This giveaway has closed. You can still check out the awesome Wabi Sabi Scarf below and subscribe to this great magazine.
The randomly chosen winner of the Living Crafts prize package is Joy, comment #6. Congrats Joy! Please contact me at melaniem [at] mothering.com.
Thank you to Pardis Amirshahi, the editor of Living Crafts Magazine, for providing this special guest post and a giveaway!
You’ll definitely want to check out this great Mother’s Day craft project–and then leave a comment on this post letting us know that you are a fan of Mothering and Living Crafts Magazine on Facebook to enter to win 5 years of Living Crafts!
The prize includes 13 quarterly issues, in addition to a 2-year subscription in the U.S. If you are a subscriber already, they will add the entire 5 years to your existing subscription! This is a $135 value. In addition, any Mothering reader can subscribe online today or tomorrow to take advantage of their Mother’s Day discounted offers, both for U.S. and abroad. $15.
Giveaway Rules: US residents only, except where prohibited. Winner will be drawn randomly on Mon, May 9th, at 6pm ET.
About Living Crafts Magazine:
Designed for the natural mama, Living Crafts is a quarterly crafts magazine for families who embrace a natural lifestyle, and are interested in traditional forms of craft such as sewing, knitting, weaving, crochet, paper mache, mosaic, woodwork, and other handwork for the whole family. Living Crafts provides craft enthusiasts with the information, ideas, and inspiration they need to support their desire for self-sufficiency, sustainability and a natural lifestyle. In each issue there are projects for the entire family, including fun crafts for parents and children to do together.
The Craft: Wabi Sabi Flower Scarf from Pardis, Editor of Living Crafts
In the memory of my mother, who loved the arts, sewing, scarves and flowers, I’ve designed this wabi sabi scarf, repurposing old t-shirts, as if I would give it to her this Sunday, but I will be wearing it myself!
This scarf is the ultimate mother’s day project in my opinion, since it only requires spending love and time for your mother.
This project is ideal for a group of friends to get together (or mother-daughters) since it requires different colors of t-shirt fabric, you can create a mini co-op and exchange t-shirt fabric. Happy Mother’s Day!
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How to Make the Scarf
MATERIALS
- · One solid colored t-shirt. Dark purple is used in this project.
- · T-shirt scrap fabric in the following colors: Green, pink, light purple, medium purple, light yellow
- · Coat & Clarks Button and Carpet thread (you can also use regular embroidery floss or sewing thread)–Color of your choice. We used gray here.
- · Embroidery needles
- · Sharp scissors
Old t-shirts are soft and cozy!
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place your purple t-shirt flat on a cutting surface, and cut it in half, cross-wise from under-arms to obtain the two large rectangles in front and back. Cut uneven edges and divide each side into 2 pieces, so you have 4 rectangles each about 10” wide and 14” high. Counting the 3 seams between the 4 pieces, the finished size will be approximately 10” x 54”
Notice the stains on the t-shirt, they will be covered by flowers later.
Here are two of the 10”x14” pieces.
2. Sitch the 4 pieces together on the width either with sewing machine or stitch by hand. Even if you machine sew, it is still nice to handstitch on top a simple running stitch for the authentic look. Your scarf is now ready for the flowers.
3. Cut various size circles from green, yellow, light and medium purple, and pink (1/2”, ¾” and 1”). In addition, cut some leaf shapes from the green fabric, at least 2” long. Since the circles are so small the best way is to fold the fabric twice, and cut ¼” of circle with a very sharp small scissors. The circles would not come out perfect, but that’s the beauty of this scarf. Nothing is exact and it is still beautiful!
4.
A) Thread your needle with the thick thread (we used the Coats & Clark Button & Carpet thread) and make a knot about half-inch from the ends.
B) Place a leaf, and three circles in various colors on top on the fabric, and pass the needle through the center, leaving the knot on top. Do not pull the needle through all the way.
C) On the other side, place two round pieces [in various colors] on the needle, so you have your flower with leaf on one side and the single flower with two circles on the other side of the scarf, then pull the needle and thread all the way so the knot is in the middle of the flower on the right side.
Each flower has one on the opposite side, each secured with a knot in the middle.
D) Then make a 1/8” stitch on the middle of the flower through all the petals and make a secure knot by looping the thread and needle into the stitch. Now you have a flower on each side of the scarf with a knot in the middle. Repeat randomly on the two end pieces. Now you have several flowers on each side of the two ends, so it is a double-sided scarf!
Pardis Amirshahi is the editor of Living Crafts magazine and also writes for their popular blog. Living Crafts is a natural crafts magazine designed for families who embrace a natural lifestyle. Although she always enjoyed sewing and other crafts, Pardis discovered the true joy of handwork when she became a mother. You can reach Pardis directly by emailing her at editor[at]livingcrafts.com.
About
Melanie Mayo-Laakso is the Web Editor for Mothering.com. Mothering is the birthplace of natural family living and attachment parenting. We celebrate the experience of parenthood as worthy of one's best efforts and are at once fierce advocates for children and gentle supporters of parents.
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What a great way to repurpose stained but soft, comfy tee shirts. Very earth friendly and comfortable!
Two great publications get together. Yay!
I’m a fan of Mothering and Living Crafts Magazine. Love them both!!!
I LOVE Mothering Mag and Liing craft Mag… They are the best resources for mothers. I am a teacher an hae used both in my class!
Thank you!
I’m a FB fan of both Mothering and Living Crafts Mag. What a great combination and a beautiful scarf.
I love the Living Crafts Magazine and the Mothering one. Great resources …. and I read every article in them. Thank you for the give away! I’d love to win this. Happy Mother’s Day!
Living Crafts is my favorite magazine of all time. FUN!
Great project! And what a fabulous giveaway!
Thank you for the chance for this generous and amazing giveway! I love both Mothering and Living Ctafts!
I am a huge fan of this scarf and would jump up and down at the giveaway! I am a fan of Living Crafts and am def now one of Mothering too!
Love both Living Crafts and Mothering!
Love the scarf project! I enjoy reading both magazines.
Happy Mothering Day to all!
Blessings ~
Wow what a wonderful scarf, Thinking I may create one for my mum thanks for the idea.
Happy Mothering Day to all.
Such a lovely scarf! It is definitely going into my sewing list
Love this scarf, what a fun and easy handwork project!
I absolutely LOVE both Mothering and Living Crafts – what a great pairing!
I do love Mothering and Living Crafts. Oh and by the way the scarf project is a great idea. I love projects that you can do right away without having to go buy tools!
~ Mothering & Living Crafts complement each other beautifully. ~
I’ve enjoyed Mothering for more than 15 years & Living Crafts for more than 3 years. Working in a Waldorf school, caring for friends’ children, creating my own art, knitting/crafting with children,… each of these sources has been inspiring in some regard in my life !!
I appreciate the magazines’ commitment to supporting healthy, alternative lifestyles !
Sincerely,
Shell ~
YarnSoup@yahoo.com
What a wonderful upcycling craft — thank you for the wonderful giveaway — I love seeing Mothering and Living Crafts teamed up together! A match made in heaven!
Wonderful upcycling and repurposing! Thank you!
Thanks Mothering and Living Crafts for the tutorial nad the chance for the 5 year subscription.
Happy Mothers Day! Thanks for the beautiful scarf idea!
Great way to upcycle! Hope everyone is enjoying a fabulous Mother’s Day!
I was just getting some old clothes ready for a garage sale or throw in the rag pile. One of my favorite t-shirts was going into the rag pile until I saw this post. Thanks for the terrific idea!
I like Mother & Living Crafts!
I am ready to try this with my 8th grade Handwork class-they love repurposing things.
I love the scarf and Living Crafts! Thanks for this great craft project.
I love Living Crafts (I wish it was monthly), this scarf is great. I also love Mothering Magazine, I just haven’t gotten around to subscribing to it yet!
Beautiful idea, thanks for sharing!
I’m a fan of both! What a great craft project!
I really enjoy Living Crafts magazine. Lots of creative ideas for me to use for myself and just about everyone else. And I love the scarf. What an excellent way to re-purpose t-shirts!
I love Mothering and love transitioning to Living Crafts as my babies grow. Love the t Shirt idea since I have so many in my “out” pile to put to use!
I read the premier issue of Living Crafts, and subscribed & hadn’t heard of Mothering until I came here for the scarf tutorial, but I like it! Thanx to you both for the inspiration!
I am following Mothering and Living Crafts Magazine on Facebook!
briannaknotts@gmail.com
Oh! I love this project – and my head is spinning as to what t-shirts I have in my closet, hehe. What fun I will have tonight! Would love the 5 year subscription!!!!!
What a great project. I always love the inspiration provided by Mothering and Living Crafts Magazine. Thank you for a chance to get more ideas into my hands.
love love love living crafts magazine, always full of great ideas and tutorials and interesting articles
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Love Mothering and Living Crafts! Need more!
I’m a fan of both. Living Crafts is my favorite go-to for inspiration and I’d love to own them all!
Am blessed to find this magazine & LOVE Mothering! Gracias, Casey
Love this magazine and the awareness that Mothering.com brings to all parents.
I’m a fan of Mothering and Living Crafts!
I’m a fan of Mothering and Living Crafts on Facebook.
Have been a fan of Mothering for awhile now, and recently a fan of Living Crafts. I’ve really enjoyed their magazine at the bookstore and would love to have it at home. Great re-purposing ideas!
Like, like, like Mothering & Living Crafts!
Thanks for the opportunity to win! Living Arts Mag looks like something my whole family would enjoy!
I’m a fan of both!! Hooray!
I like mothering and living crafts!
I’m a fan of Mothering and Living crafts on Facebook! What a wonderful idea!
fun idea! Simple and cute. Living Crafts inspires.
I am so crafty — I made four kids — but would never think of listing them on Etsy.
I’m a Fan of Mother and Living Crafts on Facebook though.
cs
Fan of Mother Living Crafts on Facebook
Read BrainChild
If I win the chocolates – do I have to wear them?
I “like” both!
I love this! Please enter me into the contest!
I “like” both!! Wow! What a great mag!
A fan of Mothering & Living Craft magazine!
what a great spring scarf project- It would be fun to incorporate dying to add a greater variety of colors and another fun step.
I just love Living Crafts, and ADORE Mothering with a capital “M”- and what a fun scarf BOTH bring us here : ) Thank you for sharing all that you share.