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DIY Headband [Step-by-Step Tutorial with Pictures]

I am trying desperately this year to not buy very much new fabric and use up as much of my fabric stash as possible.  When thinking about how to use up some cute scraps this week I decided to make some new headbands.  Yes, I know I have a lot… but I use and love them all!  So with that little defensive comment aside, I am sharing with you all my DIY headband tutorial!

diy headbands

DIY Headband Supplies:

  • scraps of fabric (you need 2 pieces measuring 3.5 X 14 inches)
  • elastic (I used 1 inch wide, you could use anything 1.5 inches wide or smaller)
  • a rotary cutting set (or a ruler and some scissors)
  • sewing machine, coordinating thread, sewing machine needles, pins
fabric cut out

DIY Headband Tutorial

Step 1:

Wash, dry, and iron your fabric.  The great thing about using scraps is you get to skip this step.  Cut two pieces measuring 3.5 X 14 inches.

Step 2:

Fold the rectangle in half width-wise.  Then lay down your quilt ruler (or regular ruler) so that you’re at the outside edge of the fabric on the fold side and then 1/2 inch from the edge on the open side.  Cut along this line. 

Repeat the cutting part on the other side as well, so that the side opposite of the fold measures 2.5 inches.

how to cut fabric
fabric folded

Step 3:

When you unfold the piece of fabric it will look like the picture below.

fabric unfolded

Step 4:

Repeat steps 2-3 for the second piece of fabric.

two pieces

Step 5:

Take one of your fabric pieces and lay it down with the right side up.  Then place the other piece on top of it so that the right side is down.  The right sides should be together.

two other pieces
back of fabric

Step 6:

Pin the two pieces together.  Sew along the two long sides but leave the short ends open.  Sew 1/2 inch from the edge.

stacks sewn together

Step 7:

Turn the tube right side out and press it flat.  I like to use a pencil or pen with a cap on it to help me turn things like this right side out when it gets a little tight.

turned right side out and pressed
ends tucked in

Step 8:

Take one of the outside edges and fold the ends inside the tube about 1/4 inch. Press it nice and flat to keep it folded in.  Do the same for the other outside edge.

Step 9:

Cut an 8 inch piece of elastic.  (Sidenote- if you have a bigger head like me maybe consider cutting it 8.5-9 inches)

Insert one end of the elastic about 1/4 inch into one end of your fabric tube. Pin the elastic into place then sew all the way across the bottom of the fabric, sewing close to the edge, about 1/8 inch from the edge.  Insert the other end of the elastic into the other tube and repeat the process for sewing it into place.

elastics tucked into ends
elastic sewn

Step 10:

Topstitch all the way around the fabric part of the headband, sewing about 1/8- 1/4 inch from the edge.  Sew over the area where the elastic is again in order to reinforce it a little.

outline sewn
double sewn

And that’s it! Now go use up some of those scraps you have leftover from other projects.  If you make one let me know how it went in the comments below! 

Want more headbands? 

I’ve got a whole round up of 10 headband tutorials.

DIY Headband Tutorial

Jan

Friday 20th of April 2018

Just made one for my daughter who is a new mum and gets a few bad hair days! Tx for sharing God bless Jan

Cat

Friday 20th of April 2018

I'm sure she will love it! Totally helps with the bad hair days :)

Ali

Saturday 14th of April 2018

Just made 2 of these! Thank you for the pattern :)

Cat

Saturday 14th of April 2018

You're so welcome!

Shannon Molenburg

Friday 23rd of March 2018

I love the floral headband! I wear headbands like these quite often so it's great to learn how to make them myself!!! Great post!

Cat

Friday 23rd of March 2018

Thank you!

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Mary Martha Mama