Cheap Homemade Fabric Headband

I think fabric headbands are so cute right now! I see people wearing them, I see them in stores, etc!  Q tried one on once and I just fell in love! Too cute! ....BUT... she would never leave it on her head. I know that. So I could never bring myself to shell out the $$ they cost, even though they are adorable!

Well, I got home.... and after pining away for these headbands and knowing it was silly to spend the money, I decided to make my own! So here is my very informal tutorial on How to Make a Fabric Headband - the really fast and easy way! (and highly imperfect. Did I mention that?)

Supplies Needed:

1. elastic thread  ~ yes, I happened to have this on hand! lol

2. plastic needle (not necessary, I suppose, but definitely made it easier. Plus you should already have one for threading ribbon through your daughter's hairstyles! :D Too cute!)

3. fingernail clippers or scissors (I was too lazy to go get the scissors and the fingernail clippers were right there!)

4. 2 clear rubber hair elastics. You know, the kind that you use when you don't want the elastic to show, but then you feel bad for using them because they're so tough on hair? :)  (btw, if you soak them in coconut oil before using them in hair they are much softer and gentle! But you don't need to do that for this project.)

5. a strip of fabric! I already had one cut, I suppose if you were starting from scratch you'd need a scissors for this part! Or just tear it. But a fingernail clipper would take FOREVER. lol

Ok! Now, (drum roll please......)   HOW TO MAKE the HEADBAND:

(yes, this is rocket science, it just doesn't get the same recognition!)

1. Measure how long you want the headband to be. If your daughter's head is available - all the better! Otherwise, it's okay to guess. We'll be using elastic to help fudge the sizing!

* to do this I wrapped the fabric around Q's head and held a hand on the fabric at the base of her neck on either side - a small gap between my hands because that's where the elastic will go!  (Wow, I hope that made sense!)

2. Using your clear hair elastics, tightly wrap one around each spot where your hands were.

3. Next thread your elastic thread (on your crafting needle!) through the clear hair elastics and tie them tightly to each elastic! I used two strands of elastic thread to try to make it a bit stronger.

4. .... oh wait. That's it! You're done! :D Easy, huh? :)  I even left the ends of the fabric hanging down long :)

I also made her a white sparkly gauzy one! I think they're adorable, maybe someday she'll learn to leave it on! Oh well! They were cheap! :)

Oh, yeah, one more design note.... I didn't bother to sew the edges because I figure they can just be tucked under! I made my strips of fabric wide so that I can have a wide headband....OR..... fold it up and have a narrow one! That's the versatility of fabric for ya! :) It's so soft and thin that folding it works. (and who has the time to fold over the edges and sew them up?? Especially when I think about how often Q will actually wear it....)

Enjoy! and be sure to send me pictures if your little one leaves it on long enough for you to get the camera out! :D

(This post originally was shared in Oct 2010 - I hope you still enjoy it!)