DIY Retro Bow Headband

I love all things vintage, retro or just vintage inspired. This bow headband is a fun way to add some retro style to a messy bun. I whipped this one up yesterday and am thinking I’d also like to make one from a polka dot or floral fabric. Or maybe one of each! It’s really easy to make, too!

You will need:

• a piece of 1.5 cm wide elastic that is 11 cm long
• a rectangle of fabric 16 cm by 6 cm to form a casing for the elastic
• a rectangle of fabric 10 cm wide by 47 cm long
• extra fabric for the bow

The area around my head where the headband sits measures 53 cm. If your head is significantly bigger or smaller you may need to make the piece of elastic and the casing longer or smaller.

1. Take the small piece of fabric for the elastic casing and fold it in half lengthwise with the right sides (prettiest sides) of the fabric facing together. Sew along the long side, 1 cm from the raw edges. Turn the rectangle through so the seam allowance is on the inside.
2. Attach a safety pin to the end of your elastic and use it to poke the elastic into the casing.
3. When the other end of the elastic is about to disappear into the casing, place a pin across the end to hold the elastic to the casing. Stitch across the short end, a bit less than 1 cm from the end, securing the elastic to the casing so it won’t disappear inside.  The end of the elastic with the safety pin attached will still be inside the casing at this stage.
4. Continue to coax the safety pin along the casing until the other end of the elastic pokes out. The fabric will bunch up over the elastic. Remove the elastic and pin the end of the elastic to the end of the casing and then stitch across that edge to secure it, like you did for the other end.
   

   Making the elastic casing

5. Take your big rectangle and fold it in half lengthwise, with the right sides together. Sew along the long edge, 1 cm from the raw edges then turn it through so the seam allowance is on the inside.
6. Fold in about 1 cm of fabric across each end towards the inside of the rectangle. Iron flat.
7. Poke 1 cm of one end of the elastic casing into one end of the larger rectangle. Fold the corners of the rectangle over and use a couple of pins to hold it together.
8. Stitch in place across the end of the rectangle, making sure that your stitching is going through the elastic on the inside of the rectangle. Repeat on the other side.
   

   Making the main headband

9. Draw a template for your bow. Mine is 26 cm long, 3cm wide in the middle (this bit will form the knot), the widest part of the bow is 5cm which then tapers to a point at each end. Add 1 cm seam allowance all the way around this, then cut out two in your fabric. With the two pieces of fabric right sides together, stitch all the way around, leaving a gap of 5-6cm open in the middle on one side.
   

   Draw a template and don't forget to add seam allowance!

10. Trim and clip the seam allowance around the curved areas and then turn it through to the right side so all the seam allowance is on the inside. You may need to use a chopstick or the closed point of a small pair of scissors to gently poke out the tip of the bow. Hand stitch the gap closed.
    

    The bow

11. Work out where you want the bow to sit on the headband. I put mine to one side, about 14.5 cm from where the elastic joins on one side. Tie the bow in a knot at this point. Try it on to make sure you’re happy with the placement of the bow. If so, secure it in place with a few hand stitches around the knot and your headband is finished!
    

    All finished! Yay!

© 2011, Angela. All rights reserved. On reposting any images contained herein you must provide link to original post. Please don’t repost entire posts without my permission.

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