If you’re looking for a cute homemade present to give your friend for her baby shower these DIY baby headbands make the perfect gift for newborns. They only require a few materials which means they’re inexpensive to make (especially if you already have the fabric lying around your house!) and it doesn’t take long to put the whole thing together!
When we found out we’re having a baby girl I started thinking about all of the girly clothes and accessories I could make for her. I kept seeing all kinds of adorable bows and headbands and flowery hats online. I wanted them all! Handmade items are always a little more special than buying something in a store, so I decided to make my own baby headbands and love how they turned out. Today I’m sharing a tutorial on how to make these bow headbands.
This post may contain affiliate links. This means, at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on a link on this page. Learn more here.
Materials
- 1/4 yard of jersey knit (or any stretchy) fabric
- Scissors or rotary cutter
- Needle and thread
- Pins (optional)
- Sewing machine
Step 1.
Cut three pieces of fabric.
Piece 1: Headband – 4 inches by desired length. I made mine 12 inches long for a newborn. If your fabric is 2-way stretch make sure to cut it so it stretches with the long side. Every child will be a little different, but here’s a chart to help guide you on the length:
Piece 2. Bow – 5 inches by 6 inches.
Piece 3. Middle tie – 2 inches by 3 inches. If your fabric is 2-way stretch, cut it so that it stretches with the 3 inch side.
Step 2.
Fold the headband piece in half with right sides together. The folded edge should be the long side.
Step 3.
Sew the long edges together using a zig zag stitch. I used a short stitch length and medium width to make sure the headband stayed stretchy.
Step 4.
Turn the headband right side out and position the seam in the center of one side.
Step 5.
Fold the headband in half with the seam side out.
Step 6.
Sew the short ends together.
Step 7.
Turn the headband so that the seams are on the inside. Set aside.
Step 8.
Fold the bow piece in half with right sides together. The folded edge should be the 5-inch side, so the folded piece ends up 5 inches by 3 inches.
Step 9.
Cut a small slit (about an inch) in the center of one side of the folded fabric. This will be used to turn the fabric right side out in a later step.
Step 10.
Sew all three sides together.
Step 11.
Flip the bow fabric right side out using the slit we made in Step 9. I used the eraser end of a pencil to get the corners pushed all the way out. Don’t worry about the cut in the center of one side – it will be hidden in the bow.
Step 12.
Accordion fold the fabric and pin or hold together. Note that the picture below has the slit side facing down.
Step 13.
Stitch the center of the fold together. You can do this with a sewing machine or by hand.
Optional step: leave the tail ends of the thread from the center stitch long, wrap them around the center of the bow, tie together, and trim the thread. I like to do this so it holds the folds together tighter than with just the stitch, but it’s not necessary.
Set the bow aside.
Step 14.
Fold the middle tie in half with right sides together. The folded edge should be the 3-inch side so the folded piece ends up being 3 inches by 1 inch.
Step 15.
Sew the long sides together and turn right side out.
Step 16.
Gather all three pieces. Place the headband flat with the short seam facing up like in the picture below.
Step 17.
Place the bow on top of the headband seam with the slit side facing down.
Step 18.
Place the middle tie on top of the middle of the bow with its center seam facing outward.
Step 19.
Wrap the middle tie around both the bow and headband. Pin or hold in place.
Step 20.
Sew the middle tie ends together. Be careful not to sew the headband piece into the tie. I stretched the tie while I was sewing to get it as tight as possible around the headband piece and bow.
Step 21.
Trim off the excess fabric on the tie.
Step 22.
Turn the tie piece right side out so that the seams are on the inside and position the tie so it is in the center of the bow and headband covering the seam on the headband piece.
That’s it – your bow is ready to be worn! Happy sewing!
Related Posts
