A Kinder, Gentler Headband
DIY fabric headband covers
I’ve posted before about my headband saga. I love the look of ready made headbands (on other people) but they rarely work on me. When they are not giving me a splitting headache, they are falling off the back of my head.
The cheap, narrow, dime-a-dozen flexible plastic headbands that I have found are ideal for my head alas offer no fashion pizazz, so I came up with a pattern to cover them with fabric a while back. The pattern has instructions included if you would like to make one. Just measure your headband first to be sure it will fit, then adjust accordingly if needed.
I have worn the blue polka dotted headband so often since then it’s getting a bit worn looking, so I recently dug that pattern back out to make more headbands for spring and summer. I made a set for my niece Raven for her birthday too while I was at it.
Pretty fast/easy to make with a sewing machine, and you can throw in a layer of interfacing if your fabric is too flimsy. I don’t bother finishing the slit for the headband much, I just cut a slit and seal the edges with Fraycheck. But you could do a buttonhole instead if you want to be an overachiever like that. You really only need one plastic headband since the covers are interchangeable. (View the older post if you want to see more pics and more tips)
I thought about having getting a head shot of myself sporting one, but that would need to wait until these all these conditions coexist:
1) skinny day
2) great hair day
3) makeup on
4) real clothes
5) six year old learning to wield my Canon SLR
So don’t hold your breath. If you have a drawer full of cheap plastic headbands and you’d like the headband cover pattern, get it here. (PS, if you already had it, get it again if you want the New and Improved set of directions)
Postscript: So. As unlikely as it seems, conditions 1-5 did actually come together:
I love it! I think I’ll try this out for my Big Girl.
I have the same problem with headbands. I don’t know if you have tried Heather Bailey’s Hooray for Headbands pattern, but I love them. They stay on my head and I wore one the entire day this weekend and no headache! I use the child pattern! The best part is the pattern is a free download!
Too funny about your self photo conditions – that’s the major reason I haven’t posted the patchwork scarf I made for NY. Cute bands!
Ashlee, yep, tried them. very cute. very apt to fall off my head. I think my head must be a weird shape.
THose are so neat! 🙂
I love those. Maybe if I ever finish the quilt and the bunny with binky…. I like head bands to (so i don’t have to brush much) but I can never find one that fits that is not ugly. Thanks for the tip.
Brilliant!! This is such a simple solution, but I wouldn’t have thought of it for a million years. I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing Blog:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-upgrade-plastic-headbands-with-fabric-covers/2009/04/20/
–Anne
My head is super large, so head bands squeeze or slide then pop off the back. I have pretty much given up on them but this looks so cute I’m willing to give it a try.
Holy crow, these are adorable!!
This looks great! Thanks so much! I’ll give it a try, for sure!
I haven’t met a headband yet that agrees with my head. (Shame, really, since I like them so much.) I look forward to trying this pattern-I hope it works for me, too! =) Thanks for the idea.
Nice, very nice!! love the colors and patterns, too. I’m trying to hurry and get the house done. I’m so wanting to get back to crafting – and now I have one more project to add to the growing pile. 🙂
Oh these are great! I love in headbands in the spring. I’ll be linking.
Thankyou so much for posting this. I have the same problem with headbands and wanted to have something funky for my hair.
Thank you so much for the pattern. I have exactly the same problem with headbands but am excited to try a few of these now.
My best friend and I were JUST talking about headbands and how they give us headaches, but we love them nonetheless. This is perfect – thanks!
Thanks this is a great tutorial!
Thanks so much for this pattern! I don’t wear headbands for those reasons exactly but now that they look this good, I might have to start 🙂
I can’t wait to try this out. I also love the look of headbands, but they never really impressed me enough to buy. I now will.
I have the same love-hate relationship with headbands. This is the perfect solution!
you are brilliant! i hate the big headbands because I get horrible headaches too. thanks for sharing this awesome pattern!
What a fantastic idea! I always make headbands for my daughter from scratch, but this is going to MUCH easier and I think it will hold up a lot better too! Thanks so much!
this looks great. i’ll have to try it.
Super Cute! Thanks!
These are awesome!! My daughter loves the look of the wide headband, but she always rips them off within ten minutes of wearing them. We’ll give these a shot. Thanks so much! (And, your ideal photo conditions are similar to mine!!)
fantastic idea!
Im in love with your blog!! Im bookmarking you! 🙂
I have the same problem AND the same conditions for photos of myself, except it would be a 2.5 year old with the Rebel. Thanks for the pattern!
Love the idea! thank’s for the pattern!
Super cute idea! Thanks for sharing! I think you’re being too stringent on your head shot idea conditions, though!! 🙂
oh, p.s. I would like to link to your tutorial from dollar store crafts.com!
thanks!
Heather
Heather at CROQzine, thank you, and yes, I’d be delighted to be mentioned on dollar store crafts, thanks!
P.S. All those unlikely photo conditions did somehow come together, see this post:
http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/04/silhouette-shots.html
Thanks for the headband pattern. I made one for myself and gave the pattern to a friend. So easy to make. And I love your blog. Keep the good ideas coming!
Yay! I can’t wait to try this! Love your qualifications for a headshot too. I have a six year old too and the thought of her holding my nice camera makes me shudder.
Capperoo, ha ha get it? Shudder? Shutter? That’s punny.
I actually did have my 6 yr old take a pic, it’s in the post after this one.
You’re braver than I…and funnier too. I just made two covers and LOVE them. They will never leave my head.
This looks so cute! I may make a few during my “sew day” tomorrow. What headband brand do you like? And does the fabric not flop up from using a thinner headband?
Thanks for the great tute! 🙂
Hey, Breakfast for Dinner,
to answer your question about the brand of headband, I have no idea unfortunately. I have found them sold in bunches of about 5 each at Marshalls and Ross a couple of times, also at Kohls. Not hard plastic, because that will give you a headache. They are kind of a bendy, flexible plastic with little teeth. Sorry I can’t be more specific.
As for the other question, if your fabric is flimsy and will not hold its shape, you can beef it up with some fusible interfacing before you sew the pieces together.
Breakfast for Dinner, these look exactly like the ones I have. You could try your local drugstore too.
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/petite-plastic-headbands
Love this!
I love those fabric covers for headbands! I think I’ll trying making some. Thanks for sharing the link. 🙂
Thanks for the pattern! I whipped one up this morning and it is so cute! I used my automatic buttonholer to make the slits in the underside (I don't have fraycheck!)
Thanks again!!
I love this!! Thank you so much for the pattern! I have the same problem with headbands – mostly they give me headaches! AND I just got tons of awesome fabric, so you can bet your sweet bippy I'm making myself some headbands!
I'm fifteen, and I've been looking all over for nice fabric headbands everywhere. You are my idol, this is so great!
everyone, thanks thanks! glad it was a helpful post.
Natasha, whoa there! I am just a regular human, like you. go rock some headbands, yeah come on.
started right after reading this post and made two! just a few minutes takes it to make them… Awesome! now I can make the hairband fitting to every homemade dress or set! thanx for this awesome idea! Think i will make presents for some of my DD friends on their b'day parties!
love miranda
Hi larissa, i made my own covers!!! You can find them on my blog. I now create one for each outfit. Cut the pattern when I make someting new for my girls…
Thanx! I also put a link to your post in my post…
Love Miranda
Thank you so much! I made one…easy!!….and I', linking to you tonight 😀 hope that's ok…
http://www.kudzukween.blogspot.com
I love these headbands, I just made six. I am going to Africa in a fews weeks and needed something to cover what will be my not so clean hair. I thought about bandannas, but my hair s short and tying it in the back looks funny. The headbands are perfect, thank you so much.
This is so great! Thanks for sharing. I will be posting a link on my blog ziggycrafts.blogspot.com
This is so great! Thanks for sharing. I will be posting a link on my blog ziggycrafts.blogspot.com
I love this idea. I am going to try it. I also thought why not use 2 different fabrics and it could be reversable. One would have the tiny slit on it (or buttonhole) but your hair will cover it anyways. Gonna try it. Thanks for the pattern.
oh! i love this tutorial!!
i would like include a link in my blog.
Please visit us!
http://www.espacionualan.com
Do you have measurements of the pattern? Width of top and bottom of pattern.