Interchangeable Ruffled Headband

 

My daughter’s hair is finally getting long enough to do some fun hairdos with, but she also has those tiny little fly-aways that aren’t quite long enough to reach her ponytail. 

So, we’ve been utilizing a headband to help.  But being the crafty momma I am, I had to jazz up the little elastic headbands we’ve been using! =)

I went looking for ideas on Pinterest (yes, I’m a Pinterest junkie) and found some super cute ideas from the Funky Polkadot Giraffe.  Using her ideas for her ruffle headband and her ruffle bookmark I made my own version.

*** Before I begin, I just wanted to point out that I am a beginning sewer, so don’t shy away from this project because it involves a sewing machine.  Seriously, if I can do it, you will definitely be able to too!! =) ***

 

You’ll need:

**  Scraps of fabric

** Scraps of felt

** Sewing machine

** Elastic headband

** Seam ripper

**Glue gun

** Velcro

** Iron

 

Start out by cutting your fabric to size.  My fabric strip was 12 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. 

 

Adjust your sewing machine to sew a long stitch with high tension.  Then, sew directly down the middle of your fabric strip.

 

**Before you go any further, put your tension back to normal so you don’t forget when it comes time to sew again!**

Pull on the bottom thread of your stitch and your fabric will start to gather.  Keep pulling and moving the ruffles across until they are evenly distributed.  {I heart ruffles!!}  Now, layer your ruffled fabric on top of your piece of felt cut to 2.5” x 5”.

 

You can either pin the felt to the wrong side of your fabric ruffle, or you can hold onto it as you go.  I didn’t pin it because I wanted to adjust the ruffles as I went.  Using the edge of your presser foot as a guide, sew all around the ruffle, making sure to keep the ruffle and the felt aligned if you didn’t pin it like me!

 

Seam ripper time!  Carefully remove the stitch down the middle.

 

 Now it’s time to turn your cute ruffle into a headband!  Turn the ruffled piece over and cut another piece of felt to match the smaller rectangle you made stitching around the edges. 

 

Using velcro (I found FabricFusion velcro that just irons on…love it!) attach a strip to the top of both pieces of felt.

 

Match your two velcroed felt pieces together.  Now, take your headband and use it as a spacing guide.  Glue the open end of your felt making sure to leave a small tunnel down the middle for your headband.  Just be careful not to let your glue get too close to the middle or it will get on your headband.

 

After your hot glue is dry, you can open up your opposite (velcro) side.  You now have a little tunnel perfect for your elastic headband.

 

 

 

Fabric Flower Headband

Bring on the green!  With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I think it’s time to accessorize my little one.  She had this simple green headband among her collection of hair bows.  Using some green fabric I had picked up, I made this simple green flower.

Start by cutting out a felt circle that is about 1 – 1 1/2” across.  (I cut out several because I have plans to use them for an additional St. Patrick’s Day themed creation…that project is soon to come!).  Then, you’ll need to cut out a BUNCH of circles in the color of fabric you want your flower to be…..yeah green!  Note:  Your circles do not need to be perfect.  I cut eight circles out at a time to make the process go a little quicker.

Then, scrunch up each individual circle and apply a small amount of hot glue to the end. 

Stick the scrunched circle to the middle of your felt circle. 

Continue with this process, adding more scrunched circles around your beginning center one.

As you work your way away from the center, your flower will start to take place.

Your finished product will completely cover the felt beneath it.  Now you’re ready to attach it to your headband. 

Just apply a small amount of hot glue to the center of the underside of the flower.  I applied the flower off to the side so that it wasn’t sitting directly on top of her head.  Once it dried, we had to try it out!

The true test will come this Thursday….will she she wear her Momma’s latest creation or will she scream, “No!” and rip it off?!?!  =)   Since she is quickly approaching 2, I’m guessing the latter.  Life with a feisty toddler definitely keeps me on my toes!
 I've linked this project to:

T-shirt Headband

I recently stumbled upon directions for this super cute headband and HAD to make one for myself!!! Thank you Craft Snob for such a cute idea!

To make a t-shirt headband of your own, go here to see step by step directions.

{My sewing machine was giving me a run for my money, so I chose to complete the entire project using hot glue…much easier and right up my alley!}