Baby Headband Tutorial

I’ve been wanting to make a headband for my little angel (one that doesn’t squeeze the juice out of her little noggin).

I have put together this tutorial so you can make one for your little pumpkin too!

List of Materials

1. Scraps of light-weight fusible interfacing.

2. Scraps of lavender fabric.

3. Scraps of white with stars fabric.

4. Long strip of plain white fabric (at least 3 inches wide).

5. Coordinating button.

6. 1/4″ natural cotton elastic (length depends on the size of your baby’s cranium)

Getting Started

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It is important that you use the natural cotton elastic because it is very soft and very stretchy. This is the key to making the headband comfortable for your little one. You will also need an iron (very hot, no steam), coordinating thread in your machine, and an all purpose needle for hand-stitching. I use my phone for calculations and taking notes (a piece of paper could be substituted for this tool).

If you don’t have a rotary cutter you can use scissors, but it is important to make a clean straight cut for the headband piece.

Measure baby’s head

Measure with a soft measuring tape around your baby’s head. Make sure it is just where you will be placing the headband. I lucked out with an even number–15″.

*Write down your measurement. Next multiply your measurement by 1.5 and round to the nearest quarter inch. Write it down as the length for your fabric strip.

*Use your rotary cutter and cut a fabric strip of the plain white fabric 2 1/4″ wide and the length that you just wrote down.

*Cut a length of elastic one half inch shorter than the measurement of your baby’s head. Use the same measuring tape that you used to make the measurement on your baby’s head (because if yours is like mine, it has been stretched out while being used for various things such as Ninja Turtle headbands and dog leashes).

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*Now fold in your strip 1/2″ on one of the long sides. Press. Be sure not to use steam and press down flat (don’t move the iron).

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*Fold and press the other side in 1/2″ as well.

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*Next fold the strip in half lengthwise. Press.

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*Now edge stitch on each long side of the band. leave a half inch unstitched on one end.

*Pull your elastic through the band. I have a nifty tool made by clover that makes this really easy, but you can also use a safety pin. Attach the safety pin on one end of the elastic and pull through the band. The safety pin is easy to grab while inside the fabric band.

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*Pull the elastic out on each side and overlap about 1/2″ and zigzag the pieces together. Make sure it is nice and secure by stitching and backstitching a couple of times. Try this on your baby now to check how tight it is. Adjust as needed.

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*Okay, now the fun part. This is sarcasm if you couldn’t detect the subtleness in my voice. Take the end of the band that has 1/2″ without edge stitching and fold it inside of itself about 1/2″. Next push the other raw end inside. It should look like the picture above when you’re done. You’ll need to use something other than your fingers to do the folding and the shoving. I used my cool clover brand tool that is meant for pulling elastics through tubes (and other fun tasks like turning tubes inside-out). Now stitch over all thicknesses. The band is finished!

Making the flower

This really is the fun part because your creativity can shine through. You’ll need to fuse the interfacing to your scraps. You’ll know how much of each fabric you need depending on what kind and size of petals you want. Mine are 4″ long and 1″ wide. You can make yours smaller or you can make more layers–be creative! I’ll be making some funkier ones with better colors once her wardrobe strays from the usual pink and purple newborn colors.

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*Cut out your petals and layer them in the shape you want. Make sure they all overlap in one place. Mark this place with chalk or a disappearing marker and stitch in that spot. I used a zigzag stitch with the stitch length at zero.

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*Next place the button on top of this stitching and stitch this in place.

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*Hand stitch your flower to the headband. I made all the stitches through the white petals so they wouldn’t show on the final product.

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*Try it on your sweetie!

Continue reading here: Bleach-Your-Own-Logo T-Shirt Tutorial

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Readers' Questions

  • Miikka Parnela
    How to make a newborn headband?
    7 months ago
  • Making a newborn headband is a simple and fun DIY project. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make one: Materials Needed: - Soft and stretchy fabric (such as jersey knit or cotton) - Scissors - Measuring tape or ruler - Sewing machine or needle and thread - Embellishments (optional) such as flowers, bows, or buttons - Elastic strip or thin elastic cord (optional) Instructions:
    1. Measure the newborn's head circumference: Use a measuring tape or ruler to measure the circumference of the newborn's head to determine the length of fabric needed.
    2. Cut the fabric: Cut a strip of fabric that is approximately 2-3 inches wide and the length of the newborn's head circumference plus about 2 inches for seam allowance.
    3. Fold and sew: Fold the fabric strip in half lengthwise (right sides together) and pin it in place. Use a sewing machine or needle and thread to sew a straight stitch along the long edge of the fabric, leaving both ends open. If hand-sewing, use a running stitch.
    4. Turn it right side out: Carefully turn the fabric strip right side out by pushing the fabric through one of the open ends. Use a blunt object, like a pencil, to help push out the corners neatly.
    5. Secure the ends: Fold the raw edges of both ends of the fabric strip inward by about half an inch and secure them with pins. Sew a straight stitch across the folded ends to create a clean finish. Alternatively, you can use hot glue to secure the ends if you don't want to sew.
    6. Optional: Add elastic at the back: If you want the headband to have a snug fit, you can insert a thin elastic strip or elastic cord into the back of the headband. Measure the length needed for a comfortable fit and insert it into the fabric tube before sewing the ends closed.
    7. Embellish the headband (optional): Once the basic headband is complete, you can add embellishments to make it more appealing. Sew or glue on small fabric flowers, bows, or buttons to the front of the headband. Be sure to secure them firmly.
    8. Try it on the newborn: Gently place the finished headband on the newborn's head and adjust it for a comfortable fit.
    9. Remember to supervise a newborn while wearing a headband and ensure it's not too tight or uncomfortable. Enjoy making adorable headbands for your little one!
    • ilse
      How to make infant headband?
      1 year ago
      1. Gather Supplies: You'll need an infant-sized headband, a piece of elastic, matching fabric, scissors, and a needle and thread.
      2. Cut Fabric: Cut a piece of the fabric to measure 14” by 3”.
      3. Sew Elastic: Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and sew the elastic onto the open end of the fabric.
      4. Sew Ends: Match up the two ends of the fabric and sew them together.
      5. Attach to Headband: Thread the elastic through the headband and tie a knot to secure.
      6. Trim Ends: Trim any excess fabric or thread.
      7. Your beautiful handmade infant headband is now ready to use!
      • griffo
        How to make a baby headband with elastic?
        1 year ago
        1. Cut a piece of elastic to the desired size for the baby’s head.
        2. Take the end of the elastic and loop it around the center of the headband and stitch it in place.
        3. Continue looping the elastic around the headband and stitching it in place every few inches. The loops should be close enough to provide a snug fit on the baby’s head.
        4. Once you have looped the elastic around the entire headband, stitch the ends together and trim any excess elastic.
        5. Decorate the headband with fabric flowers, bows, or any other embellishment that you like. Use a hot glue gun or needle and thread to attach the decorations.