Have you been won over yet by the big headband trend happening this past year? As someone who used to have a handmade hair accessories business, I’ve always been team headbands. I just don’t remember to stick them on my head very often. I made a new stack this week though, and I am ready to fix that!
I made two styles of headbands for this post– two styles I’ve been seeing and wanted to try my hand at copying. The padded headband– which I love from Lele- Sadoughi — and the knotted headband (also love from them) which I saw a leather version of at Anthro. What I loved about the Lele headbands was the adornment of gems and beads, and what I loved about the Anthro headbands was the prints. I combined the two elements to make these!
For these headbands I used fat quarters and scraps of Spoonflower fabrics (my prints). I want to show you how different prints and substrates translate differently.
In the photo above I have (left to right): Satin, Celosia velvet (upholstery grade), Sport lycra, and Poly Crepe de Chine . These are the fabrics I used to make the headbands (some in different prints).
Turban- Style Knotted Headband
This is the quickest and easiest of the two styles, so let’s start with this first!
I used a fat quarter to make each of these (or scraps that equal that).
Materials Needed:
-fat quarter of fabric (any type!)
–plastic headband (no teeth)
–quilt batting (if you want to add a little volume to a thin fabric)
–beads (if you want)!
(Here is the print I used on the poly crepe de chine for this tutorial.)
- For thinner fabrics you will need to cut 2 strips 5-6″ by about 22″ (or less– but you need enough to go the length of the headband plus about 5 inches). Cut a piece of batting the length of your headband (I used a piece 2.5″x 13″)
For thicker fabrics that will hold their shape (like the velvet, or another heavy fabric), cut just one strip 5″ x 22″. You will not need batting.
2. Sew the tubes right sides together, with a 1/4″ seam along the longer edge. Turn the tubes right-side-out. Stick the batting in the center of one of the tubes if you want to add volume.
3. Tie one tube around the other in the center (you can try each and see whether you like that little bit of batting to add puff to the knot or to use as the under layer).
4. Using thin strips of fabric (1-2″ wide) or ribbon, wrap your headband and glue as you go. Wrap the ends and glue closed. *If you like the color of your headband or its already covered, then skip this step.
5. You can make little end caps by sewing tubes 1.25″ x 1.5″ — or you can do another method I will show you for finishing off the ends of the final headband.
6. Slide the knotted-together pieces over the covered headband and add a dot of hot glue to secure.
7. Clip/pin the ends of the two tubes together so they work as one. You can glue them, sew them, or just keep them pinned as you apply the hot glue down the side of the headband and press them.
8. When you get to the bottom, overlap the ends and hot glue.
Here is where you can make a decision of whether you want to use the excess fabric hanging off and just fold it up and glue it, or take your tiny tubes of fabric and slip them on to cover it.
On the left I used the tubes (I turned the raw edges in so they weren’t showing when I glued), and on the right I just turned the ends up a couple times and hot glued them down. It’s a little sloppier but feels the same when wearing it!
For the thicker fabrics, you only need to knot the one long piece around the headband and secure with glue. At the ends, fold over and glue and then cover the ends with a thinner fabric or ribbon. I did neither for the moment bc I couldn’t run to the store and get what I wanted (grosgrain ribbon). I guess I’ll finish that in a couple months….. haha (thank you quarantine).
For this headband I added beading after I’d finished it (and should’ve used red thread…. it was after midnight so…). You can do this bead by bead, tying each off (like I did for the turquoise beads) or by doing one continuous thread underneath (shown in the second photo). If you don’t want to see the threads you can: bead before you sew the tubes or bead before you glue it to the headband. I forgot and did it after. So what, okay!
I love the way these turban knots headbands really show off my Spoonflower prints, especially that structured velvet. Bonus is that most of these coordinate with clothing I’ve made out of those prints as well!
Padded Headband
Materials needed:
Stretchy fabric such as Spoonflower Sport lycra (swimsuit fabric is amazing for this but cotton spandex would likely work too!) (Fat quarter or less!)
Foam padding 1″-2″ thick
Sharp needle and thread
Beads/gems *optional
- Cut a piece of foam a little longer than the length of your headband . I had a 2″ thick cushion so I cut a 1″ strip (which became the thickness not the height of the headband padding) and then tapered the ends. ( I just used scissors to cut.) * I also cut the whole thing narrower.
2. Cut a strip of fabric longer than the foam and wide enough to overlap at least 1/2″ down the center.
3. Pin and then stitch as close as you can to the foam. Do not pull so tight you make the foam squeeze in, but no so loose that there is bagginess.
4. Trim the seam allowance from your hand-stitching down to 1/4″. Wrap your headband and glue as you go.
5. Hot glue down the center of the padded piece, making sure the seam you sewed is covered by the headband. I put hot glue on top of the seam and to the side of it so that it spanned the width of the headband.
6. Fold the ends down and hot glue and then fold over the headband end to secure, or fold and secure it behind the headband.
If you want to add beads, figure out your configuration and spacing first. You can make a marking on the headband for where you want to sew the beads, or wing it like I did.
Get a long thread and a sharp hand needle. Tie a big knot (knot a few times) at the end of the string and start at the underneath part of one end of the headband.
Take the thread up through the foam to the center, front, or wherever you choose to add the beads (I did one on the center top, and the other headband I did in the front!). Weave the thread in and out of the foam (just barely) and thread, adding beads as you go. To finish, secure in the underneath bottom section again, tying a few knots and trimming the threads.
And now you’re done! Throw it on for a few poses against your wall like I did, wear it all around your house— upstairs, downstairs, in the garage, when you get your mail, or even for a night out on the town to the grocery store! And if you make some, tag or message me so I can see!
I will be posting a video of how to make the foam padded headband on my IGTV soon!
Check out my Spoonflower shop for lots of fun prints to use for your headbands!
Have you read my WEAR HAPPY COLOR book yet? Now is the perfect time to come up with all the fun, colorful outfits to lift your spirits! You can try them out without anyone seeing, so you gain that confidence before you go back out in the world!