How to Make a Vintage Dresser Scarf

Decorate your dresser with a vintage scarf.

Vintage dresser scarves provide a decorative layer of fabric that protects the top of a dresser from small scratches and spills. Unfortunately, vintage dresser scarves are not always available to buy at a reasonable price, if you can find them for sale at all. When you cannot find a vintage dresser scarf to purchase, consider making your own using vintage fabric and lace. The newly crafted scarf will not be a true vintage scarf, but it will look and feel authentic due to the use of vintage materials.

Things You'll Need

• 1 rectangle vintage fabric, 12 inches by 18 inches
• Straight pins
• Iron
• 1 piece vintage lace, length 1-2/3 yards
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Hand sewing needle

Instructions

1. 

   Woven vintage fabric is ideal for a dresser scarf.

   Fold the raw edge of the fabric under 1/4 inch, all of the way around the rectangle, and pin it in place. Lay it face down, then press the fabric with a warm iron to remove wrinkles and to smooth the folded edge down.

2. 

   Vintage lace makes the finishing touch on a vintage dresser scarf.

   Align the unfinished edge of the lace with the raw edge of the folded fabric and pin it in place. The ends of the lace should overlap by 1/4 inch. When you turn the fabric over and look at the front of the scarf, it will look like the lace is coming from underneath the fabric, with the finished edge exposed.

3. 

   Delicate colors of vintage fabric.

   Set the sewing machine on a medium length straight stitch and topstitch all of the way around the folded edge, 1/8 inch in from the fold.

4. 

   Hand sew the lace edges to finish the project.

   Insert the end of a piece of thread, about 18 inches long, into the eye of the needle. Knot the end of the thread, and hand sew the overlapping ends of the lace together. Hide the knot under the topstitched edge of the fabric and sew out to the end of the lace. Anchor the stitches by sewing over the same spot three times.

Tips & Warnings

• Vintage fabric and lace can be purchased at flea markets, garage sales, auctions and estate sales.

References

• Sewing and Craft Alliance: Topstitching