Headbands are very pretty accessories and they aren’t too difficult to make. It wouldn’t be difficult to make a few headbands in different colors and prints to go with your wardrobe. You could have a headband to match every garment you have. Of course, men also wear headbands, often when playing sports, but these are usually worn at the top of the forehead rather than on the hair. In this article, we will tell you how to make a headband for a woman.

Supplies

  • Fabric; cotton is the best for a headband as it is easy to sew. You could even cut up an old T-shirt.
  • ¾ inch wide elastic.
  • Ruler or sewing gauge. A sewing gauge is generally more accurate than a ruler.
  • Sharp sewing scissors or a rotary cutter.
  • Pins.
  • Thread.
  • Safety pin for pulling the elastic through.
  • Iron for pressing.
  • Sewing machine or you could hand sew if you prefer.

The pattern we are going to give you will produce a 2-inch wide headband. However, you can make it wider or narrower if you wish. The only thing you have to remember, whatever width it is, the seam needs to be ⅜ inch. You don’t want the seam to show up. 

You can also make a headband for a child by measuring around his or her head. The main piece of the headband has to be 2/3rd of this measurement while the elastic part of the headband should be around 1/3rd of the measurement around the head.

Cut the Fabric and the Elastic

The first step is to cut the fabric. You need two pieces, one for the main part of the headband and the other for you to put the elastic in. The larger piece should measure 18 inches by 4¾  inches and the other, 9 inches by 1¾ inches. If you feel that your head is particularly small or big, measure around it where the headband will go.

You can make the headband reversible if you like. Why not get two for the price of one?! To do this, get two different pieces of material and cut two pieces measuring 18 inches by 2¾ inches and the other two pieces measuring 9 inches by 1¾  inches. It’s not that much different sewing a reversible headband from a normal one. Instead of folding one piece of material, you need to fold over two different pieces for both the main headband and the elastic portion. You will have to put the two materials together. 

You can choose to have iron interfacing on the wrong side of the fabric. Interfacing gives the headband more depth and makes it less flimsy. If you want this, you will need to cut out these pieces as well. It needs to be ironed onto the fabric on the wrong side until it is firmly attached

 If you are making a reversible headband you will have to put the interfacing in-between the two different materials.

Once you have cut the fabric, cut the elastic. You will need around 6 inches of elastic. The width can be anything from ½ inch to 1 inch; probably ¾ inch is the best.

Fold the Material

Once you have cut the pieces of fabric, fold them in half lengthwise. They need to be on the right sides. Iron them so that they lay flat ready for sewing. Pressing makes it simpler to press again once you have finished sewing the seams. Use a warm iron so as not to scorch the material. It is also an idea to wash and dry the material before cutting and sewing so as to avoid shrinkage when sewn. If you have a dark-colored material, it’s also a good idea to wash the fabric in case it’s not colorfast.  

Sew the Seams

First, you need to turn both pieces on the wrong side and put pins in where you want the seam to be. On the larger piece of material, use a ⅜ inch seam allowance, and on the smaller piece, ⅛ inch. The pins should be about ½ inch apart. Stitch along the long sides right to the edges.  Don’t bother using a fancy stitch. A simple stitch works just fine for a headband. Remove the pins and turn both pieces of fabric onto the right side. 

Press both pieces of fabric when you finish sewing. On the bigger headband piece, turn each of the ends in about ½ inch and press these ends.

Put in the Elastic

Take your elastic and put a safety pin in one end. With the safety pin, pull the elastic through the smaller piece of fabric. Make sure that the seam stays straight and that the elastic doesn’t twist. When you get through to the other end, put a pin in to hold the elastic and take the safety pin off. Pin the other end and then sew the elastic to the fabric at both ends.

Attach the Two Portions of the Headband Together

On each end of the larger piece of the headband, tuck in the ends of the elastic portion. As the larger piece is a bit wider, you will need to match up the edges and fold over the extra material in the middle which will make a pleat. Pin the ends ready for sewing.    

Sew back and forth along the ends until the headband feels secure. You have a choice of a zig-zag or a straight stitch. Either works. Before you start sewing, try the headband on to make sure that it isn’t too loose. If it is, shorten one side a little.

Conclusion

As can be seen. It isn’t too hard to sew a headband. It’s a great project for a beginner and shouldn’t take much longer than an hour or so to sew. You can use a whole range of colors and patterns to match the clothes in your wardrobe. If you have children, expect them to want headbands as well.