Today’s post was inspired by my friend Ramona, a fashion scarf aficionado, who asked, “Can you make a scarf holder?”  Challenge accepted.

Welcome to Ryan’s half of the closet. Photographed with the belly dancing scarf collection, including the hip belt that fit nicely in the big hole!

I spent awhile thinking about the hanging properties of a scarf hanger.  My mind kept trying to pull together ways of attaching it to a clothes bar.  After some searching, I couldn’t find stand alone metal clothes hanger hooks.  It’s a bit silly (and impractical for selling) to buy a perfectly good hanger to deconstruct, and I didn’t quite trust making my own.  I thought about attaching it to a shower curtain, but I didn’t like how complicated that was (you’d need an extra ring to align it with the reset of the clothes in your closet) and a little “make do” with what you have for a solution.  In the end I decided to trust the material (quarter inch bamboo ply) and just incorporate the hook into the design.

Scarf materials vary,  as do preferred methods of organization.  To give the user flexibility, I decided that there would be both large and small holes to choose from.  I grouped the holes so the hanger would hang reasonably level in the closet, putting the large holes in on the bottom and closer to center.

I think my favorite part of the design is the hook.  It’s solid in the 1/4 inch ply, but I was still concerned about the fragility of the point where the hook met the body of the holder.  To make it flow better and add strength, I curved it out.  The final result looks a bit like a bunch of grapes, and I love it.

You can see the difference a light application of mineral oil makes.  Oiled one is on the right.

The quarter inch bamboo material we used is absolutely gorgeous as is, but we oiled it and did a light sanding abound holes to keep delicate scarves from snagging.

I will freely admit, I haven’t gotten into the fashion scarf resurgence.  I have a couple scarves from the belly dancing class I took years ago, but that’s it.  At a loss for what to photograph it as I was standing in the closet, I saw the winter scarves.  The snakes nest that has fallen from the shelf at least 4 times this summer.  The ones the don’t stay well when draped over hangers.  Those scarves.  Ryan watched my dawning realization that I could organize my winter scarves as easily on this hanger too, and just laughed.  I managed to make something which made my life better without knowing it!  Thank you Ramona!

Start of my big fuzzy winter scarf collection.  Hangs nicely, even if a little off balance!