Scrap Busting Ruffled Headband Tutorial

I first shared this post at the Ribbon Retreat's Blog. I was provided the materials in exchange for a tutorial. Check out my disclosure page if you have more questions!

My three year old's hair is a mess. It's thin and mostly curly. She hates having it brushed and it knots in two seconds flat. I'm always looking for ways to tame the wild that is her hair. These ruffled headbands are just the ticket. Between the elastic and the two fabrics, the color combinations are limitless. They require so little fabric that these ruffled headbands make great scrap busters!

Grab some scraps, some elastic, and get set to make a bunch of these little cuties!

For one headband, you'll need:

12-18 inches of elastic, depending on the kiddo you're making it for

Two coordinating fabrics {scraps or fat quarters are perfect}

Rotary cutter/mat

Sewing machine {you could hand sew these too!}

Hot glue/gun

Start out by cutting your fabrics. I played around a bit and found I liked the bottom fabric to be 8 inches by 3 inches and the top fabric to be 7 inches by 2 inches. If you're making a headband for a newborn I'd have the bottom be more like 6 inches by 2.5 inches. Play around and see what sizing you like. I cut my fabric using my pinking sheer blade on my rotary cutter. I like the scalloped look and this should reducing fraying.

Center your top fabric on top of your bottom fabric, right sides up for both fabrics. Sew a ruffle stitch straight down the center of your top fabric. For ruffling fabric on my sewing machine, I set my stitch length as long as it will go and my tension as tight as it will go. Don't back stitch and leave extra thread and the beginning and end for fussing around with your ruffles. If you have a ruffle method that works better for you, go ahead and used that!

Spread the ruffles out evenly.

Now, cut your elastic to size. Here's a size chart from My Four Misters and their Sister. Cut the elastic about 1/2 inch longer than the chart suggests. You can always measure the head of your kiddo. For my big headed nearly three year old I cut 18 inches.

Line up the ends of your elastic with right sides of the elastic touching. Sew a zig zag or other stretch stitch multiple times for strength. Sew this stitch about 1/2 inch in.

Trim to the edge of you stitch. Flip right side out and you've got yourself a headband.

Find the top/middle of your headband {opposite of the place where you joined your headband}. You'll start attaching your ruffle slightly off centered. I used hot glue and stretched slightly as I went. I liked the idea of having a clean elastic without stitching.

If you'd prefer to sew you headband on, go for it. Just make sure you stretch the elastic as you sew.

Go make your self an army of these cute little ruffled headbands. They're perfect for taming the toddler hair mess! They also are just darn cute on itty bitties!

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