How to Make the Elastic Closure for a Headband

An elastic headband can embellish an outfit attractively.

Some of the most attractive and innovative headbands can come straight from your sewing machine, made with fabrics, flowers and beads of your choosing. When you sew fabric headbands, use elastic to make them snug around the head. As you finish your project, make the elastic closure for a headband and it will hold hair back securely and stylishly.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Elastic (1/2-inch wide)
• Scissors
• Safety pin
• Fabric headband
• Sewing machine or hand-sewing needle
• Matching thread

Instructions

1. Measure the head with the tape measure and add 1 inch. Cut a piece of elastic this measurement. Place a safety pin through the end of the piece of elastic.

2. Insert the pinned end of the elastic into fabric headband. Pass the elastic through the casing of the headband by moving the pin with your fingers. Make sure the unpinned end of the elastic does not pass into the headband as you move the pinned end through. Continue passing the pinned end of the elastic through until it comes out the same opening.

3. Remove the safety pin from the end of the elastic and overlap the two ends by 1/2 inch. Pin the overlapped ends to hold them together.

4. Stitch the overlapped ends of the elastic together. Use the sewing machine to stitch them together securely or sew them together by hand. Sew back and forth with the sewing machine or make tiny stitches by hand to ensure that the sewing holds the elastic together securely.

5. Sew the opening of the fabric headband together to enclose the elastic within the fabric.

References

• "Baby Couture: Sew Stylish Fashions for Infants and Children"; Samantha McNesby; 2005