...since lockdown began and we could last visit the hairdresser! Unless you are, or are married to, a hairdresser, things are probably starting to look a little unruly by now. I’ve been making a few headbands recently to keep my hair out of my eyes and thought what a great sewing project they would make for a rainy day in June.
You will need:
Scrap paper to make a pattern.
A piece of fabric approx 45 x 32cm, a fat quarter is ideal.
A piece of 12mm-15mm wide elastic approx 10-15cm long depending on who the headband is for.
Matching thread.
A sewing machine and basic sewing skills.
There are two pattern pieces for this headband.The first is a rectangle measuring 5cm x 15.5cm. This is the elastic cover piece. The second is like a rectangle but one end is wider than the other. (It has a posh name in maths apparently, my son tells me it’s a rhombus.) The wide end measures 9cm, the short end 5cm and the length down the centre is 22cm. This is the headband piece. Plot these measurements on some paper, draw in the sides and cut out your two pattern pieces, which hopefully will look like the ones in the picture below.
Fold your fabric in half and place the wide end of the headband piece and one short end of the elastic cover piece on the fold of the fabric. You will need to cut each pattern piece out twice giving you 4 pieces in total.
Unfold your fabric pieces and place the two rectangles right sides together and stitch the two long edges with a 1cm seam allowance. Leave the two short ends open. Remember to back stitch at the beginning and the end to stop the stitches coming undone at the next stage.
Turn it to the right side to form a long tube and press flat with the seams along the edges.
Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and feed it into the tube until the other end of the elastic is level with the raw edge of the fabric. Leave the safety pin attached as this will be needed later. It will stay safely tucked inside the tube until we need it.
Stitch across the end of the fabric tube, securing the elastic at one end.
Take one of your headband fabric pieces and fold the 1cm seam allowance to the wrong side on one short edge.
Lay the fabric tube with the elastic inside onto the right side of one of the headband pieces with the raw edges even at one short edge.
Lay the second headband piece on top, right sides together, with the folded back edge at the opposite end to where you’ve placed the elastic tube. Starting from the end with the folded back edge, stitch along one long side, pivot at the corner and continue to stitch along the short side (securing the covered elastic as you go) and along the second long side. You should have stitched three sides, leaving the short edge with the folded back seam allowance open, sandwiching the covered elastic inside at the other end.
Trim the seam allowance to reduce any bulk and trim the corners.
Turn it all to the right side through the open short end. The safety pin comes in handy here! Press the headband piece carefully with the seams at the edges so it lies flat.
Locate the safety pin and feed it through the tube until it pops out the end and secure it in place, level with the raw edge, with a line of stitching. Your fabric tube will gather up as shown below.
Bring the end of your gathered fabric tube to meet the raw edge of the headband piece and pin to the seam allowance that has as not been pressed back.
Stitch together as close to the folded edge as you can without catching it in
Finally, open it out and tuck the seam allowance under the folded edge and slip stitch in place by hand.
And there you have it! All you need to do now is decide how many you need to match your summer wardrobe. Have fun and don’t forget to share your makes here or on my Two Little Birds Facebook page 💕
