I recently bought a bunch of wool from the Pendleton Mill Store (their fabric store) from their by-weight bins. I paid $5/lb for what I bought, all scrap pieces. I lucked out on finding larger pieces, but if going there or the same luck is not on your side you could do the same with wool from another fabric store. I like Pendleton because they get their wool from PNW family farms and they are very hands on at their mills in the weaving process, also here in OR and WA. I toured the Washougal mill a couple of years ago and after a weaving class in college I really appreciate what all goes into the making of this fabric!
My scrap haul!
Instead of making an ordinary cowl where it is essentially a tube you pull over your head, I wanted to make more of a statement piece as the piece of wool I decided to use has all this fringe on one side. The measurements I used are because that was the size of the scrap piece I found, but you really just need to make sure it wraps around you to where you can match the corners together and have it lay the way you want. Fringe isn’t a must, but it’s fun and you could always add trim if you want to whatever fabric you find. If your fabric needs hemmed, take that into account in the measurements, but in the case of this wool it won’t.
It’s only 2 seams to sew plus buttons/toggles, so hand sewing is quick and easy if you don’t have a sewing machine or don’t want to get yours out.
Bonus Idea: Throw pillows. Pendleton throw pillows are gorgeous but pricey, especially if you want to have several. Fabric scraps are an easy way to make your own. My best tips are spend a little extra on cool buttons and make sure to match up any lines or pattern as best you can. If you store them for a while put them in a moth-proof bag with some silica gel packs to keep them nice until the cooler months!
