How to Make a Shepherd Costume Headpiece

No shepherd costume is complete without a simple fabric headpiece. Fortunately, they’re very easy to make. You can make a tied headpiece from a small towel or piece of fabric, or a larger wrap-around headpiece from a yard of fabric or a flour-sack kitchen towel. Tied headpieces work well on anybody, while wrap-around headpieces look especially good on female characters. You can make either style of shepherd headpiece smaller or larger depending on whether it’s for an adult or a small child.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small towel or 1/2 yard of fabric for a tied headpiece
• 1 yard of fabric for a wrap-around headpiece
• Ribbon, cording or a long narrow strip of fabric
• Scissors
• Safety pins
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Iron (optional)

Make a Tied Shepherd Headpiece

1. Cut a piece of fabric about 24 inches long and 20 inches wide, or use a small towel.

2. Iron the fabric or towel if needed.

3. Hem the edges of the fabric by folding each edge over about 1/4 inch, then folding it over 1/4 inch again and stitching along the edge. Or leave the edges as they are and let them ravel for a more rustic shepherd look.

4. Place the towel or piece of fabric over the head so that one end slightly covers the forehead and the rest hangs over the back of the head.

5. Tie a piece of ribbon, cording or a long narrow strip of fabric around the head to hold the towel or fabric in place.

Make a Wrap-Around Shepherd Headpiece

6. Trim off the selvages (unprinted edges) of the fabric and iron the fabric if needed.

7. Cut a square of fabric about 36 inches wide.

8. Hem the edges of the fabric by folding each edge over about 1/4 inch, then folding it over 1/4 inch again and stitching along the edge. Or leave the edges as they are and let them ravel for a more rustic shepherd look.

9. Place the fabric on the head so that one edge slightly covers the forehead and the rest hangs over the back of the head.

10. Wrap the corners of the fabric around the head and overlap them under the chin.

11. Carefully pin the corners together from the underside of the fabric, so that the safety pin doesn’t show.

Tips & Warnings

• Dollar stores can be good resources for inexpensive plain or checkered towels.
• Remember the shepherd headpiece doesn’t have to be perfect to look the part.
• Use caution with safety pins, sewing machines and irons.