How to make an Infinity Scarf with only one seam

Scarves. Don't you love them? Yeah - me too! My favorite is the  infinity scarf. They can really dress up a plain shirt and jeans, and I love making them long enough to wrap around twice for a fuller look and lots and lots of color. I've sold some and given some as gifts. Well yesterday I was in my sewing room when I saw this jewel green chevron fabric sticking out of a basket I had been throwing fabric into since Christmas while making scarves and clutches. Out of all the fabrics I used for the scarves, this was my favorite and I was so tickled I didn't use it all like I thought. So I sewed myself a scarf, took pictures, and when I'm through with this tutorial you can make yourself one in 30-40 minutes. These will only have one seam which you of course make sure is in the back when you wear it. You can make these from knits or a lightweight cotton for a spring scarf. Here's my finished scarf I wore to church.

Here's some other chevrons I did for Christmas.

Here's a few that weren't chevrons I did

 

Are you ready to make one? I am making mine from a full one yard of knit fabric. It is 60" wide which is average for knits since they come much wider than cottons. To make this scarf you need:
one yard of knit fabric
matching or neutral thread
pins or clover clips
ballpoint jersey needle for your machine. You need this needle as its made for knits which stretch and roll.
Always prewash and dry your fabric before sewing. Knits should be washed in cold water and dried on low-medium.
After washing and drying your fabric lay it long ways on a flat surface with right side up. Fold it in half and line up the edges while making sure the rest of the fabric is flat and there are no creases or wrinkles. If your raw edges wont line up, pin them together an inch or so away from the edge and cut with a rotary blade or scissors to even them up. Don't stretch the fabric. Pin the raw edges together.

Now take it to the ironing board and give it a press all over and remove any wrinkles. If you wanted two thinner scarves from this yard, you would take it to your flat surface, open it up and make sure it's flat, not hanging off and stretching, and cut on the fold. I usually do that to get two scarves, but I want a chunky one so I'm leaving mine whole.
Now you need to cut off the unevenness on the short sides. I wanted to take as little off as necessary, so I moved my ruler over as far right as I could, while still cutting through both layers. Then I flipped it around and did the same on the other side.

Remove the clips near the edges so you have about a two inch opening on each side.

Now pick up both ends and bring it to your machine keeping your pins or clips in tact. Place all the extra fabric in your lap so it's not hanging off the table and stretching. You do not want to be stretching knit as you sew. Beginning under the two inches you left open, sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, removing pins or clips as you get to them, and making sure both raw edges are on your 1/2 inch mark. Stop when you get to your last clip or two inches from that end.

Now turn your scarf right side out. Lay your scarf on your flat surface with the seam side toward you. Then bring one end over and lay on top of the other. The seams will still be on the outside.

 

There are four layers of fabric on the open end.  Grab the two middle ones. Line up the two sides and start matching the raw edges together and pinning or clipping. Just keep matching raw edges, not stretching, and pinning. At first you have a lot of room to do this.

As you go around the opening, it will get smaller and smaller and a little difficult to pin. Pin  until you get to the other edges. At this point it's very messy looking. Grab one end and bring your scarf to the machine. Line your raw edges on the 1/2 inch mark, and sew from one end to the other.

Now it looks like this.

Make sure you have removed ALL your pins. I may or may not know someone who left a pin in a  scarf, closed it, tried it on, stuck their hand with the pin, then had to open the scarf back up to fish it out. :) Now push the fabric down inside the scarf. You'll have one opening. Bring your scarf to the ironing board, bring the edges together with the raw edges inside, and press it. Now back to the sewing machine, close it up, and you're done!

Now you have an infinity scarf with only one seam. The small hole you closed is above that seam, so put that in the back when you proudly wear your new scarf. Here's a few lightweight cotton ones I made. Remember cotton won't stretch, so you'll need a yard and a half for a double loop infinity, and if you want the scarf long, up to a two yard piece.

Enjoy sewing up some scarves!    
                                                        Gina