DIY fabric headbands: step-by-step tutorial

Headbands are cute hair accessories and often are not only practical but also fashionable.

I found a few reasons for wearing (and sewing) headbands.

They can absorb sweat and keep it from reaching the eyes when you are running or exercising
They also can keep unruly hair out of your face
A headband can be a stylish item for your head especially if it has an interesting shape or decorated with ribbons or fabric flowers
Headbands can transform ordinary outfit into something special and exceptional
A headband is a very easy item to sew for a beginner sewist and can be a step in your sewing journey, it’s a really good item for practicing
You can use your scrap fabric to make as many different headbands as you wish

With that being said, let me show you how to make a turban headband. I made it from 100% silk fabric left after I made a silk robe. So my headband matches my outfit quite nicely. And the material is really soft and absorbent – good for my hair. I love wearing this turban headband while I run errands, or wash my face, or put on a makeup.

I would like to mention also that the headband supposes to be a comfortable hair accessory and shouldn’t dig into the head. For this, it’s better to design the headband with an elastic insert.

1. Cut 3 headband pieces from your fabric:

2 pieces 18 x 44 in cm or 7 x 17 ¼ in inches each
1 piece 8 x 42 in cm or 3 x 16 ½ in inches

2. Cut a piece of wide elastic ( the length is 20 cm or 7 7/8 in), mine was 2.3 cm wide (7/8 in)

3. Fold pieces of fabric in half lengthwise right sides together, pin (or baste) and stitch (seam allowances are 1 cm or 3/8 in). Don’t forget that for silk fabric you will need to use thin sharp needle size 80/12 or 70/10 and a thin thread (better 100% silk thread). Check your sewing machine settings before stitching on a scrap piece of the same fabric.

4. Press seams on one side. For the narrow piece, I used a regular ruler as you can see in the video below. And for wider pieces, I use a special pressboard. If you don’t have this kind of pressboard I strongly advise you to buy one (here is an affiliate link) if of course, you are serious about your sewing hobby. This is a very useful thing in my sewing arsenal.

5. Turn these pieces right side out. You will have no problem with wider pieces. But the narrow piece may be tricky. I do it usually just with a regular safety pin. Check the video below.

6. Press all pieces flat again.

7. Insert a piece of elastic into the narrow band. Secure the elastic ends with pins and stitch.

8. Now you need to connect the two pieces to each other. Lay one wide piece on top of the other like a cross and fold them as I am showing in the video below. Pin the ends together.

9. The last step is quite tricky to describe so watch the video below and you will see how to put the headband together connecting all the parts. The size of the elastic after stitching and cutting is 17 cm or 6 5/8 in. If you are worried about whether the finished headband will fit properly try it on your head and adjust one of the edges according to the size of your head.

Turn it around hiding the seams inside.

That’s all! It’s quite simple to make, isn’t it? You can make a few more… I think it looks pretty.

I’ve been sewing for a long time, and I’d love to share what I’ve learned with you.

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10 Comments

Noo on March 16, 2019 at 4:58 am

Great tutorials,love your hints and tips,
Reply
- Olga Balasa on March 17, 2019 at 8:21 am
  
  Thank you!
  Reply
  - Rhonda on June 14, 2020 at 9:13 am
    
    I am so glad I found you!!! Can’t wait on what all we are going to accomplish together!!! ?
    Reply
Gwen on June 22, 2019 at 10:50 am

Love your tutorials, hints and your style. Thank you for making my sewing time better!
Reply
- Olga Balasa on June 22, 2019 at 1:01 pm
  
  Thank you for your sweet note, Gwen!
  Reply
Crystal on August 1, 2019 at 4:23 pm

Love your tutorials. Thank you for taking the time to teach others.
Reply
- Olga Balasa on August 8, 2019 at 12:33 pm
  
  Thank you very much for your sweet note Crystal! I like to sew but now I like even more to write about sewing.
  Reply
Threads on April 7, 2020 at 8:01 am

Ahhhhh, adding this to my list….
Reply
Elza on June 13, 2020 at 10:28 am

Thank you! What a clever way of making a headband and so easy!
Reply
- Olga Balasa on June 13, 2020 at 10:08 pm
  
  Everything is easy AFTER you did it, right? When you start a project and you don’t know what the outcome will be, I am always a little worried.
  Reply