Headband HOW-TO (re-purposed from an old dress)

Hi! It's been a long while since I've given you snippets! I've been through a few reject phones lately, which means fewer photos and, as you can see, I love to base my topics on fun, colorful images. So, it's great to be back! Thanks iPhone 4!

And thanks local shop (Brook Vacuum in Park Slope) for selling me a great Singer serger that has been making me go sew mad with my creativity! I found a dress lingering in my closet the other day that would have never, ever, ever fit my upper half after child number two. SO, I chopped the dress in half, used the bottom half as a skirt and the rest of the scraps to craft a headband! Woot woot! (My neighbor had asked me to mend her headband the other day, so while doing so I kinda memorized all I'd need to know to make one of my own.)

Here's what you need:

A scrap of lightweight, cotton fabric with a great print (roughly 14in.x8in.) Maybe even an old sheet or bandana would do!
A matching or coordinating scrap of fabric (2in.x11in.)
Matching thread for your machine
1-7in. strip of elastic, 3/4in. wide

1.  Take your amazing fabric scrap and measure it so you can cut a clean, 2in.x11in. long rectangle. This is to cover your elastic band. (a.)

2.  Cut another scrap to measure 14in.x8in. with your fave part of the pattern centered nicely as your focal point. This is the main body of your headband.  (b.)

(a.)(b.)

fabric scraps from an old dress

3.  Then serge or zigzag the raw edges of both pieces.
4. Take piece (a.) and fold it right sides together and stitch from top to bottom down the raw edge. Repeat with piece (b.) (1/4 inch seams)

5. Turn both pieces right side out and press with an iron. *note* On my headband the fabric was prettier on one edge, so I made sure to shift the fabric so that the seam was on the center bottom side of the headband. Otherwise you wouldn't have gotten to see the lovely, yellow flowers.

6. Thread your elastic thru piece (a.) with this handy little bodkin. A bodkin is a bit easier to use than a sharp, tricky safety pin, but that's an option as well.  Your fabric will gather up, so space it evenly. Use the sewing machine to tack the elastic in place on either end. Your tacking stitch should be horizontal to the serged edge of the fabric.

http://www.spinblessing.com/item.php?art=051221522284

7. Take the remaining piece (b.) and fold it in three as you would a paper fan or accordion. The key is to get the end size to match up with the width of your elastic band.

8. Baste (a.) to (b.) with right sides together, being sure to catch the elastic in the 1/2in. seam you create. Once you've positioned the headband and tried it on for size you can go back and stitch it for good. You'll want the headband to fit slightly snug, but not so snug that it pops right off.

Finished headband

9. For good measure, go back and re-iron everything so it will look nice and crisp. If the ends of the elastic pop up and bug you like they did me, go back and lay them flat and stitch them in place.

Here's what it looks like on me. An aerial view, cause it was a long day! ; )

Let me know if you need pointers or if this is just completely confusing. HAPPY SEWING!