How to Make a Stretchy Headband (+ video tutorial)
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This tutorial for How to Make a Stretchy Headband is perfect for those of us trying to keep the hair out of our little one’s faces, great for sports, working out, or just for washing your face.
How to Make a Stretchy headband
We wear a lot of headbands around here.
My missy has a lot of hair and for whatever reason, her hair is the type that refuses to stay pulled back into her ponytail (prime example, lol.)
Our solution to this issue is headbands!
Our favorite type of headband is the kind made from stretchy fabric.
The bad news is we keep losing all our headbands, the good news is that they are super easy to make!
Why you need to make this stretchy headband!
- These little headbands are perfect for keeping your hair out of your face for sports, washing your face at night, or using them at dinner time. (Please tell me we are not the only ones who finish dinner with as much food in our hair as is left on the plate, lol.)
- The headbands only take a small amount of stretch knit fabric, so they are a great way to use up some of your scrap fabric.
- And they are so easy to make, you can whip up several in just a few minutes.
Volleyball just started back up for us, so I decided I needed to replenish our supply of headbands. (A girl can never have too many headbands, lol!)
These headbands are just perfect and look great with hair up or down!
Where Do I Find the Headband Template?
Click the template link under materials needed.
Tips for sewing with knits:
- Use a ballpoint/stretch needle
- Sew seams with either a serger, stretch stitch, narrow zig zag or a straight stitch with a longer stitch length and a slightly loosened tension. (Make a couple of practice stitches on your fabric to see what works best.) I also like to use this “lightning bolt” stretch stitch on seams that need strength but a little give. (For today’s project I used a combination of straight stitch and zig zag stitch. I also made several with my serger – see how that looks here.)
- If you find your fabric keeps getting pulled inside the needle plate, place a small piece of tissue underneath the fabric so the feed dogs have something to grip. It also helps to move the needle all the way to the right, which forces your fabric over the feed dogs.
Ready to Make a Headband?
(Scroll down to the bottom for the video tutorial.)
Products used and recommended in this post:
- Floral knits on Etsy, another favorite fabric shop for knits: Funkalicious Fabrics.
- My Sewing Machine: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist, my coverstitch: Janome Cover Pro 1000cpx
- My Serger: Brother 1034D 3 or 4 Thread Serger or you can just use Pinking Shears
- Rotary Cutter
- I love my large ruler and large cutting mat, but you may prefer to start off with a smaller Cutting set
- Dritz Dual Purpose Marking Pen and Fray Check
- Ball Point needles
- Singer walking foot or universal walking foot (helps when sewing on very stretch fabric.)
- Cordless iron
- Wonder clips (I didn’t use these in the post, but they are just awesome!)
Materials needed for this Headband Tutorial
- Scraps of stretchy knit fabric
- Template (If you don’t want to print the template, cut rectangle 9-3/16 inches wide by 5-1/4 inches, on the fold.)
- Ballpoint/jersey needle
- iron
- basic sewing supplies
Sewing Instructions for the Stretchy Headband
- .25 inch seam allowance included in the template.
Step 1: Cut out fabric pieces.
Fold the fabric in half, with the stretch going side to side. Line up provided template on the fold and cut out the fabric. (Template found under “materials needed”)
Step 2: Assemble headbands.
Fold the fabric in half, right sides together. Starting 1 inch from the end, sew together using a stretch stitch, serger or long wide zig zag. Stop sewing about 2 inches from the other end.
Trim seam allowance.
Flip fabric tube right side out.
Line up raw edges of fabric tube, right sides together.
Sew, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, twisting fabric tube as you go. (See this step in action via the video tutorial below.)
Step 3: Close opening.
You are left with this small opening.
Pull a bit of the fabric tube back out and with a straight stitch, sew as much of the opening closed as you can.
Either by hand sewing or with the machine, sew the rest of the opening closed. Trim threads and seal with a bit of fray check if desired.
You are done!
Made this pattern/project?
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This tutorial for How to Make a Stretchy Headband is perfect for those of us trying to keep the hair out of our little one’s faces, great for sports, working out, or just for washing your face.
Materials
- Scraps of stretchy knit fabric
- Template (If you don’t want to print the template, cut rectangle 9-3/16 inches wide by 5-1/4 inches, on the fold.)
- Ballpoint/jersey needle
- iron
- basic sewing supplies
Instructions
Step 1: Cut out fabric pieces.
- Fold the fabric in half, with the stretch going side to side. Line up provided template on the fold and cut out the fabric. (Template found under "materials needed")
Step 2: Assemble headbands.
- Fold the fabric in half, right sides together. Starting 1 inch from the end, sew together using a stretch stitch, serger, or long wide zig zag. Stop sewing about 2 inches from the other end.
- Trim seam allowance.
- Flip fabric tube right side out.
- Line up raw edges of fabric tube, right sides together.
- Sew, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, twisting fabric tube as you go. (See this step in action via the video tutorial below.)
Step 3: Close opening.
- You are left with this small opening.
- Pull a bit of the fabric tube back out and with a straight stitch, sew as much of the opening closed as you can.
- Either by hand sewing or with the machine, sew the rest of the opening closed. Trim threads and seal with a bit of fray check if desired.
- You are done!
Hi can you give more info on the twisting of the tube. I’ve watched the video so many times but I’m really stuck on that step.
Thanks
Do you mean sewing the ends together?
If that is what you mean, see if this video helps.
https://youtu.be/mxu8J4bZwUQ
hi, I’ve looked at the video and your instructions but I am confused between steps 2 and 3 regarding twisting the fabric tube when sewing the 1/4”seam allowance.
This looks like a great headband and totorial, but I’m unable to print the template, could you just give the measurements for it please? Thanks
Sorry, not able to edit the post right now, but the dimensions are 9 3/16 by 5 1/4 (inches)
I’m confused about the measurement for the template. How long will the headband be once it’s sewn? Will it be 2x the 9 3/16 measurement?
I don’t see the check out the video below link I don’t see it anywhere.
I have checked the browsers I use. The video does not show up in Opera, MS Edge, or Mozilla Firefox. It does show up in my Google Chrome, however.
Siena
Ok, I appreciate the feedback. I will get with my host tomorrow and find out what’s up. In the meantime, the video is over on YouTube too. here is the link: https://youtu.be/KUO3PvIHp98
Sorry, but can’t see video at all. Have looked at bottom of instructions and bottom of page… Could you help please?
It’s at the very bottom, under where it says “Check out the video below for tips and tricks and to see me make a headband in real-time”
Can you not see it? You do have to press play.
I was trying to find the video tutorial and it doesn’t show anywhere on here. Am I missing it?? I’ve looked 5 times now
Thanks for the heads up. Fixed now! Video is at the bottom.
Would like a pattern how to make a headband for my son who plays football a man’s pattern not a girl’s pattern. Can you help.
Ohh so glad this popped up today! My girl’s hair is like yours, and very long to her butt… school starts in a week and she’s wrecked her headband! So thanks!! I’ll be making her some next week!
Thanks, Jamie! I wasn’t a big headband person, but I can see that my littlest grandgirl will love these 🙂
Need this for boys and girls to attach floppy bunny ears to the top.
1. Would this work to wear under the chin, instead of to back of neck?
2. What is the best way to wear this so it covers the ears?
I have not tried it under the chin but you might try making it a bit wider to cover the ears. We don’t wear our this way, so I cant give any more info.
good luck, jamie
Is this a standard size for an adult?
I would like to make some in that size, but also for my 4 year old grand daughter.
Is it one size fits all?
yes, one size fits all.
Love It!
Thank you so much! I have lots of pieces of knit fabrics and will make my daughter happy! Going to my machine.
Great way to use up my knit scraps!! They multiply. 🙂 I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for this afternoon that features your tutorial: http://sewing.craftgossip.com/?p=92410 –Anne