How to Sew an Elastic Headband

Use different types of fabric to make headbands.

Elastic headbands are easy to sew and they make inexpensive gifts for the holidays. These headbands are a good sewing project for beginners and for teens who just want to look cool with little effort. Use different types of fabric to create different looks and add brooches or buttons to dress them up.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Strip of fabric, 3 ½ inches by 36 inches
• 1-inch-wide elastic, 21 inches in length
• Sewing machine, needle and thread
• Safety pin

1. Cut a long strip of fabric, 3 ½ inches by 36 inches. Cut 1-inch-wide elastic to the length of 21 inches. Prepare sewing machine.

2. Fold the fabric in half to make a tube, wrong sides facing out. Sew along the side so that the tube measures 1 3/4 inches by 36 inches. Use a safety pin to pull the fabric tube right side out.

3. Attach the safety pin to the elastic and pull elastic through the tubing. Pin both ends of elastic together, one end overlapping the other about ½ inch. Sew elastic ends together.

4. Tuck in the fabric edges about ½ inch. Sew the headband opening closed with needle and matching thread.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut strips from unwanted T-shirts to create around-the-house headbands.

• You can also use ¾-inch elastic. Just adjust the width of the fabric to fit.