Decoration Ideas Using Woolen Scarves

Table Runners

• Nothing looks more barren on a winter day than a naked table. All that smooth glass and polished wood that looks so cool and inviting in summer is enough to make your teeth chatter when the wind is howling. Heat things up by draping a wide woolen scarf down the middle. Solids, plaids or stripes in bold reds, oranges, russets or gold work best to highlight polished wood. Add a few votive candles around a big copper bowl filled with bright red apples to top it all off.

Chair Drapes

• Wide scarves are perfect substitutes for bulky afghans over the backs of chairs, and easier to wash when necessary. Choose neutral tans, grays and creams to add warmth without conflicting color in your decor or try lively patterns -- plaids work especially well. You could also wrap a scarf around a throw pillow and pin it in place with a bow to give added appeal to a cozy chair.

Small Touches

• Roll up a few colorful scarves and toss in a pretty basket near the front door to create a quick double-duty accessory for you and your home. Use matching scarves as tie-backs on window curtains. Hang a seasonal wreath from a woolen scarf instead of the usual ribbon, or wrap a few scarves round a hoop to make an entire wreath from scarves. Sew the sides and one end together, then stuff with fiberfill for a bolster. Wrap the bases of potted plants with their own snug scarves, or simply hang a few from pegs for color in an entry hall.

Adding Them Up

• If one scarf won't do for your chosen idea, consider sewing them together to make larger material. Several scarves of the same length sewn side by side, add up to a one-of-a-kind wooly afghan. Leave a head-sized space unsewn in the center -- between two strips -- to create a warm pull-over poncho that also serves as a chair throw. Similarly, you can create bedspreads, cushion covers and other warm and wooly accessories by sewing as many together as needed.