How to Sew a Bandana

Bandanas that can be easily sewn and used for many different things.

A bandana is a square of fabric that is used as a neckerchief or tied around your head. More than just a fashion accessory, bandanas boast a myriad of uses. They can protect your head from the sun, keep dust away from your mouth and prevent perspiration from getting into your eyes. A bandana is also one of the easiest sewing projects since all you have to do is cut out a square of fabric and hem the edges.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton fabric
• Yardstick
• Scissors
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Narrow hem foot
• Thread

Instructions

1. Measure out a square of fabric in the size you want your bandana to be. A good way to do this is to measure the body part you want to tie the bandana around, such as your neck or head, and add 12 inches to that measurement. Cut out the square of fabric with your scissors.

2. Remove the normal foot from your sewing machine and place the narrow hem foot in a 3mm to 4mm length on your machine.

3. Iron one raw edge of the bandana, folding it under 1/2 of the width of the hem allowance. Roll it over again to make sure the raw edge is sandwiched in the hem.

4. Place the bandana's edge into the narrow hem foot. Make sure the fabric is rolled under the foot properly. Set your machine to a straight stitch with normal tension.

5. Start sewing straight down the hem. Make sure every stitch catches the hem. Backstitch at every corner. Repeat for every corner of the bandana until all of the edges are hemmed.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also hem the edges with a rolled hem foot on a sewing machine or serger.

References

• Princeton University Word Net Web: Bandana
• Threads Magazine: Mastering the Narrow Hemmer, Part One