variations in
Chenille. Her latest
book, New Directions
in Chenille was published by Martingale.
45D
Visit her web site:
www.fauxchenille.com
Fabri-Solvy 45
Stabilizer
46A
Here’s what
Nannette used for
the Shawl Scarf:
• Quality Sewing Thread to match
the bias used to chenille
• Sulky Fabri-Solvy Water Soluble
Stabilizer 10-1/2” x 60” from a
25 yd. bolt or a 20” roll
• Washout Marking Pencil or Pen
for tracing (do not use a
disappearing ink pen)
• “Chenille-It™ Blooming Bias”:
2-1/2, 40-yd. rolls of 5/8” wide off white or color of your choice
• Tsukineko Fabric Dye Pens
(optional)
• Quilter’s 24” Ruler
• Masking Tape
• Chenille-it Brush
• Specialty Chenille Foot
• General Sewing Supplies
Trace and Cut the
Pattern Pieces
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46D
46
1. Use a washout
marker and a
Quilter’s Ruler to
trace the outline of
the pattern piece
(found on the pullout
pattern sheet in this
book) onto
the Sulky
Fabri-Solvy.
Write “UP”
in the center
of the traced
piece to avoid
confusion
when you
begin to stitch
on your
Blooming
Bias strips.
Fabri-Solvy
Stabilizer
2. Draw a line across the middle of the 60” length of
Fabri-Solvy as shown on the pattern sheet. Line
up the solid line in the center of the scarf pattern
on this line. Trace the grid on the first half of the
Fabri-Solvy; flip the Fabri-Solvy and trace the
second half.
3. To make it easier to work with when you begin
stitching, cut out the traced piece of Fabri-Solvy,
leaving a generous inch or more beyond the
drawn lines on all sides.
Stitch the Bias onto Fabri-Solvy
1. There are two very
We used a black
important things to
line to indicate
stitching.
do as you begin
stitching the
“Chenille-It Blooming
Bias strips onto the
Fabri-Solvy. Shorten
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the stitch length to
1 to 1.5. Thread
machine with a color
which matches the
bias. Use strong,
quality thread
because when the
project is washed
and dryed, the stitching will be all that holds
everything together.
2. Begin and end each row 1/2” beyond the
traced pattern outline. It is not necessary to
backstitch the beginning and end of these rows.
Beginning with the long, vertical, lengthwise rows,
straight stitch the bias strips to the Fabri-Solvy
pattern piece. Lay down the first row of bias on
one of the long, outside edges. Line up the raw
edge of the bias along the first marked row.
Continue lengthwise rows in the same manner
until all of the vertical rows have been stitched.
Cut off the ends following the outline of the scarf.
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47C
3. Beginning with one of the center
horizontal lines, sew down the
horizontal strips. Lay down
these rows in the same manner
as the lengthwise rows, following
the grid lines on the stabilizer.
After these rows are stitched, the
pattern piece will appear to be
solid fabric.
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4. Trim away any excess bias.
5. To finish the edges, use the final
Wrong side of scarf.
horizontally-stitched bias side as
the “right” side of your scarf and
stitch a single layer of the 5/8”
wide bias to the inside (wrong side) of the scarf edge. Following the lines of the scarf, lay the
raw edge of the bias along the outside edge of the scarf, ending at the point with a blunt cut.
Make the Fringe
1. The remaining yardage of bias
MUST BE STITCHED before it
can be used for fringe! Use a 1.0
length straight stitch and run the
fringe yardage through your
machine, stitching down the
center of the tape. If the stitch
length is too long, the fringe will
fall apart when it is washed and
you will lose the fibers that you
need to keep your fringe full and
soft.
47D
2. To make a guide for the width of your fringe, use a piece of masking tape or other colored
tape to mark 4 inches to the right of your needle on the bed of your sewing machine. With
the body of the scarf to the left side of your presser foot, begin stitching down the fringe bias
at the point and work up one side of the scarf. Begin forming loops by bringing a loop up
along the edge, butting up against the first row of bias. To make all of your loops the same
length, the loop should end at the mark on your machine.
Fabri-Solvy 47
Stabilizer
48A
48B
3. As you bring the loop up to the edge, fold it back towards
the right again in preparation for forming the next loop as
shown. Continue looping and folding until the entire length
(to the next point) is filled with fringe. End at the opposite
point with one last loop and cut off the blunt end to finish.
4. Finish the edge opposite the fringe by stitching down a final
row of bias on the “right” side of the scarf edge in the same
manner as the stitching was done on the “wrong” side in step
#5 on the opposite page. The scarf is now completely sewn.
FabriSolvy
not
rinsed
yet.
48C
Make orange
more like
48 B
if possible
Wash Away the Fabri-Solvy
and Watch your Scarf Bloom!
1. To remove the stabilizer and make the scarf bloom, wash the
scarf in cold water in the washer (see Optional below) and, for
maximum blooming, dry it completely in a warm dryer before
removing it. Nannette likes to place old towels in the dryer with
her scarf to speed up the fluffing process.
2. This “blooming” process creates a LOT of lint. Be sure to clean
the lint filter, perhaps several times, during the drying process.
FabriSolvy
rinsed
out.
Brush
to fluff.
NOTE: Because of the “open work” texture of this project, it
will not shrink in size like many traditional chenille
projects.
The scarf will have many of the characteristics of a
knitted scarf. After washing and drying, the scarf will
actually be a little larger than the pattern.
Optional: Add Color
After Washing But Before Drying!
To add additional color to your scarf,
use textile pens to add bits of color to
the bias AFTER IT IS WASHED, but
before it is dried in the dryer. The
heat of the dryer will set the dyes and
give your scarf incredible colorations.
48
Fabri-Solvy
Stabilizer
Right side of scarf
edge opposite
the fringed edge.
48D