LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL: How to Make an Awesome Headband

If you can't see the pictures very well, click on them and they will open to a larger photo.

What you will need:

- A headband that fits your head well. (Measure it before you go shopping. See step 1)
-If you don't have one, use my measurements below.
-Fabric (this is a fat quarter that I got at Walmart. You don't need that much just be sure that you have enough to fit your headband twice plus 1/2 an inch on every edge for seam allowance)
-Non-Roll Elastic (also from WalMart. This comes in white also, but white tends to get dirty)
-Scissors and something to measure & mark with
-about 15 inches x 4 inches of Fusible Fleece (also Walmart)

This is the elastic that I bought.

Step 1

Measure your headband. This may be hard to do because most headbands are connected on the ends of the fabric with elastic. Just fold your headband and measure the top part. Then measure the two ends and add those numbers together. You can see that the top part of mine is 11 inches and the ends are 2 inches each. So, my fabric has to be 13 inches long plus the seam allowance of 1/2 an inch on each side. So 14 inches.

Step 2

Measure the width of your headband at the thickest part. Cut your fabric that many inches plus 1/2 inch for seam allowance on each edge. So, I had to cut my fabric 3 inches. Before cutting, put two layers of fabric together as seen in the next picture. This just makes it quicker.

Step 3

Lay your headband on the material and cut it into the correct shape. My headband is tapered toward the ends. A good thing to do here is take your elastic out of the paper and put the end of the elastic on the end of your material and you can taper it so that it is the width of the elastic plus your seam allowances. Even if you have a headband to trace, you should do this because your elastic MAY be thicker than the one in the original headband. (Sorry I don't have a picture of this)

See how my headband tapers on the ends? (below)

Step 4

Now take your fusible fleece and measure trace your headband on it using anything that will write on it. This is all going to be covered, so it doesn't matter if your markings show. I used a dressmaker's pencil, but you can use a permanent marker as long as you don't touch it to your original headband!

Oh... I used a different headband here so that it shows up better on the white. It is one that I made from my original so it is the same size.

The line is light, but you can sort of see how it shows below. Now cut the shape out.

Step 5

Place your fusible fleece rough side to the back side of one of the fabric pieces. It doesn't matter which one. It should look like this.

Step 6

Flip the fabric and the fleece over and iron according to your fleece's instructions.

Step 7 (optional)

Iron the edges of your fabric up over the fleece. This just makes it easier to pin. Your edges may go up over further. I actually cut this fabric with a quarter-inch seam allowance. Do as I say... not as I do! LOL!

It should look like this...

Step 8

Start sewing!

Start with all of the ends of the fabric. Sew the ends up over the fleece like this.

Step 9

Sew the ends of the OTHER piece of fabric.

Step 10

On the fleece side of the headband, pin your edges up over the fleece. Do not pin the ends.

Step 11

Take the "non-fleece" piece of fabric and fold the edge under to match the fleece side that you just pinned. Take one pin out at a time and re-pin both pieces of fabric together like this.

Now it should really start looking like the finished product. Top and bottom pieces of fabric are pinned together and ready to be sewn.

Step 12

Start sewing appoximately 1/2-inch away from the end of one side of the headband. You are going to want to sew the elastic into the end of the headband, so don't sew clear to the ends. See the next picture if you don't understand what I mean. Also, Steps 13 & 14 show you what you are going to have to do with the elastic. That should clear things up. Sew pretty close to the edge. See the 3rd picture below. And sew both long sides.

See how my thread is sticking up in the back there? That is where I started sewing. Not at the end.

See how close you need to be to the edge?

Step 13

Measure the elastic by comparing it to the original headband. Make sure you measure and cut 1/2 an inch longer than the elastic that is showing because you are going to sew the ends in between the two layers of fabric (See the second picture.) Also, notice in the first picture how I've Photoshopped some fushia lines across the headband? Those show how long you need to cut your elastic compared to the headband ends.

My ends weren't sewn shut so that I can insert the elastic ends into the ends of the headband.

Step 14

Insert the elastic into the ends and pin them shut.

Step 15

Start on one of the long edges and sew as shown below. I use a zigzag stitch for this part because it will be stronger and hold the elastic nicely. This part will be under your hair, so if it doesn't line up perfectly, no worries! It won't be seen anyway!

When you get to a corner, stop sewing, put your needle down into the fabric, lift your presser foot and pivot the fabric and continue sewing around the corner.

Step 16

Wear it!!! Yeah... you did it! Now go make more... you have LOTS of fabric leftover!

Also, don't forget to send me pictures or direct me to your blog where you've posted about the headband you've made using this tutorial. I'd love to see what you've created. This is really my first tutorial, so if you make it and you find something wrong or that isn't clear, let me know and I'll change it.

While you are wearing your adorable new headband, be sure to bake up some cupcakes.... After they are baked, go get my free printable cupcake wrappers so you can make your cupcakes look like this.... AWE!

If you would like to try to make headbands for softball and need some fun fabric, try these! They are trim, so they are already stretchy and sequined.