job week: Tuesday Tutorial: Simple Fabric Headbands

I used to make these super cute, super easy-to-make headbands and decided to make a few more recently :) They take less than 20 minutes to make, a tiny amount of fabric, and are a great way to coordinate with an outfit :) These make great gifts and would be great little gifts for Christmas! :)

Supplies:
+ 2.5" x 18" piece of fabric
+ 3" piece of elastic (you can purchase elastic in different colors, be sure to purchase a color that will coordinate with your fabric. I usually keep white, black and brown on hand- these will usually coordinate nicely with different colors of fabric)
+ 2 safety pins
+ pins
+ scissors
+ sewing machine and coordinating thread
+ needle and coordinating thread

*Please note that as head sizes of course will vary, you might need to do a little trial-and-error with the measurements of your fabric! I measured my head with a sewing measuring tape where the headband would sit and it was 22" when pulled very snugly- about 4" bigger than the piece of fabric I used. So for example, if your head circumference (where the headband will sit) is about 16", try using a 12" piece of fabric, etc. I would definitely do a trial run with a fabric remnant before using your desired piece of fabric (and hopefully then you have 2 fun headbands to wear!). :)

Start by folding the fabric in half, lengthwise, so that the wrong side is out. Pin every couple inches.

Begin to sew a straight stitch down the open, pinned side with a 1/4" seam allowance.

About 3" from one edge, leave a 1.5" opening (see picture below). This will allow you to turn it right side out later on. Be sure to back stitch a couple times on each side of the opening so it doesn't come undone.

Pin one of the safety pins to one edge of the elastic piece.

Begin to push the safety pin into one of the open sides of the headband.

Using the other safety pin, pin the other edge of the elastic (that doesn't already have a pin in it) to the edge of the opening you just went in (see picture below).

As a visual, below is what is happening at this point. Don't pull safety pin #1 out the opening you left, I just wanted to show where it is :)

Now, begin scrunching down the fabric over the safety pin and elastic as you push the safety pin to the other opening.

The safety pin eventually comes out the other side. Pin to the opening you just came out of- you can use a quilting pin to hold it in place while you adjust the safety pin. Now both sides are pinned with a safety pin.

Now, using approximately a 1/4" seam allowance, sew up the openings on each side- this will sew the elastic in place as well as close up the openings. I switched out the safety pins for the straight quilting pins, but found it easier to leave the safety pins in and sew up the edges. This step takes a lot of finagling, and I stuck myself a bunch of times with the quilting pin while trying to hold the elastic and fabric in place for sewing (Yet another reason to leave the safety pins in while sewing). Sew back and forth a couple of times to reinforce.