3 Ways to Turn Buffalo Plaid Scarves Into DIY Holiday Decor

If you're like us, you love all things buffalo plaid. So, why not take this prized pattern to new heights by incorporating it into your home's holiday aesthetic? No need to spend money on pricey decorations because we've got three ways to upcycle your old buffalo scarves into fashionable decorations that are exactly what your home needs for the holidays.

Festive Fabric Ornament

Cut Fabric Into Strips

Choose your buffalo plaid scarf of choice, cut the fringe off the bottom and discard (Images 1 & 2). Using the ornament to measure the length you’ll need, cut the scarf into strips that are roughly two inches wide and long enough to wrap around the circumference of the ornament (Image 3). Cut enough strips to cover the ornament completely.

Pro tip: For perfectly straight, clean cuts, use the lines of the buffalo check as your guide.

Glue Fabric to Ornament

Hot glue one end of the first strip to the top of the ornament (Image 1). Add more glue at the bottom of the ornament (middle of the strip) and back at the top where the end of the strip wraps back around (Images 2 & 3). Cover the ornament with the fabric strips by gluing them in an overlapping pattern. Repeat until the ornament is completely covered, gluing down any loose edges at the end (Image 4).

Add Berry Sprigs

Twist a small piece of berry garland around the ornament hanger, then use hot glue to secure it in place. Add as much or as little berry garland as you'd like.

Make Hanger

Attach a piece of yarn as a hanger.

Checked Christmas Tree

Cut Out Fabric

Using a cardboard template you create and marker, trace two triangles onto the scarf with a marker (Images 1 & 2). These will serve as the two sides of your tree. Cut out the triangles along the marked lines (Image 3).

Note: The triangles will get smaller once the edges are glued together so keep this in mind when creating your templates.

Glue Fabric Together

Use hot glue along the longest side of one triangle and carefully attach the second triangle. Repeat this step for the second side, leaving the bottom unglued. Let the glue sit for a few minutes to harden.

Hem Bottom Edge

Once dry, glue along the bottom edge of the triangle and fold the fabric back over itself, creating a hem (Images 1 & 2). Repeat on the other side.

Form Tree

Carefully turn the tree inside out so that the glued edges are now hidden, using the dowel to push the very top of the tree out (Images 1 & 2).

Stuff Tree and Add Dowel Trunk

Fill the tree halfway with stuffing, working to ensure the tree is evenly stuffed and won’t sag in any areas (Image 1). When the tree is about half full of stuffing, insert the dowel into the tree (Image 2). Flip the tree over and add stuffing on both sides of the dowel to keep it centered inside the tree.

Glue Tree Closed

Add hot glue to one side of the bottom edge, then carefully squeeze both sides together (Images 1 & 2). Hold the seam together until the glue hardens.

Add Decorations

Using hot glue, add decorative pom-poms along the center of the tree.

Attach Base

Insert the dowel into the wooden wheel and glue securely in place on both sides of the wheel.

Wrapped-Up Wreath

Create Layout

Lay the scarf out on a flat work surface and place the wreath on top, right in the middle of the scarf (Image 1). Pull the scarf through the middle of the wreath and fold it over the foam (Image 2).

Wrap Wreath

Starting at the top of the foam wreath, use straight pins to wrap the scarf around and secure it in place as you go. Tightly wrap the scarf down the right side, followed by the left side, until you meet in the middle at the wreath's bottom.

Pin Bottom

Holding the scarf in place with one hand, pull the fabric securely and pin it into place at the bottom of the wreath. There will be some fabric overhang for decoration.

Add Greenery

Use either faux or real greenery to add some texture to the wreath. Pin the greenery into place to secure.

Decorate With Tacks

Insert thumbtacks in a random fashion for added embellishment.

Pro tip: If you used faux greenery, use the tacks to cover the wired end of the garland.