Fabric Headband Tutorial

My little girls are into all things girly, twirly skirts and dresses, pink, flowers, accessorising with bracelets, necklaces and headbands.....  Anyone that knows me would wonder where these girls come from.  It has taken awhile but I have embraced their girlyness in all its splendor.  In truth it is actually quite fun, pink and a little bit of their fun has even crept into my wardrobe.  So these days when I make them some clothing, I use the scraps to make a matching headband.  I thought I would share how I make these super easy headbands.

What You Need:

Two largish fabric scraps, 3/4" elastic scrap, thread (doesn't need to match).

I made this headband for my 3 year old, these are the strips I cut:

Elastic : 3/4" x 4 1/2"
Elastic casing: 2.5" x 8 1/2"

Headband main: 5 1/2 " x 15"

I have made these for my 6 year old and I just adjust the Headband main by adding an inch.  For my one year old I remove an inch. 

Sewing the Headband:

1. Cut the fabric strips and elastic

2. Fold the strips longways with right sides together and sew along the long raw edge to make fabric tubes.  Turn right sides out.

Tip: for the elastic casing to make it easier to turn out I catch a piece of ribbon inside the the tube in the first few stitches, so you just pull the ribbon and the tube turns right sides out (no need for chopsticks) as in the photos below:

3. Cut the ribbon off as close to the seam as you can without cutting your fabric.  Then press the tubes flat with the seams in the centre as shown.

4. Thread the elastic through the elastic casing (small tube).  Sew each end together with a straight stitch to hold the elastic in place.
Tip: I find it handy to thread with a safety pin but also use one to hold the end together.

5. Place the headband tube and elastic tube together as pictured.  Right sides together with raw edges matching.  Then wrap the headband around the elastic tube, with raw edges matching.

6. Sew together with 1/4" seam or slightly longer to make sure you have concealed your elastic basting when you turn it right sides out.  Finish the seam.  Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the other end.

7. Turn right sides out and you have finished your headband!

Below was the outfit we happened to be wearing today!  It took a bribe of turning TV on to get her to take the red headband off so we could take photos of  the new pink one!  Thus the very blank looks.....

Again if you do make any of these headbands I would love to see them.  So please post pictures on my facebook page.  This tutorial is just intended to give you the basic guidelines.  Go crazy, use some scrappy piecing, add a pretty fabric flower, make a wider band (like is very popular here in Europe) or narrower like Alannah is wearing below, possibilities are endless.

Happy Sewing!!