Square Scarf

Cut as a square, usually 21 to 36 inches on a side, and worn on the diagonal. Folding corner to corner gives a triangle, and folding that triangle down in bands gives a strip. This is how one piece of fabric produces so many different looks.

Silk twill is the traditional cloth, and the reason is grip: a diagonal weave holds a knot where satin slides open through the day. Weight is given in momme, a silk measure, and 12 to 16 momme is heavy enough to hang instead of floating. The edge tells you what you are paying for. A hand rolled hem is turned by hand and stitched so it stands slightly proud of the surface, letting the scarf drape and giving the corners a little weight. A flat machine hem is stiffer and pulls the edge inward.

Shrink it to 18 to 22 inches and you have a neckerchief, small enough to tie close at the throat and too small to show a print when draped. At its full size it can be worn on the head, knotted at a bag handle or run through belt loops, none of which a neckerchief has the fabric for. An oblong scarf gives length rather than area, so it wraps but cannot fold into a triangle across the shoulders. A blanket scarf is square too, at nearly double the side length and many times the weight, and exists for warmth rather than print.

Offices and travel suit it, since silk reflects light onto the skin and takes almost no room in a bag. Anyone who wants the same jacket to feel different several times a week gets a lot for very little space. Hot climates favor it as well, because silk adds color and no warmth at all. Anyone who hates fiddling should pass, as silk knots slip and want resetting every few hours.

Check that the print aligns at the fold, since a well made square places the design so the border reads evenly when the corners meet. Feel along the hem for the slight round roll of hand stitching. Hand wash in cool water with a drop of mild soap, never wring it, blot it in a towel and press on the reverse under a cloth while still damp. Store it flat or loosely rolled, because a hard crease in silk sets and shows under light.