A step by step guide on how to make a linen headband using scrap materials.
There is always material left over, always! Be it small or significant, everything can be turned into something even if it’s the filler of a stuffed animal or pillow. This is a great stash buster, it was born originally from the scraps left over after making a new linen dress. What is a better way to use them than making a matching headband, and naturally I had to make one for my daughter too.
Finding your measurements
I’ve included the basic measurements that I used. I’d call these a size large adult and 6-12 month old. It’s easy to take your own measurements though and with the elastic it is a little forgiving.
To find your measurements, measure the circumference of your head where you’d normally where a headband. Add a couple inches, for an adult I added 3 inches, for an infant only 2. Measure how wide you’d like the band and double it, then add 2 cm for seam allowance.
How to make a linen headband
- Measure out and cut your fabric * making sure your fabric is ironed first will help ensure straighter lines.
- Fold in half and sew right sides together with 1cm seam allowance, making a long tube.
- Press the seam open, turn right side out
- Iron flat with the seam in the center of the back.
- Fold the edges of one end in 1 cm and press. Insert the other un-pressed edge into the pressed edge and stitch in place.
- Measure out the section of the back that will encase the elastic, this is about a third of the overall length with the center landing where the seam is, mark both sides with a pin. Measure out the elastic band pin one end in place.**
- Fold one edge of the fabric over top of the elastic where it is pinned, then the other edge encasing the elastic. Stitch the edge of the elastic and the folded fabric in place.
- Turn the head band around and pin the elastic into the marked place. * This is a good time to check the fit, any adjusting can be done now before it gets more difficult to do so. Stitch in place the same way the other side was done. At this point it’ll look pretty funny, there should be more fabric than elastic and it should still be lose.
- Turn the head band lengthwise and fit under the presser foot, switch to a wide zigzag stitch. Put the needle shown to hold the fabric in place, you’ll be sewing over the edge of the fabric that is sitting on-top.
- Preparing to sew the elastic, pull the elastic taught, the elastic should be able to pull enough so the fabric straightens out. Pin in a few place to make sewing easier. Sew a zigzag stitch all the way to the other edge of the elastic pulling it tight as you sew. Turn around and sew another line of zigzag stitch the same distance away from the edge as the first.
- Trim all threads and press the folds at the edges so they sit nicer and it’s done!! If you want it to be.
**The length of the elastic will depend a bit on the elastic itself. My elastic doesn’t have a huge amount of stretch so to get as much pull as I wanted it has to be stretched to the max for a nice fit. The length of the stretched out elastic should pull the fabric to end up a little bit smaller than the original measurement of head circumference. When one end of the elastic is pinned in place pull the elastic tight and mark where it reaches the other marked pin. This is how long you want the elastic to be.
The headbands can totally be left as is but I decided to embellish them a bit. For mine I added in some simple bind runes with a Crayola fabric market. These cheap markers are surprisingly nice to use and effective! For the other I made a painted linen flower and leaves that turned out so cute! Check out how to do that here.
