CFG’s Version of The Quote Scarf

We Are Owls Quote Scarf

On Pinterest a few weeks ago was this great quote scarf by We Are Owls with a brief tutorial on how to make your own by Stamps 48. I loved the way it looked.

I call my oldest daughter, Amanda, The Quote Queen; she loves inspirational quotes. She is known at college for always having the proper inspirational quote for any occasion, and this year even painted one wall in her living room with chalkboard paint so she can constantly write down her quotes. As soon as I saw this I knew I had to make one for her with some of her favorite quotes.

The Stamps 48 tutorial only used the really large-tipped fabric pens called Tee Juice. When I went to the art store there were all kinds of choices in tip size, so I bought one of each size. I also had some old fabric markers from earlier projects that I might be able to use. She also drew her quotes on her scarf free hand, and I didn’t think my script was scarf-worthy, so I thought printing them out would work better for me. I also thought printing the quotes in different fonts and sizes might make the scarf look more like that beautiful We Are Owls scarf.

These would make good Christmas gifts for a couple of people, so I hopped on Amazon.com and found a cream-colored 100% viscose scarf for $6.99 that I liked the look of and ordered, and also found Pashmina scarfs that got decent reviews for $9.99 that were available in tons of colors. I ordered one in cream, violet and olive green. Of course, being the completely impatient person needing immediate self-gratification, I couldn’t wait the few days for these to arrive, so I ran over to Lord & Taylors with my sales coupon and got a really nice wool scarf for $27. This is the one I planned on using for Amanda’s gift.

I went onto Amanda’s quote board that she has on Pinterest and pulled off some of my favorite quotes. I typed these out in Microsoft Word using different script fonts in varying large sizes (200-360 point is what I used).  When I printed them out the text was so large that I had to cut and paste the quotes together. I used a ruler to make sure they were all straight. Then I took a couple pieces of parchment paper (but you could use waxed paper), and taped them together to make a long piece the same length and width as the scarf. To this I taped the quotes in an arrangement that I liked, trying to evenly mix up fonts and sizes around on the template. Over this I laid the scarf, and secured it with masking tape around the edges in quite a few places, tucking it under and taping the scarf to the template rather than to the work surface.

Tape the quotes to the parchment (or waxed paper) template surface.

Lay scarf over template and tape around the edges, tucking tape under and taping the scarf to the template rather than to the work surface.

I would advise you to find a fabric scrap that is similar to your scarf to practice with your pen(s) on before you start your scarf.

Practice on a scrap of similar fabric before you start.

Now I found it difficult to see the quotes through the scarf fabric for the first wool one I made, although I am having no trouble seeing them through the viscose one I’m working on now. The Pashmina one is next so I can’t say about that yet. If you are having trouble seeing your quotes through your scarf, I’ll give you this idea I thought up. I’ve showed it before, but it’s so handy I’ll show it again.

Crafty Farm Girl’s Home-Made Light Table: Take a glass shelf out of your refrigerator, 4 same-sized cans out of your pantry, and a work light of some sort.


Place the 4 cans under each corner of the shelf, and the work light under the shelf, and you have an instant light table.


I use this make-shift light table all the time for craft projects, (although I have put a real light table on my Christmas list). Fortunately for me I have a spare fridge in the basement so I can grab the shelf most of the time without causing a huge refrigerator problem. Any fairly thick piece of glass or old window will work though if you can’t spare a refrigerator shelf.

Lay the scarf on the light table if you are having trouble seeing to trace the quotes through the fabric.

Finished Scarf (or most of it - I couldn't fit it all in one frame...my arms aren't long enough.)

Now some of the pens I used said they did not need to be heat-set, but some did. I figured it wouldn’t hurt either way. Using a thin dishtowel over the scarf and with my iron set on high heat, I carefully ironed it according to the pen’s directions.

That’s it! I love the way it came out. I hope Amanda loves it too. Of course if she checks my blog before she comes home for Thanksgiving on Wednesday this won’t be much of a surprise anymore.

Here are a few tips I can offer having done 2 on 2 different fabrics:

• The wool was very “fuzzy” to write on, and I had to keep a paper towel in my hand to constantly pull fuzz off of the pen. I did not love working with the wool fabric

• The Viscose fabric is so thin and gauzy that it is, also, difficult to work with, but in a different way than the wool. For this fabric I have found “tapping” the letters out in almost a dot-pattern has been the most effective way to do it.

• For both fabrics I did need to hold the fabric as I was writing, even with it taped to the template.

• If you use the really big-tipped Tee-Juice fabric markers, practice first. These work by squeezing the ink out as you are writing, and you need to figure out the correct pressure first on some scrap fabric. Also, you will need a really big font with this pen. Practice on a test-piece before doing it on the scarf. I made this mistake and had to free-hand the quote because the print was too small and it is the only part on the scarf that does not look good.  All this said though, on both fabrics these markers were probably the easiest, and fastest, pen to write with.

I hope this has inspired you to try one for yourself. If you make one, send me a photo! I’d love to see it.