Walking around malls I have always been attracted to accessory shops. I’ve always enjoyed looking through racks of small everyday objects and thinking of how they can be brought to some other use other than the purpose they are made for. For example I’ll pick up colorful finger rings and try to use them as napkin holders.
But most of all I’ve always been attracted to scarf shops and stalls and enjoy using them as gift wrappers. Scarves are cost effective and eco friendly as compared to conventional paper wrapping as they can be reused. They make amazing wrap sheets and can be used to pack gifts of all size and shapes.
I use all sorts of scarves and wraps including cotton, pashmina, wool, lace, fur, jute, linen, silks and chiffons for my wrappings depending on the object to be wrapped.
My generally preference is a plain color silk scarf for small and delicate objects as silk adds royalty even to the oddest of things. For bigger presents I use larger wraps and shawls so they provide a good covering as well as stand the weight of the stuff inside.
Having a keen eye for scarves I always end up buying inexpensive yet interesting scarf colors and patterns. For example a light blue flannel scarf with small white polka dots would be an ideal wrap for a baby boy’s birthday gift. At times I just wrap my gifts in simple pieces of packing scarf and at times I ornate them with additional accessories like ribbons, lace and pins. Another example would be wrapping Christmas gifts in a Santa print scarf and adding small bells on it.
So next time you want to wrap a present try to pick the wrapper from your wardrobe and give your gift an additional value!
Various materials are used to make scarves. Some of these materials are so soft and shabby that they have to be stiffened by starching. Starch can be applied to any material such as soft cotton, linen or even silk if it needs stiffening. Starching is a simple method requiring two basic techniques of starch cooking and ironing.
Laundry starch is easily available in the market in the form of spray starch, liquid or powder.
Spray starch is the easiest as you simple have to lightl spray the starch over the scarf and gently iron it.
The second form is liquid starch which has to be diluted with lukewarm water before dipping clothes into it.
The last and the traditional method is powder starch. This is available in the market under different brand names but you can also use normal cornstarch used for cooking. Preparation for this is a little time consuming but the results are quite satisfactory. For a single scarf you will require:
2 heaped tablespoons of starch powder
&
2 liters water (1 liter boiling & 1 liter cold)
Method:
1) Mix the starch powder in a cup of warm water and stir it into a smooth paste
2) Add the mixture to the boiling water stirring constantly to avoid lumps and cook for 2 minutes on low flame
3) Turn off the flame and after cooling add the cold water and stir swiftly till a smooth milky concoction is made
4) Dip the scarf fabric into the prepared liquid
5) Sun dry to achieve better stiffness
6) Iron on medium heat and enjoy neat and stiff scarves.