My fabric fairy and a mini tutorial on headbands

My e-mail inbox has been pretty jam-packed lately, but I definitely perked up when a message from Klay came in last week. The subject line was "calling all fabric hoarders." Yep. That's me.

Klay is 30 weeks preggers and is converting her sewing room into a nursery/sewing room so--to my delight--she was purging half her fabric stash. I dropped by yesterday and left with a big box full of fabric fun, plus some back issues of Blueprint magazine (and we all know I can't refuse free magazines). 

Here's a glimpse of just some of what she gave me:

The jersey knit below is made from organic cotton and I'm pretty sure it's the same fabric used to make some hand-me-down dresses Carolyn gave me recently. Don't you think, Carolyn?

Many of the pieces are small and I'm having so much fun trying to come up with ways to use them. One easy idea for some of the smallest pieces is to make pockets for the fronts of dresses for the girls. 

I just had to make something when I got home last night, so I whipped a headband with the ribbon in that last photo and a piece of tan linen. Here's the finished product:

I didn't take enough photos or write down measurements to give you a full-blown tutorial, but this is basically what I did:

1) Cut three strips of the same fabric. (The third strip can be a different fabric if you want the headband to be reversible.) The strips should be as wide as you want the headband to be, plus 1/2 inch to allow for 1/4-inch fold over on each side. The strips should be long enough to nearly reach around your head, plus an inch or so.

You will also need fusible webbing, a piece of ribbon that's almost as long as the fabric strips and four or so inches of 1-inch elastic. 

2) Fuse two of the fabric strips together, wrong sides facing, according to the fusible webbing directions.

3) Sew the ribbon to the top of one side of the fused fabric pieces. Instead of ribbon, you could also embroider or do other embellishing.

4) Fold over 1/4 inch of fabric on the long sides of the fused strip and the third strip of fabric and press. Sew the fused strip to the third strip with the folded edges facing each other, stopping about 1/2 inch from the ends. Hopefully this photo explains it better than my words do:

5) When you get to the ends, fold the fabric in toward itself again and insert one end of the elastic in one side and the other in the other side and sew over the top, backstitching at least once to make sure the elastic won't break free. It's really best to do one end, then put the headband on your head and mark with your finger or a pin how far in the other end of the elastic should be inserted.

And there you have it. I like to make my headbands a little big so they don't cut off circulation to my brain when I wear them. Plus, I have a really big noodle. 

Thanks so much, Klay, for the box of inspiration. I'm clearing a special space on my shelves for the Klay Collection. 

Comments

[Carolyn L.]

Oh, that does look the same cotton. Can't wait to see what you do with it!

[Jeanne]

That headband is beautiful! Love the idea and what a great way to use scraps.

[Megan]

Any ideas, Carolyn? Maybe a patchwork scarf connecting some of the smaller pieces (they're about 5 by 5 inches)?

Thanks, Jeanne. It's so much fun to let the fabric dictate what I'm going to do instead of starting with a pattern and buying new fabric to fit it (although that has a time and a place, too).

[Carolyn L.]

I like the idea of patchwork scarf. Or maybe you could incoporate them into the ruffle of a skirt. That would be pretty sweet, too.

[klay]

Oh it's so lovely to see all those familiar pieces on your blog. I know they are in great hands with you. I love the headband - I'm delighted to see that trim transformed into something beautiful and not sitting in storage. Thank you for coming to get it! Looking forward to what come's next!

[Megan]

I love the idea of a ruffle, Carolyn. Oh, how I love ruffles. I've been wanting to make myself a skirt that's business in the front and ruffles in the back (A Skirt Mullet! I can see the Etsy listing now).
I'm going to hold off on the knits for now, but I'm going to use the ruffle idea with some vintage hankies from the stash. I started working on it this afternoon. Stay tuned.
Thanks again, Klay. I'm having so much fun.

[nis]

Ooh, Mimi, you must be in fabric heaven. Keep posting all of your fun new projects! Also, I love love love the new "penny carnival"...super cute. MK is forever after me to "dot out my name" so she can trace it (not that she needs to, if you saw her signature on our Christmas card you can see that she's in pretty good shape for a three year old!) but I love how it looks as your title! xoxo

[headbands]

Thanks for sharing! I made one before but I used glue. It didn't last for a month because I have to wash it.

[HAIR EXTENSION]

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