The Wonky Button Headband

Thanks to everybody who's linked up to Headband Week so far!  It's fun to see all your great ideas.  I've been told by a couple of people that they tried to link up and had some trouble.  I'm totally new at this kind of link-up, so I'm still trying to work out the kinks, but I've been told that if you add your link to THIS POST it works.  So that's something you can try in the mean time.  Anyway, on to today's headband!  It's the...

Why?  Well, because it's wonky and it has buttons, that's why.  And if you haven't been married to Bryan for two and a half years and don't know what wonky means, well... in this case it basically means lopsided.  Or, as I like to think of it as: asymmetrical.  Which, I would just like to say--for the record--was done on purpose.  By moi.  Okay, enough of defending my ridiculous title and (perhaps) ridiculous headband.  On to the tutorial!

Here's what you'll need:

-lightweight fabric (about 1/16 of a yard)
-4 1/2" of 1/2" wide elastic
-2 medium size safety pins
-measuring tape
-other general sewing supplies


*Notes:
-All seam allowances are 3/8" unless otherwise stated.
-This pattern is for an adult, but it would be really easy to convert the measurements to make these for a child.

Now let's get started!

Step 1: Measuring your head

First, grab your measuring tape and measure where you'd like your headband to fit.  If you come up at about 21" to 22" then the measurements given here should work just fine for you.  If you come up more than an inch or two bigger or a little smaller, you may want to adjust the measurements I give here so that your headband will fit you just how you like it.  :)

Step 2: Cutting your fabric and elastic

Cut one strip of fabric 18" long.

 Using a rotary cutter, cutting mat, and ruler, angle the sides of your long strip  to achieve the desired level of wonkiness.  (I think the ends of my 18" long strip ended up being about 2 1/2" and 3 1/4".  If I were to do this over again, I would have made more bold angles.  Live and learn.)

Next, cut a shorter strip of fabric about 8" long and as wide as the skinniest part of your wonky strip.  (My shorter strip was about 2 1/2" wide and 7" long, but I recommend making it 8" long so it will scrunch better.)

Also cut a piece of 1/2" wide elastic to be 4 1/2" long.


Step 3: Sew your short strip into a tube, attach the elastic, and turn it inside out

To do this, follow steps 3-5 in the Basic Skinny Headband tutorial found HERE.

Step 4: Sew your wonky (long) strip into a tube and turn it right side out

To do this, follow steps 6 and 7 in the Basic Skinny Headband tutorial found HERE. 

Your strips should now look about like this.


Step 5: Attaching your wonky strip to your short strip

Take the wide end of your wonky strip and fold the raw edge inside about 1/2".

Take the safety pin off one of the ends of your short strip.  Push the scrunches down to the end with the remaining safety pin.

Insert the end of your short strip inside the wide end of your wonky strip.

Tuck the excess of the wide end of your wonky strip under your short strip end and pin in place.

This is what it will look like on the top side.

Sew together, stitching close to the edge.  (Maybe try and sew a straight line... unlike me.)

Next, take the skinny end of your wonky strip and fold the edges in about 1/2".

Remove the safety pin from the remaining end of your short strip.  Insert the short strip end into the skinny end of your wonky strip.  Pin in place.  Sew, stitching close to the edge.

Step 6: Tidying up your scrunches
As I mentioned before, when I made my Wonky Button Headband I cut the fabric for my short strip to be 7" long instead of 8" long.  This made it so the scrunches over my elastic looked rather pathetic.  So I thought I'd tidy things up a bit.  If you're satisfied with your scrunches, feel free to skip this step.  But in case you find yourself in the same boat, I thought I'd let you know how to remedy lame-o scrunches. 

Line up the center seam on your short piece with the needle on your sewing machine.  Stitch forward and back a couple of times to secure your stitches.  Then, pull on your headband from both above the needle and below it, keeping your elastic and short fabric strip pulled out straight.  Stitch a row of straight stitches (or zigzag if you prefer) over your center seam line.  Back-stitch a couple of times again when you reach the end of your short strip.

Now your scrunches will be tidy little scrunches instead of lumpy clumps of fabric.  Which are lame.  And you don't want to be lame, right?

Step 7: Sew on your buttons

Choose some cool buttons.  Sew them on.


Aaaaand...

You're done!

Ahh... nice and comfy.  And cute.  And speaking of cute, a big thanks to the lovely Amanda for modeling our Wonky Button Headband for us.  I don't know why she's majoring in English when she could clearly has a solid career as a headband model.


Have you made one of my Headband Week headbands?  Or have you made, altered, or embellished your own headband (recently or in the past)?  Link it up so everyone can come see it!