Make a gift that looks just smashing!
A smashed flower scarf is the perfect gift for Christmas, birthdays, or Mother’s Day. It’s very simple for children to make, and it involves smashing things with a hammer. What more could the kids (and mom) want?
To create a smashed flower scarf, you’ll need:
A blank white silk scarf. I order my white blank silks from Dharma Trading, but you can get them from art stores as well.
A mallet or a small hammer.
Two pieces of a thick, old towel
White vinegar
Salt
A lot of flower petals in bright colors.
If you’re doing this activity in the springtime, you’re in luck. There are many flowers available. If you’re doing it in the winter, you might wonder where can you get flowers in the cold season. The answer? Anywhere that sells flowers, of course. You’re not actually going to buy them to smash, though. Call the store a day or two ahead of time and ask them to put petals away for you. Florists remove old-looking rose petals from roses, and they will often save these petals for you if you ask nicely. You can also check in to see if there are any old bouquets that will soon be composted. You can save these for your flower-smashing adventures.
A smashed flower scarf is dyed with flowers that you smash into the fabric.
First, place a thick bit of towel over the surface on which you will place the scarf.
Next, wet the scarf and place it on top of the fabric.
Now, get creative: place petals in patterns or throw them every which-way onto the silk cloth.
Before you get smashing, place the second piece of towel over top of the silk and petals, taking care not to disturb the arrangement of the petals.
Now, use the mallet to smash down on the towel, squishing the petals into the fabric. If you are using a hammer, smash the petals more gently, as it’s quite possible to smash all the way through the towel and damage the scarf fabric.
When you’re finished, remove the top towel and inspect your art. You can now add additional petals if you want to, and you can repeat the process over again until you’re happy with it.
When you’re completely done, brush off the petals. Place the scarf in a sink with water, half a cup of vinegar, and a tablespoon of salt. Swish it around. This helps to set the dye.
Dry the scarf by placing it over the back of a chair in a top secret location away from mom, then iron it on low to make it look fancy.
You now have an utterly smashing scarf!
That is beautiful and sounds like a lot of fun to make. I think my sons and I will have to try these for the grandmas for Mother’s Day this coming spring!
It is lots of fun! The most cost-effective way to make this is likely with flowers from your own garden, so Mother’s Day is a good time. Just make sure that the flowers are bright!
What a great idea! I would love to do one for my sister. She is the only one I know who appreciates these DIY type gufts.
That is SO cool! I’ll totally have to try this out sometime. Thanks for sharing.
Our supervisor at work likes scarves, so this would be a great gift for her. The only thing I want to know is can it be washed?
It can be hand washed gently if you make sure that you set the dye with the salt and vinegar. I haven’t washed mine much.
This looks beautiful! Do you think I could dye other fabric in this way to then sew a pillow or bag out of it?
Abigail, this works with many natural fabrics. It’s easiest with silk because silk is thin and the color can soak through.
WOW! I have been a Florist for years…Never knew this could be done! Is a “must try” for myself and gifts for others! Thanks again for offering such great DIY Projects!!