Easy, Easy, Easy, Fabric Headband Pattern and Tutorial

There's a story to how this pattern came to be.
I have two friends, Natalie and Jodi, who live next to each other. One evening Natalie and Jodi were out and the husbands were holding down the forts. Natalie's 3 year old daughter and Jodi's 4 year old daughter were playing together and decided to cut each other's hair. It was not just a little snip here and there but each had huge chunks of hair cut almost to the scalp.
Both moms were devastated.
That night Natalie sat down, designed and sewed these headbands in all kinds of colors to help hide the scalp and chunky layers of her little girl.
But they turned out so-so-SO cute that Natalie started wearing them too. And she got lots of people asking her where she got her headbands.
She was nice enough to share her pattern and teach the ladies at church too so they could make their own headbands.
She also gave me permission to write a tutorial on this blog.
So thank you so much Natalie, crafter, chef, mother, hairstylist, friend extraordinaire for sharing!

In the tutorial I will show you two options for embellishing your headband.
Option #1 has a gathered rosette and Option #2 has gathered/pleated coordinating fabric on top.
Both headbands have frayed edges.
Natalie came up with the rosette and I came up with the gather/pleats.

Supplies
3 coordinating fabrics at least 36 inches x 4 inches (I bought 1/4 yard each of three fabrics and have easily been able to make 6 headbands).
straight pins
fabric scissors
thread
sewing machine
Pattern Here

Option 1 rosette embelished
Method
Print and cut-out pattern.
Pattern piece #1 you will need to overlap at the line and tape together. Your finished pattern piece should measure about 17 inches long.

Lay pattern piece #1 on fabric 1 with the edge indicated on the fold.
Pin and cut out fabric. When cut you should have a strip of fabric approximately 34 inches long.

Pattern Piece #2 - lay it on fabric 2 with the edge indicated on the fold. Cut out fabric.

Cut one of the circle pattern for the flower on fabric 3.

Find the center of each strip of fabric by folding in half and marking with a pin.

Match centers and layer fabric piece 2 on top of fabric piece 1 you will have a little over 1/4 inch of fabric 1 showing on each side of the top fabric.

Pin the pieces together.
Sew around piece 2 about 1/4 inch in from the raw edge all of the way around. This will attach the two pieces together.

This is what it will look like when you're done.

Do the same all the way around piece 1.

We will be leaving the edges raw and so this edge stitching will keep the fabric from unraveling completely.
I love the look of the frayed edge! I think it adds so much charm and character.

Now we get to embellish the headband with a whimsical rosette.
Just to one side of center lay your circle of fabric on the headband. (I have the center marked with a pin in this photo).

Start tucking and bunching the circle in toward the center to make a rosette.
Pin in place.
I try to keep the outline of the circle as I bunch the fabric.

Starting on the outside edge sew around the circle and spiral in toward the center as you sew.
Be careful not to sew any of the pins and feel free to fold and tuck fabric under the presser foot as you sew.
This really is a whimsical rosette so don't try to make it perfect.

This is what the back looks like after you're done.
See, not perfect at all, but full of character.

Option 2 gathered embellished:

 For option 2 cut out pattern piece 1 the same as option 1

When you cut out pattern piece 2 place the edge of the pattern that says "cut on fold" 9 inches from the fold.

To make this piece just a little easier to cut out
Grab the folded edge that is 9 inches away from the edge of the pattern and fold it in toward the patern.
The fold farthest away from the pattern will now be 4 1/2 inches from the pattern.

Next pin the fabric and pattern and cut out the pattern piece.
I eyeball it and cut from one folded side straight down the pattern piece and then down the other side.
Does that make sense?

Find and mark the center of piece 2.

This is what piece 2 should look like.

With the pattern piece still on top of the cut fabric lay out piece 1 with piece 2 on top. The edge of the pattern that says "cut on fold should be at the center point of piece one.
Smooth out the fabric and pin the fabric that is the farthest from the center point to the bottom fabric.
Pin the center point of both fabrics together.
And then using the pattern piece as a guide do the same for the other end of piece 2.

After you've pinned all three points your headband should look like this.
You should have a lot of extra fabric.
This is where you can get creative. You can fold in uniform tucks or gathers or you can just fold the fabric which ever way you want and let it look a little crazy. Either way it will be really cute.

Let's pause here for a look at what was sharing my craft table space with me.

It looks a little like Disney/Pixar Up meets G.I. Joe.

Moving on.

I decided to go for the hap-hazard pleated look.
Pin and then sew 1/4 from the edge of the top fabric all the way around.

It should look something like this when you're done.
Sew 1/4 in all the way around the outside edge of your headband and you're done!

I love these headbands because they're so comfortable and easy to adjust.
Simply tie to the size you need.

In fact....don't tell my extended family....but I'm making a bunch of these to use at our family Christmas Party White Elephant gift exchange and at another party where everyone is given play money and we have an auction with it for the white elephant gifts ( always so much fun!)
Oh, and Natalie says she's made a bunch for her 8 year old daughter to give to friends for Christmas. Brilliant!

Let me know if you have any questions!
Good luck and Enjoy!